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Val Thorens / Advanced
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Off piste in Val Thorens
On a clear day, however, it is the off-piste which is the real draw. Most of the mountain is skiable terrain so there is plenty to do between the pistes, though you have to watch out for rocks. The north-facing slopes along the main flank are all easily accessible. For longer runs, the old itinerary from the top of Cime de Caron that drops down 1300m to Lac du Lou is beautiful and challenging in equal measure. Alternatively drop-down 2000m of vertical through the Gébroulaz Glacier from the top of the Col chair down into Méribel.
In the Maurienne valley the new Bouchet chair has alleviated the need to walk from the top of the Col chair to access the Glacier du Bouchet. This, one of the most glorious stretches of off-piste in the Alps, is now easily accessible from the top of the Sommet des Pistes down the 930 metres of vertical that was briefly the black Pierre Lory, before the steep start claimed too many casualties.
Les Menuires and St Martin
All of the upper runs on the Masse are of a good pitch though only two are officially marked black, of which the Masse itself has a good steep shoulder at the start. In good conditions, Dame Blanche is also a fine run and Rocher Noir can develop good bumps. Across the valley, Leo Lacroix is steep, narrow and bumpy and the shorter runs of Pylones and Étélé can be challenging. However, it is the off-piste which is the real draw here. The mountainside is largely unpisted from above St Martin all the way across to the outskirts of Les Menuires and there are many different routes that drop down to the villages that dot the road between the two. The area underneath and skier’s right of the St Martin 2 chair is particularly good for progressing off-piste skiers.
The Masse is also a haven for off-piste, with great runs coming down under the Masse 2 bubble and the Lac Noir chair. Best of all, though, is the serene itinerary overlooking Val Thorens, which drops off the back down onto the Vallon du Lou and winds back around the mountain on the Boulevard Cumin.
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