Here 4 the Apres

Why Should I go to La Folie Douce Val Thorens?

La Folie Douce Val Thorens is one of the most famous apres ski destinations in the world! I think if I died and went to heaven, Val Thorens and La Folie Douce would be my paradise. The energy and dance vibes here are unbeatable! What’s remarkable is that it’s not just a weekend affair, it happens every single day, except when the party sometimes moves indoors due to extreme snow. When parties are still outside in the snow, party animals brave the weather for this epic experience!

We’re talking champagne showers and dancing on tables in ski boots, security will actually tell you to only dance on tables or ground not the stools! Many people will be dressed up in costumes, Pikachu was partying hard back in 2020. When I was there in January 2023, it was in the low single digits Fahrenheit with patrons soaked in champagne. But, it’s so fun even the people on the lift can’t wait to get there to party …

How to get to La Folie Douce Val Thorens?

La Folie Douce is on piste, not down in Val Thorens town. Finding it can be a bit can be a bit tricky because there are no clear signs in town how to get there. I outlined the best routes to reach this party paradise.

PLEIN SUD Lift: Ski down through the main beginner run in the middle of Val Thorens. Ski past Cascades lift and Peclet gondola on your left, and go up PLEIN SUD lift, also on your left hand side. You’ll see La Folie Douce right under you before you get off the lift. You can exit either to the left or the right. I prefer to exit right because the line for that entrance tends to be shorter. Also depending on where your residence is on the resort, leaving from that exit after the party might be more convenient. But you will miss the funny shit show of drunk people trying to ski home.
PIONNIERS Lift: Pionniers lift is next to the bottom of Castor Pollux magic carpet. Castor Pollux is the carpet the connects the top of the beginner section with the main strip of town near Malaysia Bar. If you take Pionniers lift, turn right, and go across to La Folie Douce. You’ll be stuck in the longer line, so I think Plein Sud is a better option.
From Meribel, COTE BRUNE Lift: If you’re coming from Meribel, you’ll have to take Cote Brune lift up. The “line” can be a mess. No real line just a mob of people pushing so they can get over to Val Thorens. In 2022, I stayed in Brides-les-Bains during the French Ski Holiday season, so it was extra crowded during that time. Maybe its not too crowded when its not the ski holiday season. Follow the signs to Val Thorens, but do not take the blue run down. You need to take the red Chardons run down, and then for the very last part you need to take the Black Goitschel run so you can cut across to La Folie. If you continue down the blue or red runs, you’ll be deposited too far down slope to make it to La Folie directly, unless you feel like hiking. If you can’t handle red and black runs, ski all the way down Plein Sun run, pass the main town to the beginner area and follow the directions above for Plein Sud lift. NOTE: Check the 3 Vallees app to make sure you catch the last 3 Vallees gondola or 3 Vallees lift back to Meribel in time. Depending on the time of the year it can close at 4-5pm. But make sure to check, otherwise the only way back to Meribel is a very expensive bus or cab through Moutier. If you do make the last lift back to Meribel, be aware the sun has usually gone over the mountain by this time, so the light is will be very flat, you’ll be skiing home basically blind.

Can you get to La Folie Douce Val Thorens if you don’t ski there?

No, you’ll need a lift pass for the La Folie Douce in Val Thorens and you’ll need to ski down. Its a pretty long descent. They do not allow downloading on the lift.

If you want to party at a La Folie Douce without skiing, try the one in Meribel. You can take the gondola up, and then climb back up the hill to get the gondola back down. You’ll have to stay in the town of Meribel in order to be able to go and be able to get home without spending alot of money.

What days and times should I head over to La Folie Douce Val Thorens?

As I mentioned in another post, there are specific times for specific parties in Val Thorens. If you go at the wrong time, it could be dead. For La Folie Douce, the party really starts hopping past 3pm, but I highly recommend getting in around 2:30pm. Any later and you could just be stuck outside because they’re beyond capacity. It is usually pretty happening every single day, unless its snowing and they move the party indoors.

Is there a cover charge to get into La Folie Douce Val Thorens?

It is free to get into La Folie Douce, you just need to arrive early enough so that you can actually get in.

Will they verify my age and check my bags?

Yes, they will ID you, as the legal age to drink in France is 18 years old. They will also check your bags and will ask you to throw out any liquids they see even water. I did see some guys get flasks in, but keep that on you, not in your bags.

How old in the crowd?

While there are many college aged students especially when universities are in Val Thorens for their ski trips, there are also plenty of patrons in their 30s and even 40s enjoying the party. But the crowd is definitely younger on average than the La Folie Douce in Meribel-Courchevel.

What type of music?

At the Val Thorens location, most of the time its electronic DJ music with a saxophone player and singer / MC, perfect for dancing on those tables. They throw in a couple pop songs and rap especially towards the end of the set.

Cost of drinks

While more expensive than other apres ski venues at Val Thorens, still significantly cheaper than Vail or other US resorts! Cheapest bottle service is 40 Euros for a 750 ml of rose. But notice something funny about the larger format bottles?! I guess the extra 5 euro premium for the magnum is worth it for the gram??

Restroom line

During the times of the party, the restroom costs 0.50 Euro in coins. So make sure you have some cash! They will give you change if you don’t have exactly 0.50 Euros. The line gets very long for women any time after 3pm. To find the restroom, enter where the La Folie Douce store is, on the left hand side of the building, entrance next to the VIP area.

La Folie Douce Souvenirs and Gear

The Val Thorens La Folie Douce has cuter gear than the Meribel-Courchevel location. It’s a little expensive, but I always grab a couple items each year. You can always shop during lunchtime instead of during the actual party. My usual souvenirs are stickers for my helmet (great conversation starters, grab 2 if you think you’ll replace you helmet soon), hats, and shirts. I also did nab a La Folie branded ski lock.
Stickers 3 Euro
Shirts 35 Euro
Beanie Hats 26-45 Euro
Baseball Caps 29-39 Euro
Ski lock 7 Euro

Getting Home

Party has to end sometime. This is usually around 4:30-5pm depending on the sunlight. There are two ways home. Neither are pleasant if you’re a beginner or very low intermediate skier. If you’re more advanced, you’ll get a good laugh at the drunk people trying to get home.
WARNING – There is no downloading on the lifts!
Plein Sud run is the most common way to go home. The slope gets alot of sunlight, so the snow softens and builds soft moguls by the end of the day, combining with with drunk beginner skiers leads to hilarity. As can be seen in this video I found on YouTube:

If you live on the west side of Val Thorens, on the side of town where the large mall is, this is the best way home, it feeds into alot of the ski in out ski out paths. The first year I stayed at MMV Les Arolles, so instead of turning left down toward the village once you make it around the bend at the bottom of Plein Sud, you ski straight, this takes you to Club Med and MMV.
Corniche is the other way down. Its a fairly flat ridgeline run, so your snowboarding friends will complain. Which leads onto an oddly icy run … but you can tuck into the east most part of the resort closer to Snesko and Le Monde if you want to continue the party!