Valfrejus Ski Resort France
One of several ski resort gems in the Haute Maurienne Vanoise, Valfréjus is glorious on a powder day & located conveniently just off a motorway near the Italian border. There are so many reasons to love the collection of ski resorts in this fabulous region. Few people, affordable lift passes & accommodation, great lifts & terrain plus powder. Oh, and did I mention few people!
Skiing & Snowboarding, Lift & Terrain
The Valfrejus skiing & snowboarding terrain caters for all abilities. The 70 km of trails may be weighted heavily to beginners, but don’t let that fool you. The cold-north-aspect slopes are predominately above the treeline on almost 1,200m skiable vertical. Aside from the two novice areas (one in the sheltered village & one mid-mountain) Valfrejus is full of surprises.
Check out the ski trail map for Valfrejus below.
The highest lifted point at Valfrejus, Punta Bagna (2,737m), provides awesome freeride skiing & boarding with a variety of chutes & bowls. Full top to bottom descents are possible all through the resort from Punta Bagna. For beginners, an easy, but seriously long, valley trail called Jeu (‘game’ in English) completes the journey over 10km. For advanced sliders, various permutations on or off-piste straight down the major lift lines will complete the journey by half that distance. Beyond Punta Bagna, short hikes to the higher ridges & peaks opens up yet more off-piste playgrounds for the intrepid. Be intrepid!
The ski lifts at Valfrejus are modern, with the four major installations put in between 2009 & 2013. Enjoy the ride in comfort.
Lift Passes
Valfrejus incredibly affordable lift pass has the doubly delectable benefit of being valid in nearby La Norma, located just across the motorway! Additionally, lift passes of 6 days or more include 1 day at each of the other Haute Maurienne ski resorts of Aussois, Val Cenis & Bonneval-sur-Arc. Awesome!
See here for the La Norma ski trail map & the Haute Maurienne resorts map.
Where is Valfrejus France?
The Valfrejus ski resort is in the Haute Maurienne region of the French Alps, just off the A43 motorway 10km (15min) drive up from the nearest transport hub at Modane. Valfrejus is 196km (2¼hr) drive south of Geneva, 216km (2½hr) drive east of Lyon & 111km (1½hr) west of Turin. Gateway airports to the region are Geneva (GVA) & Lyon St Exupéry (LYS) for all travellers, however airports in Italy can also be utilised.
Public transport to the region is excellent. Modane has a railway station served by TGV high speed trains on the Paris-Lyon-Turin-Milan line, making the train the recommended mode of travel to the region. A major bus terminal is next to the station. Regular buses head to all five Haute Maurienne ski areas, including to the Station de Valfréjus village on the M9 line. Alternatively, a private transfer from the train station to just about anywhere in the Haute Maurienne will be relatively inexpensive & better than waiting for a bus.
Search & book here for train tickets to Modane. Get bus tickets from the driver.
Driving to Valfrejus can be incredibly quick when compared to other French ski resorts, but that speed will come at a price. The motorways leading to Modane from both France & Italy are all tolled. From Italy, the Frejus tunnel at the French border costs more than the price of a full day ski lift pass one way; so day-trips to the region from Bardonecchia or the Via Lattea are generally out of the question!
For hints, tips & warnings about getting to French ski resorts in winter, see our Travel in France page.
Valfrejus Accommodation
Valfrejus is a high-elevation, purpose built resort village with a pleasing, compact design that allows for maximum ski-in, ski-out convenience, proximity to a ski lift & access to shops & restaurants right next to the return ski slope. As per most French ski resorts, accommodations are mainly self-contained apartments.
Search & book here for all Valfrejus ski accommodation.
Being only a 10 minute drive off the motorway, Valfrejus is a seriously convenient day-tripping prospect. Away from the resort village, alternative accommodation options abound in the valley from Modane all the way up to Termignon & Lanslebourg-Mont-Cenis.
The village accommodations at Aussois have the sunniest position in the entire region & are central to all the Haute Maurienne ski resorts.
Ski Rentals, Lessons, Guiding & Services
Ski rentals are available at 2 locations at Valfrejus (in the centre of the village near the lifts) & throughout the Haute Maurienne via our local partners, Skiset. Receive a discount when you search & book via our Valfrejus Ski & Snowboard Equipment Rental page.
Off-piste ski lessons & guiding may make all the difference to a stay at Valfrejus. For more info & options, see our Valfrejus Ski Lessons & Guiding page.
If you need a new ski outfit comprising modern jacket, pants, gloves & goggles, Valfrejus is one of the French ski resorts served by our local partner ski clothing rental company, Ski Chic. Order online & your ski outfit is delivered direct to your accommodation at the resort.
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Review
The Powderhounds will review Valfrejus in the near future. We skied 4 Haute Maurienne Vanoise resorts in 2020 & found the locality to be paradise for powder hounds. Stay tuned for our sparkling repartee, new photos & insights.
See how the nearby resorts of Aussois, La Norma, Val Cenis & Bonneval sur Arc & other European ski resorts compare on the Europe ski resort ratings page.
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