February in Val Thorens: What's on and weather

There is still regular snowfall, and like January, the average daily temperatures generally fall between a high of -4ºC and a low of -11ºC. Still very much a time for wearing a thermal under layer, but don’t forget to pack your sunscreen - the sun is very strong up here!

Keen skiers often rate February as their favourite time to visit Val Thorens as it has some of the best skiing conditions of the entire season, with low temperatures keeping the snow in great condition while the slopes are groomed daily for ideal skiing.

Torchlit descents
Throughout the school holidays there are weekly torchlit descents by ESF. Once a week there is one especially for the children to join in, entertainment for all the family with raclette, hot chocolate and vin chaud!

Valentine's Day
This year the Val Tho tourist office will be hiding red and gold hearts all over the resort for Valentine's Day, there will be clues given and hearts mean prizes! Enjoy a unique wedding on the slopes with Val Thorens' own Elvis!

Comedy comes to Val Thorens
Enjoy a whole week of laughs at the Val Tho stand up comedy nights during February.

Val Thorens has some great food options for dinner, and if you're after entertainment many places will put on live music.

February is a popular month for families so the slopes are noticeably busier as soon as the four week French holidays begin. Fortunately, the Trois Vallées ski area is so vast, that even in high season you can find quiet slopes and minimal lift queues. Here are our insider's top tips for the school holidays:

1. It will be almost impossible to book private lessons over this period, group lessons are the best option. Make sure to get your ski and snowboard lessons booked well in advance to avoid disappointment.
2. If you're not in ski school, be an early bird. Arrive at the lifts before they open so that you get up and away before the ski school classes set out around 09:15.
3. Ski over lunchtime. The slopes are calmer between 12:00 and 14:00 while the French take a leisurely lunch break.
4. Pre-book your lunch and avoid the queues. Some restaurants offer a click and collect service. It's the best way to avoid the queues and make the most of your time in the mountains.
5. Seek out the peripheral areas. Our top tip for trying to avoid lift queues and busy pistes is to take advantage of the lack of queues on the popular Cime Caron cable car and enjoy the magnificent red runs from its 3,200m summit, then venture to the furthest point in the Three Valleys, the hidden fourth valley of Orelle, and enjoy its spectacular scenery and long blue runs.
6. Get off piste. Competent off piste skiers can book a local mountain guide and explore the vast off piste areas in the valley or even go touring to find complete solitude in the backcountry.

Sunset ski and sledge sessions
From mid-February onwards evening skiing is available - The Funitel de Péclet is open weeknights until 18:30, so you can spend a little longer out on the Tête Ronde (Blue run) and Christine (Red run) slopes. Also the Castor and Pollux carpets will also remain open until 20:00 for the rest of the season for sledging and skiing.

Toboggan run
Get ready for the longest toboggan run in Europe. The Cosmojet. Open to everyone from five years old, take an eight minute ascent using the Péclet Funitel, to an altitude of 3,000m. Then it's 45 minutes of excitement - linked raised bends and varied slopes. It's a great way to finish the day. Free for children aged five to nine on an adult's sled.

Snowmobiling
Discover the snow-covered landscapes by night riding your snowmobile on a tour across the unspoilt pistes, lit up solely by the light of the moon.

Ice skating
La Patinoire, located in Place Péclet, is a 400m² ice rink made entirely of natural ice. There's also music and a light show, and a small chalet serving pancakes and hot chocolate to enjoy with family or friends. Open daily for the entire season, ice skates for hire, and accessible from the age of three.

If, like most people, you like to follow several hours of exercise with several hours of drinking, you can hit up any of a number of local après-ski sessions. Down at the bottom of the slopes you'll find bars offering great music, delicious food and happy hours.

For late night entertainment, the clubs hold special nights on most days of the week.