The Three Valleys Escapade
Three Valleys Escapade
The Three Valleys Escapade is a simple concept: you have to hit a certain set of lifts spread across the Three Valleys in a single day. To do this you will need to ski in between the lifts and maybe also take some additional lifts.
When viewing this page it can be useful to glance at a piste map from time to time. You may also find our Meribel skiing guide useful when reading the routes to orientate yourself. As well as our guides on skiing from Meribel to the Courchevel Valley and skiing from Meribel to the Belleville Valley.
History and Background
Originally the Escapade was designed to be done in a week. It was set out in such a way that a person would cover most of the major areas of the 3 Valleys if they completed it. It consisted of 30 lifts and had 13000m of vertical change and a length of about 70km. Then some hardy people decided it could probably be done in a day and went on to prove that it could! Since then it has become the legendary challenge we have today.
Nowadays it has expanded to 34 lifts (17 of which are mandatory) with 17000m of vertical change and is about 100km long.
Since winter 2017 the Escapade is no longer promoted in any official way by the 3 Valleys. Though the guys in La Tania do still record tracks for anyone who wishes to join the Escapade "Hall of Fame".
The record for fast time to complete the challenge sits somewhere just under seven hours but most people take closer to eight or more hours.
Top tips for completing the Escapade
- Start as early as you can, preferably first lifts.
- Check to make sure all the required lifts are operating on the day, It would quite unpleasant to get halfway around and find out a key lift is down for the day.
- Make sure your skis and gear are in tip-top shape. This means getting them waxed and checked. Equipment failure would be a terrible reason not to complete the challenge.
- If at all possible go on a nice clear bluebird day.
- Wind is the enemy, go on a day without wind.
- Too much snow can be an issue too, aim for a day without too much snow to slow you down.
- That said... make sure there is sufficient snow cover. Some of the required pistes may be closed if there is not enough snow on the ground.
- Choose a packed lunch instead of eating in the mountain restaurants. You can munch it down on one of the longer gondola rides and keep your momentum going. Pack plenty of light energy snacks too!
- Hydrate hydrate hydrate, bring plenty of water to keep yourself hydrated on the mountain. It's a long hard day so keep that H2O topped up.
Quick Reference Route Table
Download this table as a PDF for your phone here.
| # | Time | Lift Name | Lift Type | Pistes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 9:00 | La Tania | Gondola | Bouc Blanc |
| 2 | 9:11 | Bouc Blanc | Chair Lift | Lac Bleu |
| 3 | 9:23 | Biollay | Chair Lift | Biolay |
| 4 | 9:31 | Saulire | Cable car | Biche Renardeau |
| 5 | 9:48 | Dent de Burgin | Chair Lift | Renard Renardeau Lapin |
| 6 | 10:03 | Golf | Chair Lift | |
| 7 | 10:09 | Rope Tow | Pull Rope | Foret Doron |
| 8 | 10:17 | Legends | Chair Lift | Gelinotte |
| 9 | 10:27 | Olympic | Chair Lift | Verdet Biolley |
| 10 | 10:42 | St Martin Express 1 | Gondola | |
| 11 | 10:49 | St Martin Express 2 | Gondola | Dahu Martre |
| 12 | 11:01 | Roc de Tougne | Chair Lift | Teppes Gros Tougne La Violette |
| 13 | 11:17 | Masse 1 | Gondola | Vallons |
| 14 | 11:26 | Masse 2 | Gondola | Fred Covili Les Enverses |
| 15 | 11:44 | Reberty | Chair Lift | Boyes |
| 16 | 11:49 | Bruyeres 1 | Gondola | Bruyeres |
| 17 | 12:01 | Plan de L’eau | Chair Lift | Bd Du Telepherique |
| 18 | 12:13 | Cime Caron | Cable car | Combe de Rosael |
| 19 | 12:35 | Peyron | Chair Lift | |
| 20 | 12:42 | Bouchet | Chair Lift | Coraia Peyron |
| 21 | 12:59 | Rosael | Chair Lift | Chamois Fond |
| 22 | 13:14 | Moraine | Gondola | |
| 23 | 13:26 | Col | Chair Lift | Col Moraine Flocons |
| 24 | 13:44 | Funitel Peclet | Cable car | Lac Blanc |
| 25 | 14:00 | Pioneers | Chair Lift | |
| 26 | 14:07 | 3 Valleys | Chair Lift | 4 Ventes Bryeres |
| 27 | 14:22 | Sunny Express | Chair Lift | Becca |
| 28 | 14:34 | Becca | Chair Lift | Alouette |
| 29 | 14:48 | Mont Vallon | Gondola | Combe du Vallon Ours |
| 30 | 15:14 | Pas Du Lac 1 | Gondola | |
| 31 | 15:25 | Pas Du Lac 2 | Gondola | Cruex |
| 32 | 15:36 | Roc Mugnier | Chair Lift | Gentianes |
| 33 | 15:45 | Petite Bosses | Drag Lift | |
| 34 | 15:50 | Aiguille du Fruit | Chair Lift | Altiport Biollay Amoureux |
| 35 | 16:09 | Forêt | Chair Lift | Bouc Blanc Moretta |
Detailed Route of the Escapade
The Escapade challenge officially started in La Tania but really you can start in any resort so long as you ride on all the required lifts. All map images below are from the Three Valleys Piste Map.
