Pioneer village

History and Heritage

There are villages that have a soul, that seduce at first sight. In Val d’Isère, in each alley, on each wall, the atmosphere is full of history. Once upon a time, there was Val d’Isère. The story begins in 1888 with the opening of the first hotel in Val d’Isère. From 1930 onwards, the ski fashion appeared and Val d’Isère immediately positioned itself as a first choice destination. The post-war period marked the advent of winter sports and Val d’Isère became a world-renowned resort thanks to its unique ski area and the authentic charm of its village.

Visionary pioneers

Birth of a station

Jacques Mouflier, in love with Val d’Isère since his first stay in 1929, is convinced of the possibility of making it a resort. Its mayor, Nicolas Bazile, saw the harsh climate and remoteness as insurmountable obstacles. From their meeting in the summer of 1931 germinates the project of the resort.

From 1932, the public infrastructure paves the way: post office, electric power supply, water supply and development of the access road but also the first hotels.

In 1936, the first initiative syndicate represents all the economic activities of the resort. It adopts an urban plan that guarantees the safeguarding of the characteristics of the village and divides the communal territory into two zones (sports and real estate).

In 1937, two ministers blocked by a snowstorm and the inauguration of the road to the Col de l’Iseran allow the name of Val d’Isère to be known throughout France.

Destiny of a high mountain village that became an international ski resort. The village of yesteryear: 9 months of winter, 3 months of hell.

The creation of a ski school

Let's hit the slopes!

During the winter of 1932-1933, two Austrians teach skiing to the few tourists. But four Avalins very quickly assimilate the “snowplough” method taught by the Austrians. The first ski lessons, the “Cours Vosgiens”, are offered by Charles Diebold.

The following winters, the young Avalins become emancipated and are introduced to ski teaching. The first French Ski School was founded during the 1936-1937 season around a dozen instructors.

In 1937-1938, the central training school opened its doors at Joseray and awarded its first instructor diplomas. The test of the Chamois de France is created.

The equipment of the ski area

An all-schuss development

In 1938, the creation of the Société des Téléphériques de Val d’Isère made it possible to develop a vast equipment program. A long-term ambition: to travel around the resort 34 kilometers, between 1,850 and 3,300 meters above sea level, without taking off your skis, without using the same lift twice or going down the same slope twice!

Started in May 1939, work on the Solaise cable car was completed in December 1942. After the war, the equipment continues towards the high domain. At the beginning of the 1960s, the domain has a dozen ski lifts and two cable cars.

The stick planting

high competition ski resort

The First Snow Criterium

In 1955, the Club des Sports decided to organize a competition in December to attract skiers in training. From the 1960s, the results of the French team encouraged international skiers to include the Criterium in their competition program. Today, it is a stage of the World Cup that takes place on the Oreiller-Killy piste, with an arrival at the Daille site and another on the mythical Face de Bellevarde piste.

Albertville Olympic Games

The initiative was launched during the 1981 Criterium, by Jean- Claude Killy and Michel Barnier (deputy of Savoie and president of the General Council). Announced in 1982, Albertville’s bid is the third French one after Chamonix in 1924 and Grenoble in 1968.

Val d’Isère hosts four men’s events on the Bellevarde face: downhill, giant slalom, super giant and combined.

World Alpine Ski Championships

11 events were held on the Bellevarde and Solaise mountain ranges, an opportunity for large-scale work: rehabilitation of the Bellevarde face, construction of the Rhône-Alpes track on the Solaise face, construction of a press center and finish line stadiums… More than 20,000 spectators over 12 days of competition: a real popular success!

History of the fornet

Hamlet perched at an altitude of 1930 meters

Nested at an altitude of 1930 meters, the hamlet of Fornet has preserved all its authenticity over the years. From here, skiers can reach the highest peaks by taking the Fornet cable car, built in 1972, which provides a link to Iseran and the Pissaillas glacier. Le Fornet is also a great playground for off-piste enthusiasts who can’t resist skiing on these magnificent virgin snowy slopes. The less experienced skiers are not left out with a wide choice of green and blue slopes.

Le Fornet is also the starting point of many hikes including that of the Saint Charles bridge. In the summer, the most seasoned walkers will be able to go through the Malpasset gorges to the Prariond refuge and even reach the Col de la Galise and the Col de la Lose to pass by our Italian neighbors. For the more adventurous, the glaciers of the Isère springs offer the possibility of a glacier hike.

The origins of the name

Le Fornet is so called because it refers to the lime kilns, traces of which can be found upstream from the village, along the Isère River. If life in Le Fornet is peaceful, the mountain has not always been kind to the inhabitants. Indeed, the village was originally located on the left bank of the Isère, before an avalanche destroyed it. Quickly, the inhabitants decided to rebuild the village upstream. Inscriptions found on the framework of the old buildings date the first construction of the new village to 1750. In the summer you can see the ruins of the old village now called “le Fornet d’en bas”.

An estimated 70 people live in Le Fornet year-round. While it is not the highest village in France, it is in the top five. Many of the original families still live in the village and many of the chalets are also rented out during the winter season. If you ask the old-timers what they like best about Le Fornet, they’ll tell you without hesitation “the peace and quiet”. Indeed, easily accessible but slightly distant from the center of Val d’Isère, Le Fornet has only one hotel and two restaurants, one starred, the other run by a pioneer family of the resort. A wind of authenticity has been blowing through Le Fornet for many years and it’s not about to change: word of an old hand!

Anecdote "Les bronzés font du ski

You surely remember this cult line: “le planté de bâton, monsieur Dusse, le planté de bâton”. The ski instructor of Jean-Claude Dusse was not an actor, but a real ski instructor. His name was Fernand Bonnevie, originally from Val-d’Isère. He died in 2013 at the age of 98. On the way to the old village you pass by his chalet named… “Le planté de bâton”!

Culinary specialties

and crafts

Since 1965, the Chevallot family has been established in Val d’Isère. Elected Best Pastry Chef in France in 1993, Patrick Chevallot perpetuates the know-how of his family. It is impossible to come to Val d’Isère without visiting one of his two stores: the first one is located on the Olympic avenue, and the second one, entirely renovated, in the heart of the village. Here you can enjoy the local specialty, the Ancolie cake, the bear paw, the Savoy cake, the blueberry pie or simply a homemade hot chocolate.

Also to be discovered: the local cheese, the Avalin, a cooked cheese from our mountain pastures and produced at the Adroit farm.

Val d’Isère – 9. Val d’Isère… originally a summer resort