Val d'Is?re has long been one of the true European mec-cas of skiing. Although the professional ski world knew Val d'Is?re, the average skier began to hear more about it after native Jean-Claude Killy won his Olympic gold in 1968. The town was also home to three other Olympic champions who won a total of nine gold medals. The town lies at 6,070 feet (at its lowest point) and the ski area rises to 11,340 feet, with working verticals of more than 3,250 feet in all sectors of the resort. Skiers looking for the best on- and off-trail runs in the world need look no further.Unlike many French purpose-built resorts, Val d'Is?re is actually a village dating back from the 11th century. Unfortunately, when it was ini-tially being developed, architects opted for functionally square, flat-topped hotels. Recently, though, new build-ings have been constructed in the Savoyard Alpine chalet style and many of the unprepossessing buildings have been dressed up with facades to create more of a mountain atmosphere.The ski area is linked with Tignes, creat-ing 'l'Espace Killy,' with 186 miles of marked runs for every level of skier, tried-and-true off-piste itineraries for serious experts and 90 lifts, includ-ing an underground lift with an uphill capacity of more than 3,000 skiers per hour.
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