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Orelle
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Ski area: 3 Valleys, France
Resort height: 880m, ski 2300m
Resort top height: 3230m

3 Valleys
(Val Thorens, Orelle, Les Menuires, St Martin, Courchevel, La Tania, Meribel, Brides)
Km piste: 600
Lifts: 180
Snow cannons: 2091 (1/3 ski area)
Snow parks: Various

No. of slopes: 336

49 135
118 34

Beginners
Intermediates
Experts
Boarders

Driving distance from Calais: 583 miles (8hrs 30)

RESORT INFO

Orelle is located within the Maurienne Valley region of the French Alps. Orelle is divided into 10 little hamlets  - Francoz is home to the 3 Vallees Express gondola that connects Orelle to Val Thorens and the 3 Valleys ski area.

 

The 8 authentic hamlets are hidden in a natural spot, near Italy and the Natural Park of Vanoise.

 

Stone houses, beautiful slate roofs and lots of traditional charm. Discover a village with a unique architectural heritage.

 

Great for those seeking calm, peace and the authenticity.

 

The gondola takes 15 minutes and takes you up to an altitude of 2300m.

 

Orelle benefits from low prices in the small hamlet but with access to one of the largest ski areas in the world – the 3 Valleys.

 

There is a bar and restaurant next to the gondola departure, and a mini-market within the residence. For a further selection of shops, bars and restaurants St Michel de Maurienne is a 5 mins drive or St Jean de Maurienne is a 20-30 mins drive.

 


  • Opening Dates
  • Child Care
  • Activities
  • Apres Ski/Eating
  • Access
  • Other Amenities
Opening Dates

 

Ski area open from 03/12/2011 – 08/05/2012 (Val Thorens/Orelle)

Child Care

 

THE KINDERGARTEN « LE MAZOT DES CROÉS »

Looks after your children from 3 months to 6 years old.

Discovery learning workshops, sport, reading, cookery, games, activities around the mountain and the snow, etc.

Booking recommended with Béatrice Barral or Sylvie Besnard

Telephone number: 0033 4 79 59 99 67

Email: haltegarderie-orelle@orange.fr

From Sunday to Friday, from 7.30am to 6.30pm.

 

 

Once

6 times

Morning from 9am to 1pm
Afternoon from 1 to 5pm

24€

120€

Afternoon from 12 to 5pm

24€

150€

Day from 9am to 5pm

45€

225€

 

Half-day or day hosting:
- Morning 9am-1pm (meal must be provided).
- Afternoon 12am-5pm (snack must be provided).
- Afternoon 1pm-5pm (snack must be provided)
- Day 9am-5pm (meal and snack must be provided).


For the youngest, half an hour of adaptation the first day with the parents is necessary.

• Documents required for registration:

- Child Health record

- 30% of the total amount

• Functioning modalities

Lunch and snack provided by the parents, as well as dummy and blankie!

 

Sledge – a run is available at the top of the gondola. If you do not have a lift pass because you are a non-skier, a pedestrian pass can be bought from the lift pass office.

 

Telebaby at Plan Bouchet, open from 9.20am – 4pm. Children’s shows, games, treasure hunts, cinema, competitions…)

Activities

 

"Trappeur" outing
Every Thursday evening, leave and let guide tell about the hamlets, History, secrets, in the light of torches and frontal lamps, then finish with the famous "cheese fondue"! Evening with a walking tour in hamlets (around 1h/1h30) + dinner + torches or lamps. Information and registration at the tourist office at least the day before. RDV 5.30pm in front of the residence "Le Hameau des Eaux d'Orelle"
 

Pedestrian trails
If you want to walk and discover all the beauty of our mountains, a map is available at the Tourist Office.

 

Nordic walking
Every Thursday, enjoy this new activity, have a breath, a break around nice lansdcapes ; Learn how to combine soft physical activity and relaxation.
During the afternoon with a guide for every levels. Information and registration at the tourist office at least the day before.
RDV: 1.30pm in front of the residence
 

Grand Perron Farm visit – visit once a week to enjoy cheese and local products

 

Baroque
Discover the secrets of Orelle’s traditional hamlets, and the baroque Church.

 

Italian escape to Torino
Each week – On reservation at the Tourist Office. (ID card required)

 

"Cows, bells and cheese"
Every Friday, spend an afternoon to discover the animals of the farm and taste the local products.
Rates: 13€ adult, 9€ child under 12 years old.
RDV: Tourist Office
 

Cyberspace
Internet access with printer, CD burner, Messenger, Skype and Office software. Possibility of Wireless connection for laptop.

 

Board games
Loan at the tourist office. Afternoon and evening organized plays.

 

Library
Loan of books

 

Contact the tourist office to book the above.

