Tarentaise Valley
Encyclopedia
The Tarentaise Valley is a valley of the Isère River in the heart of the French Alps
, located in the Savoy
region of France
. The valley is named for the ancient town of Darantasia, the capital of the pre-Roman Centrones
tribe.
. Going east up the valley, Moûtiers
is reached, then Aime
and finally the last large town, Bourg-Saint-Maurice
.
The area is internationally best known for its world renowned ski resort
s, including Les Trois Vallées
(Courchevel
, Méribel
, Val Thorens
etc. - off a side valley from Moûtiers
). Paradiski
with La Plagne
above Aime
and Les Arcs
above Bourg-Saint-Maurice
. Espace Killy
with Tignes
and Val-d'Isère further up the valley. These communities hosted most of the events for the 1992 Albertville winter Olympics
. A weekly lift ticket
in any of the described systems gives you a choice to ski one day in each of the other two systems mentioned. There were once plans to interlink all systems and resorts to create the - by far - largest ski area in the world. However that vision was ended with the creation of the Vanoise National Park
.
Other ski areas includes Sainte-Foy-Tarentaise
, La Rosière
and Valmorel.
In the winter, the valley is a cul-de-sac, with its road finishing at Val d'Isere. In the summer, there is a pass over to the Maurienne Valley
at the head of the valley (the Col de l'Iseran
, and a couple of others further down, including the Little St Bernard Pass
eastwards to Italy via La Rosiere
and La Thuile
and the Cormet de Roselend
northwards.
Both sides of the valley, but especially the sunnier northern side, have rural farming communities all the way along. The colder southern side tends to be dominated by the ski resorts but has occasional small hamlets.
and Eurostar
trains from London. The valley road is dual carriageway as far as Moûtiers, after which it becomes a standard two-lane but single-carriageway road, which can see substantial queues in winter. This road is currently receiving funding from the European Union
for a significant improvement project between Aime and Moûtiers, one of the narrowest point in the valley.
French Alps
The French Alps are those portions of the Alps mountain range which stand within France, located in the Rhône-Alpes and Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur regions....
, located in the Savoy
Savoy
Savoy is a region of France. It comprises roughly the territory of the Western Alps situated between Lake Geneva in the north and Monaco and the Mediterranean coast in the south....
region of France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
. The valley is named for the ancient town of Darantasia, the capital of the pre-Roman Centrones
Centrones
The Ceutrones were a pre-Roman Celtic tribe of ancient Gaul that controlled regions of the Graian Alps....
tribe.
Description
At the foot of the valley, in the west, is the city of AlbertvilleAlbertville
Albertville is a commune in the Savoie department in the Rhône-Alpes region in south-eastern France.The town is best known for hosting the 1992 Winter Olympics.-Geography:...
. Going east up the valley, Moûtiers
Moutiers
Moutiers and Les Moutiers is the name or part of the name of several communes in France:*Moutiers, in the Eure-et-Loir département*Moutiers, in the Ille-et-Vilaine département*Moutiers, in the Meurthe-et-Moselle département...
is reached, then Aime
Aime
Aime is a commune in the Savoie department in the Rhône-Alpes region in south-eastern France.-Geography:The commune lies in the Tarentaise Valley, partly overlapping the ski resorts of La Plagne and Les Arcs.-Transportation:...
and finally the last large town, Bourg-Saint-Maurice
Bourg-Saint-Maurice
Bourg-Saint-Maurice, popularly known as Bourg, is a commune in the Savoie department in the Rhône-Alpes region in south-eastern France.It is the last large town along the Tarentaise valley in the heart of the French Alps.-History:...
.
The area is internationally best known for its world renowned ski resort
Ski resort
A ski resort is a resort developed for skiing and other winter sports. In Europe a ski resort is a town or village in a ski area - a mountainous area, where there are ski trails and supporting services such as hotels and other accommodation, restaurants, equipment rental and a ski lift system...
s, including Les Trois Vallées
Les Trois Vallées
Les Trois Vallées or The Three Valleys is a ski region in the Tarentaise Valley, Savoie département of France, above the town of Moûtiers and have areas within the Vanoise National Park...
(Courchevel
Courchevel
Courchevel is the name of a ski resort located in the commune of Saint-Bon-Tarentaise in the French Alps, in the Tarentaise Valley, Savoie, Rhône-Alpes region. It is a part of Les Trois Vallées, the largest linked ski area in the world...
, Méribel
Méribel
Méribel is a ski resort in the Tarentaise Valley in the French Alps, situated near the town of Moutiers.Méribel refers to three neighbouring villages in the Les Allues commune of the Savoie département of France, near the town of Moûtiers , called Méribel Centre, Méribel-Mottaret and Méribel Village...
, Val Thorens
Val Thorens
Val Thorens, located in the Tarentaise Valley, Savoie, French Alps, is the highest ski resort in Europe, at 2300 m altitude. It is located in the commune of Saint-Martin-de-Belleville in the Savoie département...
etc. - off a side valley from Moûtiers
Moutiers
Moutiers and Les Moutiers is the name or part of the name of several communes in France:*Moutiers, in the Eure-et-Loir département*Moutiers, in the Ille-et-Vilaine département*Moutiers, in the Meurthe-et-Moselle département...
