And yet on ground level the Alps seem a very different place, as vast as they are they somehow seem to welcome you in a cosy embrace. Before the advent of skiing and winter tourism, the high Alps were sparsely populated with hardy souls who eked out a living from it’s natural resources. The change has been relatively swift and now the Alps swarm with thousands upon thousands of tourists seeking out the hot spots and the best places to ski. In 1925 several English business men recruited Arnold Lunn the most senior of the British skiers and inventor of the slalom, to go and explore the Saint-Bon valley. He organised a small expedition to methodically prospect the Dauphinoise and Savoyard Alps. His verdict was as follows : "in Savoie there is an exceptional site that comprises three almost parallel valleys : Saint-Bon, Les Allues and Belleville. In spite of their different features, they lend themselves well to the development of large resorts”. And so Les Trois Vallees was born and has become the largest ski area in the world. Here 1400 km2 are fitted out for winter sports activities during the winter months and numerous other activities in the summer such as hiking, climbing, fishing and mountain biking. Les 3 Vallées have come a long way since 1925. It wasn't by chance that the geographical location of Les Trois Vallees was chosen over 60 years ago as an ideal place to create an interconnected ski area. The Three Valleys combine all the assets that are essential for the development of winter sports: three parallel valleys that are home to various mountain passes, resulting in increased links between each valley. Over three quarters of the area is located above an altitude of 1800 metres, ensuring guaranteed snow.

Since 1973 it has been possible to ski the interlinked valleys using a single ski pass enabling skiers to ski 600km of piste. There are a total of 18.5km2 of groomed runs along with 120km for cross-country skiing. A total of 183 ski lifts can transport 260,000 skiers per hour. Other equipment owned by the operating companies include 1,920 snow cannons and 76 piste bashers. Employees in the area include 424 ski patrollers and 1,500 ski instructors.

A major concern in Les Trois Vallees is the responsibility to ensure sustainable development and within the region this isn’t a passing fad but a state of mind. All of the mountain professionals in Les Trois Valleess are aware of the need to protect its natural heritage; the development of skiing is an example of this. The artificial snow used in France consists only of air and water, no additives are used in contrast to other countries. The snow cannons in the 3 Valleys are ultra modern, leading to considerable savings in water and electricity whilst optimizing performance. The water used for snowmaking is UV filtered in order to eliminate any bacterial or microbial risks. The ski lifts run on electricity, part of which is renewable from wind and hydropower sources. Over the last 15 years, many ski lifts have been replaced by more efficient models. This has reduced the total number of lifts and therefore the visual impact, whilst improving passenger flow. Recycling is also omnipresent in Les Trois Vallees; each resort has set up recycling facilities and the ski patrol service systematically recycles the motor oil used by the piste groomers and municipal workshops. Never short on innovation, the Val Thorens piste service is going to be one of the very few in France to be equipped with a new snow-groomer with electric transmission, a 2013 innovation from Kassböhrer. Its cutting edge technology improves fuel consumption by 20 to 30% and removes all uncertainties associated with transmission hydraulic circuits. Eco-friendly technology at its best!