 

Paragliding – From the Caron’s Summit from December - April. Contact ‘Libre Envol’. Didier Goujon – 0033 681 55 74 94

At an altitude of 3000m to 650m in altitude, at the top of the chairlift Boismintz or depending on the weather, from the Cime Caron or Peclet Glacier. www.libre-envol.com

  

All the above information is for information only. For the most up-to-date information please visit the resort tourist office website

 

Orelle Tourist Office

Office de Tourisme d'Orelle
Francoz 73140 ORELLE
Tél. / Fax 0033 479 56 87 22 - contact@orelle.net

Apres Ski/Eating

1 restaurant, altitude restaurant, 2 bars

 

Bar des 4 Vallées
At the departure of the cabin, Valerie welcomes you in her friendly snack bar.

Beautiful terrace from March.

 

Le Bouche a Orelle

Located at 800m from the departure of the gondola, with a beautiful sight on the around mountains, the restaurant welcomes you in a contemporany, authentic and cosy restaurant.

Broad choice of Savoyard specialities and desserts that will delight young and adults. The restaurant/bar will be open every days, from 4pm for "après-ski". Come and enjoy crêpes, hot chocolate... Pierre Nicolas, the new chef will make you taste his cuisine, his local specialities. At the same time, Mathieu, the barman, will prepare you wonderfull cocktails...

 

Party for ones who likes singing, dancing or having fun!
RDV from 10pm at the Bar Le Bouche à Orelle, résidence le Hameau des Eaux d'Orelle

Access

 

By Road: Driving distance from Calais to Orelle 583 miles (approx 8hrs 25)

From Calais, take A26 Motorway towards Reims and Troyes, then Dijon, Lyon, Chambéry. Follow the A43 Motorway to Modane. Take A43 until St Michel de Maurienne then RD1006 to Orelle (6km).

 

By Rail: St Michel de Maurienne/Valloire rail station then taxi (6km).

 

Airports:

Chambery Airport is 95km from Orelle (1 ½ hours)

www.chambery-airport.com

Grenoble Airport is 164km from Orele (2 hours)

www.grenoble-airport.com

Lyon Saint-Exupery is 180km from Orelle (2 hours)

www.lyonairport.com

Geneva Airport is 180km from Orelle

www.gva.ch/en

 

There are direct shuttle buses from 3 airports to Orelle on Saturdays. Roughly €30 return per person.

Grenoble – Orelle (around 3 hrs transfer time, 3/day)

Chambery – Orelle (around 2 hrs transfer time, 3/day)

Lyon – Orelle (around 3 hrs transfer time, 4/day)

For above: contact@orelle.net

Timetable 12/13

 

Some routes run late nights. A full timetable will be available in due course.

Other Amenities

ESF Ski School, sport shop, Mini-market, post office, delicatessen. Nearest cash point is St Michel de Maurienne (6km).


SKI INFO

Although Orelle is located in the Maurienne Valley, its ski area is within the 3 Valleys ski domain. Orelle has a small ski area with a few pistes, but is directly linked to Val Thorens and the 3 Valleys ski area via lift. You can be in Val Thorens within 30 mins of getting on the gondola at Orelle.

 

From Orelle you can choose between 3 primary ski areas:

Orelle-Val Thorens (150km of piste) – see right panel

La Vallée des Belleville (300km of piste)

3 Valleys (600km of piste)

 

Additional ski info facts, main ski details listed in panel at top of page.

 

Orelle/Val Thorens

Km

 150

Lifts

 30

No. of slopes 68

 

  8

 

 27

 

 25

 

  8

  

ORELLE AND 3 VALLEYS SKI AREA

Orelle connects to Val Thorens (and the 3 Valleys via Val Thorens) via the 3 Vallees Express gondola. It takes around 15 mins taking you from 900m to 2350m. To link to Val Thorens you need to take the ‘Rosael’ chairlift. Otherwise the very small Orelle area has 1 green, 1 blue and 2 red pistes.

 

There is a boarders cross in the Orelle ski area.

 

In the 3 Valleys, 85% of pistes are above 1800m and 100% of the pistes are above 1800m in Orelle/Val Thorens.

 

Val Thorens ski area

Val Thorens is Europe’s highest resort and therefore snow cover is pretty much guaranteed from beginning of December to early May (open until 8th May 2012). There are mainly north-facing slopes.

 

The ski area itself of Val Thorens is suited to all abilities although the connection pistes up in Orelle are suited to intermediates rather than beginners.

 

Above Orelle, two chairlifts (Peyron and Bouchet) take you to 3230m on the flanks of Pointe du Bouchet. This is the highest lift in the 3 Valleys and there are some stunning views from the top. There are 2 red runs down that merge into a blue run. The previous black run is now classified as off-piste.