). Paradiski
Paradiski
Paradiski is a ski-area in the Tarentaise Valley offering uninterrupted skiing in between the areas of Les Arcs, Peisey-Vallandry and La Plagne. The area is linked, since December 2003, by the Vanoise Express...
with La Plagne
La Plagne
La Plagne is a French ski area in the alpine valley of the Tarentaise . Since 2003, La Plagne and the neighbouring resort of Les Arcs form Paradiski's ski area...
above Aime
Aime
Aime is a commune in the Savoie department in the Rhône-Alpes region in south-eastern France.-Geography:The commune lies in the Tarentaise Valley, partly overlapping the ski resorts of La Plagne and Les Arcs.-Transportation:...
and Les Arcs
Les Arcs
Les Arcs is a ski resort located in Savoie, France, in the Tarentaise Valley town of Bourg-Saint-Maurice. Initially created by Robert Blanc and Roger Godino...
above Bourg-Saint-Maurice
Bourg-Saint-Maurice
Bourg-Saint-Maurice, popularly known as Bourg, is a commune in the Savoie department in the Rhône-Alpes region in south-eastern France.It is the last large town along the Tarentaise valley in the heart of the French Alps.-History:...
. Espace Killy
Espace Killy
The Espace Killy is a ski area in the Tarentaise Valley, Savoie in the French Alps, named after the skier Jean-Claude Killy. It covers the resorts of Val d'Isère and Tignes In Espace Killy there are 300 km of pistes:...
with Tignes
Tignes
Tignes is a commune in the Tarentaise Valley, Savoie department in the Rhône-Alpes region in south-eastern France.It is also a ski resort near Val d'Isère, that are linked together as the "Espace Killy" region...
and Val-d'Isère further up the valley. These communities hosted most of the events for the 1992 Albertville winter Olympics
1992 Winter Olympics
The 1992 Winter Olympics, officially known as the XVI Olympic Winter Games, were a winter multi-sport event celebrated from 8 to 23 February 1992 in Albertville, France. They were the last Winter Olympics to be held the same year as the Summer Olympics, and the first where the Winter Paralympics...
. A weekly lift ticket
Lift ticket
A Lift ticket is an identifier usually attached to a skier's outerwear that indicates they have paid and can ride on the ski lift up a mountain to ski....
in any of the described systems gives you a choice to ski one day in each of the other two systems mentioned. There were once plans to interlink all systems and resorts to create the - by far - largest ski area in the world. However that vision was ended with the creation of the Vanoise National Park
Vanoise National Park
Vanoise National Park , is a French national park in the Tarentaise Valley in the French Alps, created in 1963 after mobilization from the environmentalist movement against a touristic project. It was the first French national park. This park is in the département of Savoie...
.
Other ski areas includes Sainte-Foy-Tarentaise
Sainte-Foy-Tarentaise
Sainte-Foy-Tarentaise is a commune in the Savoie department in the Rhône-Alpes region in south-eastern France.Sainte-Foy-Tarentaise is a village in the Tarentaise Valley in Savoie, France. The old village itself lies on the main road between Bourg-Saint-Maurice and Val-d'Isère...
, La Rosière
La Rosière, Savoie
La Rosière is a ski resort in southeastern France. It is located in the territory of the commune of Montvalezan, in the Haute-Savoie department, located at 1850 metres above sea level, and faces South with fine views across the valley to nearby Les Arcs....
and Valmorel.
In the winter, the valley is a cul-de-sac, with its road finishing at Val d'Isere. In the summer, there is a pass over to the Maurienne Valley
Maurienne
Maurienne is one of the provinces of Savoy, corresponding to the arrondissement of Saint-Jean-de-Maurienne in France. It is also the original name of the capital of the province, now Saint-Jean-de-Maurienne.-Location:...
at the head of the valley (the Col de l'Iseran
Col de l'Iseran
Col de l'Iseran is the highest paved mountain pass in the Alps. A part of the Graian Alps, it is situated in the department of Savoie in France near the border with Italy. It is crossed by the D902....
, and a couple of others further down, including the Little St Bernard Pass
Little St Bernard Pass
The Little St Bernard Pass is a mountain pass in the Alps on the France–Italy border. Its saddle is at 2188 metres above sea level. It is located between Savoie, France and Aosta Valley, Italy to the south of the Mont Blanc Massif, precisely on the main alpine watershed. There is also a Great St...
eastwards to Italy via La Rosiere
La Rosière, Savoie
La Rosière is a ski resort in southeastern France. It is located in the territory of the commune of Montvalezan, in the Haute-Savoie department, located at 1850 metres above sea level, and faces South with fine views across the valley to nearby Les Arcs....
and La Thuile
La Thuile, Savoie
La Thuile is a commune in the Savoie department in the Rhône-Alpes region in south-eastern France.-References:*...
and the Cormet de Roselend
Cormet de Roselend
Cormet de Roselend is a high mountain pass in the Alps in the department of Savoie in France.It connects Beaufort in the Beaufortain valley and Bourg-Saint-Maurice in the Tarentaise Valley...
northwards.
Both sides of the valley, but especially the sunnier northern side, have rural farming communities all the way along. The colder southern side tends to be dominated by the ski resorts but has occasional small hamlets.
Transport
The valley has a railway as far as Bourg-Saint-Maurice, which, in the winter season, has various direct sleeper trains from ParisParis
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
and Eurostar
Eurostar
Eurostar is a high-speed railway service connecting London with Paris and Brussels. All its trains traverse the Channel Tunnel between England and France, owned and operated separately by Eurotunnel....
trains from London. The valley road is dual carriageway as far as Moûtiers, after which it becomes a standard two-lane but single-carriageway road, which can see substantial queues in winter. This road is currently receiving funding from the European Union
European Union
The European Union is an economic and political union of 27 independent member states which are located primarily in Europe. The EU traces its origins from the European Coal and Steel Community and the European Economic Community , formed by six countries in 1958...
for a significant improvement project between Aime and Moûtiers, one of the narrowest point in the valley.