Hotel Altapura | Studio Arch

Starting in 1969, the exceptional site of Val Thorens was the setting for a grandscale, megalomaniac project. Its humble beginnings in 1972 offered 3 drag lifts, with visitors to the resort including Sacha Distel, Francine Bréaud and Claude Brasseur. The resort then gradually grew. 1972 also saw the arrival of Jean Béranger, at that time as Director of the French ski teams, and Christine Goitschel-Béranger, Olympic gold medal winner at the 1964 Innsbruck games. Jean Béranger was subsequently Director of the Tourism Office and created the first ESF (Ecole de Ski Française) ski school with 5 instructors. Today, Val Thorens is home to the largest ESF school and has been nominated “World Best Ski Resort” at the World Ski Awards 2013 and 2014 ! Its growth reflects the appeal of Val Thorens, the highest ski resort in Europe, which in 40 years has become the Mecca of European skiing! The resort is the highest point in the 3 Valleys, offering access to the largest ski area in the world, with 600 kms of slopes, 334 of signposted runs and almost 200 ski lifts. At an altitude of 2300 m, Val Thorens is rightly recognised for the unparalleled quality of its snow, guaranteed from November through May. Its location offers an impressive amount of sunshine and snowfall, is surrounded by 6 glaciers and 6 peaks above 3000 m. The Caron Peak (3200 m) affords unique panoramic views of over 1,000 French, Swiss and Italian summits. A viewpoint that is unique, boundless, plentiful and naturally international. With expanses of white powder and perfectly groomed slopes, the massive Val Thorens ski area has a snow sport for everyone, whatever they may seek (laid-back holiday, extreme sports, live music or dance parties) including scenic skiing, off-piste skiing, ski hiking, a snowpark, boardercross, snow-shoeing and the longest toboggan run in Europe (6 kms long and a non-stop 45-minute descent!). And of course the massive thrills of driving on ice. Val Thorens also offers a boundless world of leisure and entertainment activities. A warm welcome is guaranteed, with the very best and widest selection of cosmopolitan, multicultural ambiences, from people who really know what hospitality is about.

In the heart of the largest ski area in the world At an altitude of 2300 m, Altapura fulfills the dreams of winter sports enthusiasts and those who love great expanses of white. The latest equipment is available from the hotel’s Skishop by Goitschel, your lift pass awaits you at the reception, a ski room provides direct access onto the slopes, ski professionals present in the hotel lounges reveal legendary off-piste spots, tips from a sports coach every morning on the Mac Mini in your room, specific Spa treatments for sportsmen and women, photos of snowboarding, of the dazzling mountains and of course a live 360° show of the Alps, 24/7! Connoisseurs of a certain way of life, appreciative of beautiful things, will fall under the spell of this 5-star hotel that offers space and elegance, a reminder of the grand palace hotels. The atmosphere is Nordic-chic with a choice of noble materials such as wood and stone. Altapura has its own distinct style, featuring both subdued, festive, cosmopolitan and high-tech ambiences. Interactive touch screens, Iphone/Ipod docks plus a Mac Mini in your room, Altapura has wondrously incorporated new technologies into a world of luxury. Each of the 88 rooms and suites provides a haven of peace with large windows looking out onto the majestic Alps.

About food, the 2.MILLE.3 satisfies every craving: the “skier formula” offers quick bites for those who can not wait to get back on the slopes or a more traditional menu for gourmets seeking a relaxing meal... In the evening, it is show time for the chefs: rotisserie, Asian woks, grilled meats, selection of local cheeses, everything one needs to regain strength before returning to attack the snowy peaks the next day! All good skiers know that a good day’s skiing must end with a fondue… La Laiterie offers a unique menu of cheese fondues, created by the chef sommelier in partnership with the talented cheesemonger Boujon, for a flawless food and wine harmony.

A glamorous and festive atmosphere reigns at Les Enfants Terribles - Val Thorens, offering a menu full of flavor: Large soft-boiled egg, cauliflower velouté and crispy bacon, homemade duck foie gras, oyster bar, sole cooked meuniere style and smashed potatoes, round fillet of veal stuffed with brown morels, crozet gratin with Beaufort cheese, and to end the meal on a sweet note the “Cime Caron” ice cream or the caramelised pear with mountain honey… Let yourself be carried away by the delicious atmosphere of this chic mountain bistro!

About interior design, The Highest Skipalace’s surprising and majestic wall, is lined with more than 200 antique skis curving like a giant ski slope in the heart of the hotel, to the outdoor bar.

The decor, not less than 60 pairs of mutli-colored ski boots, 20 pairs of skis, 200 poles made of aged wood and 6 former chairlifts wonderfully transformed into extravagant chandeliers or welcoming benches, give the Ski Bar a festive and offbeat character! In a “birch forest” atmosphere, Pure Altitude treatments and rituals have been developed to cater perfectly to the requirements of sportsmen and women, inspired by Nordic and Baltic traditions that soothe and restore. For total relaxation, head to the “Igloo” area which features the “Nordic Spiral” taking you on a journey that alternates dry and wet heat, with cascading showers along the way, and ends with a frozen-snow rubdown in the igloo. The gym is equipped with the latest Technogym machines, and the light-filled atmosphere is conducive to intense effort.