€200 million Val d'Isere development announced

Plans were announced earlier this year, but were waiting for approval, which has now been given.

Traffic will be moved underground making the centre more pedestrianised, easier access to the front de neige will be created and many shops, restaurants and businesses will be relocated and re-homed in buildings in keeping with the overall style of the project.

The idea is to transform Val d'Isere into a beautifully styled resort, making it stand head and shoulders above its neighbours in the Tarentaise and indeed in most of France. The current mis-matched building styles for different eras will be gone, leaving only smart buildings constructed entirely of natural materials.

Highlights of the project:

• New underground moving walkway to get skiers to the slopes more easily
• New underground bus station and roads
• New creche and kindergarden
• New welcome centre and tourist office
• New 50 room hotel and 20 apartment residence housing 4 bed apartments
• Val Tower - a new feature including a restaurant, residence and the entrance to the 'water drop', shops and cafes
• La Tarentaise hotel, connected to Val Tower
• New covered pedestrian area around the Petit Danois
• New shopping street - including shops such as La Poudreuse, Bar Jacques and Le Lodge
• Vaquier zone - a new area built in the same style as the overall project, to house relocated businesses
• New co-ownership properties at the top of Rue du Coin (see video from the Property developers Athena Advisers below)

The development will bring Val d'Isere more choice of accommodation (with in the region of 900 extra beds), better access to the pistes and better facilities for its visitors. Not only that, but it's hoped that it will allow Val d'Isere to compete more fairly with other high end resorts such as Courchevel and Verbier, attracting skiers for many, many years to come.