La Tania to Saulire Via Courchevel 1850
The Escapade starts by taking the La Tania Gondola. Next, take the Bouc Blanc to the Bouc Blanc chair followed by the Lac Bleu towards Courchevel 1850 and onto the Biollay chair. A short ski on Biollay will lead you to the Saulire Gondola which brings you out at the Saulire summit between the Meribel and Courchevel Valleys.
Quick Itinerary:
- La Tania
- La Tania
- Bouc Blanc
- Bouc Blanc
- Lac Bleu
- Biollay
- Biollay
- Saulire
Cross The Meribel Valley
Following both Biche / Renardeau take Dent de Burgin. AT the top take Renard, Renardeau and Lapin until you reach the bottom of the Golf lift. Take Golf and at the top take the Rope Tow then Foret and Doron down to Chaudanne in the centre of Meribel. Once here take Legends. At the top get off and follow Gelinotte head to the bottom of the Olympic lift and get on.
Quick Itinerary:
- Biche
- Renardeau
- Dent Du Bergin
- Renard
- Renardeau
- Lapin
- Golf
- Rope Tow
- Foret
- Doron
- Legends
- Gelinotte
- Olympic
St. Martin And Back To The Meribel Valley
Taking both Verdet, Biolley you will find yourself in Saint Martin and already in the third Valley of the day. Taking both Saint Martin Express lifts (Great time to sneak in a snack and some water). Using both Dahu, Martre and sweeping back through the Meribel Valley take Roc de Tougne.
Quick Itinerary:
- Verdet
- Biolley
- Saint Martin Express 1 and 2
- Dahu
- Martre
- Roc de Tougne
Les Menuires And Point De La Masse
The following three runs Teppes, Gros Tougne, La Violette will take you entirely through Les Menuires and the main lift station The Crossiette. By Taking Masse 1 & 2 using Vallons you find yourself at a great viewing point (But be quick to take in the view).
Quick Itinerary:
- Teppes
- Gros Tougne
- La Violette
- The Crossiette
- Masse 1
- Vallons
- Masse 2
Point De La Masse and Val Thorens
Fred Covili, Les Enverses Will take you down the best runs La Masse has to offer and back to Reberty. A short traverse along Boyes to Bruyeres 1. Getting off at the mid-station of this lift allows you to ski a quiet, excellent piste Bruyeres, Chasse into the bottom of Val Thorens.
Quick Itinerary:
- Fred Covili
- Les Enverses
- Reberty
- Boyes
- Bruyeres 1
- Bruyeres
- Chasse
Val Thorens to Cime Caron
It's nearly time for more food so take Plan de L'eau and Bd Du Telepherique and head for Cime Caron. Refuel on this Gondola it is probably lunchtime and you will need some water.
Quick Itinerary:
- Plan de L'eau
- Bd Du Telepherique
- Cime Caron
The Orelle Valley
Taking Combe de Rosael you will find yourself in the fourth Valley Orelle. Take Peyron followed by Bouchet and take in the views of this wonderful valley as you take Coraia, Peyron back to the base of the valley. Rosael will take you back to Val Thorens.
Quick Itinerary:
- Combe de Rosael
- Peyron
- Bouchet
- Coraia
- Peyron
- Rosael
All Around Val Thorens
Following Chamois, Fond. Moraine and Col take you up the Glacier de Chaviere. Col, Moraine, Flocons are three great runs down to the middle of Val Thorens where you will need to take Peclet Funitel and Lac Blanc. Pioneers and 3 Valleys allow you to reach the summit of Col De La Chambre.
Quick Itinerary:
- Chamois
- Fond
- Moraine
- Col
- Col
- Moraine
- Flocons
- Funitel Peclet
- Lac Blanc
- Pioneers
- 3 Vallees
Another Dip into Les Menuires
Take the 4 Ventes run followed by the Bryeres run to the bottom of the Sunny Express and get on. At the top take the Becca run followed by the Becca lift to the top of 3 Marches.
Quick Itinerary:
- 4 Ventes
- Bryeres
- Sunny Express
- Becca
- Becca
Mont Vallon and Mottaret
From here it is a great ski down Alouette to Mont Vallon where you can enjoy the longest run in Meribel Combe du Vallon, following Ours into Mottaret where you take Pas du Lac 1 & 2.
Quick Itinerary:
- Alouette
- Mont Vallon
- Combe du Vallon
- Ours
- Pas du Lac 1 & 2
Back to Courchevel
At the summit of Saulire take Cruex which leads you back into Courchevel. Take Roc Mugnier and Gentianes to Petite Bosses and Aiguille du Fruit. Altiport, Biollay, Amoureux
Quick Itinerary:
- Cruex
- Roc Mugnier
- Gentianes
- Petite Bosses
- Aiguille du Fruit
- Altiport
- Biollay
- Amoureux
Return to La Tania
From here you will take you to the last lift Forêt where you can take Bouc Blanc, Moretta back into La Tania.
Quick Itinerary:
- Forêt
- Bouc Blanc
- Moretta
- La Tania