Access Orelle: the meteoric rise

About Val Thorens, the August 22 2023

Reading time: 3 min.

A new Orelle connection-Val Thorens by cable car via Cime Caron, accessible by ski and on foot

The 21/22 season was the culmination of the program to replace the “3 Vallées Express” gondola with the new Orelle gondola, as well as the creation of a second device (TC Orelle-Caron) independent and in a row towards the summit of Cime Caron.

They allowed the direct connection between Val Thorens and Orelle by gondola (on skis or on foot). This connection, made possible thanks to the support of the Auvergne Rhône-Alpes Region, therefore allows visitors arriving from the Maurienne Valley to access Val Thorens, passing by the legendary Cime Caron and its 360° panorama of the Alps.

It is accessible to skiers or pedestrians who wish to go directly to Val Thorens without going on the slopes or the road. The latter can, once arrived at the summit of Cime Caron, take the cable car of the same name to arrive at the heart of the resort. Val Thorens, all in 45 minutes, “with dry feet”, with their luggage.

Opening of a new access route

By making the Cime Caron accessible to pedestrians from Orelle and by ensuring the connection to Val Thorens, including for luggage, the two stations open a new access route to Val Thorens and the 3 Valleys. Indeed, vacationers coming from Italy or the rest of Europe can avoid the traffic jams in the Tarentaise to access Val Thorens.
All they have to do is continue on the Maurienne motorway, exit towards Orelle, park their car in the free car park and take the ski lifts directly. Thanks to a specific offer of pedestrian packages, visitors can enjoy an immediate “high mountain” experience by savoring the panorama from the summit of Cime Caron, at an altitude of 3m.