Val D'isere in winter

[paradise city]

Hi all. There's a conference that I'm hoping to attend in late January. After seeing prices for accommodation I thought I'd drive down and camp for a few nights.
Has anyone been down that direction in winter? Are there any spots near the town where you could park up overnight?
I read that the Aire at the edge of town is no longer open.

Thanks in advance.

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[Billywizz]

Iv snowboarded there, I’m sure the are lots of sites nearby, even if you found a site in another town you could get the chair lift in....... go for it and take plent of money for the expensive beer

 

[paradise city]

Cheers Billy. I see there are some carparks around town with 2m height restriction. Should be able to squeeze into one of those. Around €60 for the week. Couldn't beat it. Just hope my van arrives in the dealership in time to make the trip.

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[Jay20cali]

We went last year in the California .and the previous years in different motor homes it’s a great time to use the California and no doubt you will enjoy it ...we do a week snowboarding every year in the alps... our first ever time we stayed in the California the whole time I loved it ,cozy and fun
now our lads bigger it’s a bit tight 3 of us but I would definitely do it again not sure the Mrs would,so now we travel there in our California and stay in a chalet.we have a night in Dover in the van on the way there and one in France on our return. I Love getting away that time of year
ENJOY

 

[paradise city]

Thanks Jay, did you see anyone camping in the car parks while you were there?

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[Jay20cali]

The car parks are all full near the lifts ect and in the towns ....I always see a few vans that look like people are sleeping in them but not full on motor homes.....
i think you will easily stealth camp in a California as long as you pick the right spot.try to get an aires book most French towns caters for motorhomes and campers .if there’s nothing where you need to be find a quiet spot and stay there keep the roof down.we stay in le grand bornand about 100mk from
Val-d'Isère a stunning place with a campsite

 

[paradise city]

Cool. I'm looking at this one on outskirts of the town. You can book a spot in advance, €61 for 5 days.
It says 2m clearance but I can see a few vans in the photo so shouldn't be a problem getting in. As you say, keep the roof down (will probably need to keep the heat in anyway!) and keep a low profile. I'll be flying solo so hopefully won't draw too much attention to myself. Will leave the bike rack at home too.

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[Jay20cali]

Cool. I'm looking at this one on outskirts of the town. You can book a spot in advance, €61 for 5 days.
It says 2m clearance but I can see a few vans in the photo so shouldn't be a problem getting in. As you say, keep the roof down (will probably need to kerp the heat in anyway!) and keep a low profile. I'll be flying solo so hopefully won't draw too much attention to myself. Will leave the bike rack at home too.

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That looks great

 

[Loz]

It says 2m clearance but I can see a few vans in the photo so shouldn't be a problem getting in.

Without snow, so check its not got 2” on gound...

 

[paradise city]

I'll have a shovel with me just in case (-:

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[Jason wallace]

If you follow the road from that parking area P5 towards Val d'Isère there seems to be a dedicated motorhome area with no barriers and sanitation facilities for emptying tanks etc

 

[paradise city]

If you follow the road from that parking area P5 towards Val d'Isère there seems to be a dedicated motorhome area with no barriers and sanitation facilities for emptying tanks etc

Yeah, I've read that area is now closed.
It would've been ideal.

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[GregW]

Yeah, I've read that area is now closed.
It would've been ideal.

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Check out the parking in Les Brevieres below the dam. There were lots of campers there last year .

Dropped pin
near 73320 Tignes, France
https://goo.gl/maps/WqRPZj84pEo



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[paradise city]

That looks like a good spot Greg, thanks.

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[Pete M]

Info over here http://www.winterized.eu/

 

[s2bear]

There’s a Facebook group/page called ‘what’s on in the Tarentaise Valley’. People ask lots of questions such as this on there so it may be worth joining and posing the question - I’m pretty sure you’ll hear about plenty of options!


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[paradise city]

Made it to Val d'Isère eventually. Apart from a hairy slidy moment around 2 km before my destination it was plain sailing.
Got under the car park barrier no problem although I'm glad I haven't put my roof bars on yet.

Managed to get a sweet parking spot about 200m from the ski lift and a short walk to the bus stop where the free navette brings you into Val town centre.

Slept over last night and was cosy enough with the heater running (-11°). Nobody has said anything to me about sleeping in the van (yet) so fingers crossed. I'm trying to keep a low profile anyway.

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[Hotel California]

Very brave ....

 

[Jay20cali]

Made it to Val d'Isère eventually. Apart from a hairy slidy moment around 2 km before my destination it was plain sailing.
Got under the car park barrier no problem although I'm glad I haven't put my roof bars on yet.

Managed to get a sweet parking spot about 200m from the ski lift and a short walk to the bus stop where the free navette brings you into Val town centre.

Slept over last night and was cosy enough with the heater running (-11°). Nobody has said anything to me about sleeping in the van (yet) so fingers crossed. I'm trying to keep a low profile anyway.

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Now that’s how to use your California.we did a week like this me the Mrs and our son in 2011 in our California enjoy nice to see some hardcore campers

 

[westfalia]

Made it to Val d'Isère eventually. Apart from a hairy slidy moment around 2 km before my destination it was plain sailing.
Got under the car park barrier no problem although I'm glad I haven't put my roof bars on yet.

Managed to get a sweet parking spot about 200m from the ski lift and a short walk to the bus stop where the free navette brings you into Val town centre.

Slept over last night and was cosy enough with the heater running (-11°). Nobody has said anything to me about sleeping in the van (yet) so fingers crossed. I'm trying to keep a low profile anyway.

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Looks like a really good spot that you've got there.
Roof up or down ?

 

[paradise city]

Roof down. Don't want to draw any attention to myself. Less volume to keep warm also

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[sapto]

That‘s great! Enjoy! Happy winter camping!

 

[Turfschipper]

Omg.... so awesome.... hope my dream come true one day.

So many adventures ahead... love it.

Have fun and have a save drive home when you are done.

 

[paradise city]

Thanks Turfschipper. Made it home safe and sound yesterday. Although the run from Val d'Isère to Bourg St Maurice was quite sketchy. Took it very slowly. I thought I'd be causing massive tailbacks but the locals are very, let's say, "confident" driving in those conditions. They had no problems overtaking me on the blind corners.

It was a great trip overall and was good to test out how everything in the van worked. I was very pleased with the air heater at night in particular.

It was very surreal waking up to the sound of anti avalanche explosions and the snow plough guy clearing the carpark in the morning.

I definitely underestimated the weather conditions before I left and if I was doing it again next year I'll definitely have a set of snow tyres on!

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[sapto]

Good to hear everything went good on your way back home!
+1 for winter tyres