An independent guide to Val Thorens
If you're in Val Thorens for the week, you have to park your vehicle in a car park.
The car parks in Val Thorens are run by ValthoParc. Many of the hotels and apartments have their own car parks where guests can park, usually at an extra charge.
If you're just skiing for the day, you can park in the parkings P4 or P5 below the resort.
Val Thorens is a semi-pedestrian resort.
What does that mean? You may drive through resort, and stop to unload your luggage outside your hotel, apartment, or chalet. Then you have to park your vehicle in a parking - either in your hotel's or résidence's car park, or in one of the parkings run by Valthoparc.
If you leave your car parked in the street, it will eventually get towed away to the pound - and the fee for recovering it is very expensive.
On Saturdays and Sundays, the Municipal Police put warning notices on cars, but they do not usually tow them away unless they are obstructing traffic (like the black Audi in the photo above - the bus couldn't get past).
From Monday morning, any car parked on the street can be towed away.
There are six ValthoParc parkings in Val Thorens: P0, P1, P2, P3, P4 and P5. (Val Thorens hopes to win the prize for the most imaginatively-named car parks at the World Ski Awards ;-)).
P0, P1, and P2 are all in the resort itself - they're shown on this resort map.
P3 is a below the resort, near the UCPA, and P4 and P5 are a little further down (see day parking below).
All the parkings are shown on a map on ValthoParc's website.
It is wise to book with ValthoParc in advance to ensure you get a space in the parking of your choice. This is especially important in busy holiday periods.
Tarifs for 5, 6, or 7 nights' indoor parking (2025-26 rates):
The outdoor parking is slightly cheaper; and it's more expensive to park a camper van.
If you're driving up to Val Thorens to go skiing for the day, it's best to park in parking P5 or P4.
They are below the resort. In P5 it's free for the day. You take a ticket, and as long as you leave before 8pm, there's nothing to pay; otherwise, there will be a charge.
In P4, which is nearer the slopes, it's paid parking. You take a ticket on the way in, pay at a machine before you leave, and insert the ticket at the barrier when leaving.
P4 and P5 are near the Chalet de Caron mountain restaurant. If you need to buy a skipass, you can walk across the the footbridge to the Caron/Cairn lift station, and passes are on sale there.
Rather oddly, there's very little information about day parking at P4 and P5 on the official Val Thorens websites. I believe it's just an oversight, not a conspiracy!
Happy parking in Val Thorens.
Skiing Made Easy is a Kindle ebook and paperback. It's a practical guide to learning to ski, based on many happy seasons of ski teaching in Val Thorens.
'This is the book I wish I'd had when I started skiing' - Amazon reviewer.
Read more about Skiing Made Easy.
Buy the paperback direct or on Amazon. Buy the Kindle ebook.
Skiing Made Easier is the follow-up to Skiing Made Easy, and covers technique beyond basic parallel turns - carving, short turns, bumps and off piste.
Read more about Skiing Made Easier.
Buy the paperback direct or on Amazon. Buy the Kindle ebook (affiliate links).
Mammut Tour 30 Removable Airbag Rucksack 3.0.
£627 on Amazon at the time of writing.