Have you skied the French Alps? We just returned from an epic ski trip to France – skiing the biggest ski resort in the world – Les 3 Vallées, as well as Val D’Isère Tignes and La Plagne Les Arcs. These are all huge interconnected ski resorts in the magnificent French Alps. Yes, we enjoyed classic on mountain chalet lunches, spectacular scenery of the Alps, big long off-piste runs, and wild après ski that only the French bring to a heroic level – live music, dancing in ski boots, Champagne spraying, absolutely off the hook!
But here’s the truly Epic part of skiing the French Alps. Our France ski tickets were included in our Vail Epic Pass! I already had 15 days on my Epic Pass from skiing Vail, Beaver Creek, Breck and Keystone in Colorado, and Park City Utah.
Presenting my Epic Pass in The French Alps, I got bonus free days skiing at Les Trois Vallées’ legendary ski resorts of Courchevel – our new favorite, Méribel, and Val Thorens, plus 2 days at Val D’Isère Tignes, and 2 days at Les Arcs – La Plagne.
In Europe, the Epic Pass is also valid in Verbier Switzerland and the 4 Valleys for 5 days consecutive skiing, and in the Italian Dolomites at Madonna di Campiglio, Pinzolo, Folgarida-Marilleva, Peio, Ponte di Legno – Tonale, Andalo – Fai della Paganella, Monte Bondone and Folgarida – Lavarone for 3 days skiing. The Epic Pass is even valid at our favorite Austrian ski resorts for three consecutive days of skiing at St. Anton, Lech- Zurs, Stuben, and St. Christoph which are all interconnect – only catch with the Austria ski pass benefit requires you book resort lodging through the Europe links on the Epic Pass site.
At Les Trois Vallées, we needed to fill out a form online in advance, to print and present at the French ski resort ticket window along with our Epic Pass. At La Plagne Les Arcs, and at Val D’Iseres Tignes we simply walked to the ticket window with our Epic Pass and received a RFID lift ticket for three days! Simple, sweet, epic.
You must ski France, Austria, Switzerland and Italy too – imagine an epic trip to the Alps where you visited many of these Epic Pass ski resorts… why not! The French Alps and Swiss Alps are in relatively close proximity, flying into Geneva airport. Europe is Epic – especially with the Epic Pass providing 6 days skiing France, 5 in Switzerland, 3 in Austria and 3 in Italy – some of the best ski resorts in Europe!
So this ski season, I have 20 ski days on my Epic Pass (52 ski days all tolled), so far… I have skied Colorado, Utah and the French Alps… pretty epic! There’s just not enough time to ski Vail’s other ski resorts: Heavenly, Northstar and Kirkwood in Lake Tahoe California; and Whistler Blackcomb in BC.