Is this the most underrated ski destination in France?
Part one of my trip to France, beginning in Val d'Isere.
After landing in Geneva airport, I was whisked away in a sleek black Mercedes. A 3-hour drive followed, winding through lush green mountains. The focus of the trip was to check out Val d’Isere, a ski destination in the French Alps that has slowly been gaining traction. The lack of snow surprised me, but suddenly the temperatures dropped and the green grass vanished underneath piles of powdery snow. The car kept winding up the mountain until we reached our destination.
It looked like something you’d find in a movie. Wooden buildings, small alley-like streets, and snow everywhere. Skiers and snowboarders—young and old—walked with their gear to the nearby slopes. The sun was out when we arrived at Airelles Val d’Isere, and our room wasn’t ready, so we bundled up and sat outside on the wooden chairs overlooking the slopes. The property is one of, if not the only one on the slopes, which is a major advantage. I don’t remember how long we sat there, but it was so easy to take it all in. The crisp, fresh air, sun shining in our faces, and bright, white snow—almost blinding—all around us. As I sat there, my thoughts drifted to the excitement I had about taking some more ski lessons the next day. It’s a new sport I decided to take on this year, and it’s more gratifying than anything I’ve ever done—albeit falling more times than I can count.
When we started getting cold, we headed inside and were informed that our room was ready. Airelles Val d’Isere has 41 rooms total, and all are spacious. Ours was no exception. A living room connected to a large balcony overlooking the slopes and snowy mountains, heated floors, a large tub in the center of the bathroom, and multiple closets (to store all the ski gear, obviously) were just a few of my favorite details. Just like the rest of the property, it felt super cozy. Not at all commercial or uniform like some hotels feel. The website calls it an ‘Alpine sanctuary’ and it’s exactly the words I’d use to describe it.
Once I unpacked, I went downstairs with my mom to have lunch at LouLou. The restaurant is popular in Paris, but this one was far less crowded. We lunched on a delicious truffle pizza, spicy penne vodka, and lots of bread. With an Aperol spritz in hand, I basked in the warm, winter sun. The people-watching was fabulous, filled with a mixture of those coming from the slopes in their chic designer ski outfits and those who don’t ski but love to aprés ski.
Dinner was a completely different experience in Matsuhisa, a spot by the chef behind Nobu. We arrived at 8 pm and the vibes were poles apart. Unlike earlier in the day at LouLou, the crowd was no longer in ski gear. Instead, everyone was dressed to the nines in what I’d classify as business casual.
Velvet couches, dim lighting, and wooden walls filled with antique-looking photos decorated the space. We ordered Nobu’s signature crispy rice (something I’ve tried so hard to replicate on my own) with spicy tuna and a few sushi rolls to share. It’s a privilege to dine at any restaurant by Nobu Matsuhisa; the food is always consistent and mouthwateringly good. I’m telling you that crispy rice lives rent-free in my head.
Early the next morning after the French breakfast buffet of my dreams, I ventured into the onsite ski room to change into my Halfdays ski outfit before my lessons. This luxe amenity made it so easy for people to come ski. You can rent all your gear there, they bring your skis to the slopes for you, and they also have a cute little room with drinks and snacks for pre or post-ski fuel.
I spent the entire day on the slopes, going up and down the chairlift. I practiced turns, skied a bunch following my instructor, and worked on overcoming the mental hurdle of skiing. As I’ve recently learned, the sport is just as much mental as it is physical. I’ve mastered the physical part and with time, I’ll overcome the mental component. Ironically, I fell off the rusty chairlift more than I did on the actual slopes. I did about five runs on my own with my instructor and left the slopes sweaty and happy. It was snowing the entire day, so it felt like I was in a Christmas movie.
After skiing, my mom and I ventured into town to explore. Pretty much everything is related to winter sports gear, but there are a few fromageries, boulangeries, and restaurants hidden in between. The smell of fresh bread wafted through the air as we window-shopped at Moncler, Fusalp, and Patagonia. Half the fun of skiing is the chic gear, but restraint was practiced and I left empty-handed.
Upon return, we headed to the spa. It’s housed in what feels like a dungeon of a castle. Warm lighting, concrete archways, and wooden ceilings are what adorn the area around the pool. I spent an hour of bliss, getting a facial with an assortment of Guerlain products. My face was glowing and my mind was at ease when I left the treatment room. Two signs of a successful spa treatment, if you ask me.
That night, we had our last dinner at L’Grande Ourse. We ordered a piping hot French onion soup and a bubbling vat of fondue cheese. It was comforting, cozy, and just what I needed after a day in the snow. I’ll be honest though: the dessert was the star of the show. Our waiter recommended ordering the meringues. They came in a basket, surrounded by the yummiest strawberries. A small ramekin of fresh whipped cream was in the center. Can you imagine anything better?
The next morning we departed at 7:30 am, so I woke up early to catch the sunrise over the mountains. The light glistened on the snow, the sky turned a pastel-hued blue, and I enjoyed a warm croissant with this view before we ventured onto the next part of our journey.