 

Take the 150 person cable car to Cime de Caron (its one of the greatest lifts of the Alps). From here there are red or black runs, however you can just catch the cable car back down (for beginners or low intermediates). The views are phenomenal from here and for pedestrians you can access this summit from the base of Val Thorens via a couple of gondolas. No ski equipment necessary! You can also access Orelle from this cable car, although it is a black run at first then a blue run back to the 3 Vallees Express gondola.

 

Off course you have the whole of the 3 Valleys to explore and the opportunities are endless for all types of skier and snowboarder.

 

ORELLE AND 3 VALLEYS BEGINNERS  (not really suited to complete beginners)

At the top of the 3 Vallees Express lift from Orelle there is a small green nursery slope with beginner lift (suitable for 1st day for complete beginners). The pistes around Orelle and the top of Val Thorens are primarily blues and red (i.e perfect for intermediates). Complete beginners in general will struggle though, so we’d advise that unless you’re a very quick learner that the access routes to Val Thorens are only really suitable to intermediate level. There is a blue run to practise on in the Orelle sector, but that’s pretty much it.

 

ORELLE AND 3 VALLEYS INTERMEDIATES

From Orelle and the top of the Val Thorens mountain range there are plenty of blue and red runs. To get from Orelle to Val Thorens there is a lift and then a red slope. Then blue slopes all the way down to Val Thorens village. Val Thorens has some of the best intermediate terrain in the 3 Valleys.

 

ORELLE AND 3 VALLEYS EXPERTS

Locally, Val Thorens slopes are predominantly red runs and the black runs are quite easy. The pistes down from Cime de Caron cable car can be challenging. The falaise and variante runs from Col de Rosael (near to Orelle area) can be changeling especially when mogulled. 3 Valleys has over 600km of piste so if you stretch a little further into other resorts you will find more than enough to keep you entertained,

 

ORELLE AND 3 VALLEYS OFF-PISTE

Val Thorens itself offers a huge amount of off-piste as well as other areas in the 3 Valleys. The Lac du Lou is a famous off-piste run off of Cime de Caron (near to Orelle). The views are stunning from here. For those with little experience, the Pierre Lory pass is apparently ideal. In Orelle itself (the fouth valley as its called), La Combe sans Nom accessible from Cime de Caron usually offers superb conditions.

 

NEWS

For 2011/2012, a new jumbo gondola is planned above the Portette chair, opening up new blue and red runs on the front of the mountain, and off-piste on the back (virgin mountainside!). This is near to the Orelle ski area.

 

Orelle 3 Vallees Express Gondola lift opening times:

OPENING HOURS OF THE CABIN:
Up to 1th February 2013: 9 am - 4.30 pm (last run)
From 2th of February to 12th of May 2013: 9 am - 5 pm (last run)
From 4th of February 2012, opening of the cabin at 8.30 am on Saturday, Sunday and bank holidays

 


  • Ski School
  • Activities
Ski School

 

Not pre-bookable with Peak Retreats. Book direct:

 

http://orelle.esf.net

 

Please note the ski school has a very small team of 3 instructors currently.

 

Orelle Individual Tuitions

(10/11 prices, NOT pre-bookable)

 

Individual tuitions can only be purchased directly from the ski school

Please note that prices are only an indication and are subject to change

 

Ecole du Ski Français Orelle – 0033 479 56 74 11

 

Price

1 pers

Extra person

1hr

39€

+ 9€

1hr30

56€

+ 12€

2hrs

73€

+ 14€

Activities

 

Mountain restaurants in 3 Valleys

1 in Orelle, plenty in Val Thorens and further afield.

 

Snowshoeing & pic-nic
Every Wednesday, go with a guide to discover the Vanoise National Park! Snowshoeing day with a guide for every levels.
Information and registration at the tourist office at least the day before.
Bring your pic-nic, a bottle of water, warmclothes, gloves, head covering, sun glasses. If necessary, cap, suncream, ...
Car necessary; Possibility to share cars.
RDV: 9am in front of the Tourist Office

 

1st tracks with ski patrol team
Every Thursday, we propose you to go up before other, make 1st tracks and have the breafast at the top, with snow patrol team - d'infos


Programme:
 - RDV at 8.15 am
- Up in the gondola with the rescue team, at 8.15am
 - First tracks
 - Coffee and croissant in the rescue unit.
 
Booking required at the tourist office, on Wednesday night at the latest.
Rate: 10 euros


Other Accommodation In: Orelle

More details
Le Hameau des Eaux d'Orelle
Apartments. Sleeps 2-8
Located half a mile from Orelle gondola taking you directly to the Val Thorens slopes in the heart of the 3 Vallees in 15 minutes.
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