Comparison
Les Deux Alpes vs Val Thorens: which has more reliable snow?
Les Deux Alpes or Val Thorens? Natural snow month by month, at the village, mid-mountain and summit, from eleven winters of weather data.
Month by month
Each cell is one month: the share of days with 30 cm or more of modelled natural snow at mid-mountain over the last 11 winters, from brown (often thin) to deep blue (snow-sure). Blank means almost none.
The short answer
Val Thorens has had the more reliable natural snow: mid-mountain was snow-sure in 6 months of the year, against 5 at Les Deux Alpes. Month by month, Val Thorens has the edge in January.
Month by month
November: Les Deux Alpes 2 of 11, Val Thorens 2 of 11 snow-sure winters (31% and 37% of days).
December: Les Deux Alpes 8 of 11, Val Thorens 9 of 11 snow-sure winters (73% and 83% of days).
January: Les Deux Alpes 9 of 11, Val Thorens 11 of 11 snow-sure winters (95% and 99% of days).
February: Les Deux Alpes 11 of 11, Val Thorens 11 of 11 snow-sure winters (100% and 100% of days).
March: Les Deux Alpes 11 of 11, Val Thorens 11 of 11 snow-sure winters (100% and 100% of days).
April: Les Deux Alpes 11 of 11, Val Thorens 11 of 11 snow-sure winters (100% and 100% of days).
May: Les Deux Alpes 10 of 11, Val Thorens 10 of 11 snow-sure winters (94% and 99% of days).
A snow-sure winter is one where mid-mountain had 30 cm or more of modelled natural snow on at least 90% of that month’s days.
Height and terrain
Les Deux Alpes and Val Thorens are 48 km apart as the crow flies. Les Deux Alpes first, then Val Thorens: Village 1,300 m against 1,800 m; Mid-mountain 2,434 m against 2,515 m; Summit 3,568 m against 3,230 m. Mapped downhill runs: Les Deux Alpes 108 km, Val Thorens 115 km (OpenStreetMap).
In February, the village had 30 cm or more of natural snow on 5% of days at Les Deux Alpes and 100% at Val Thorens.
Questions
Which has more reliable snow, Les Deux Alpes or Val Thorens?
Val Thorens has had the more reliable natural snow: mid-mountain was snow-sure in 6 months of the year, against 5 at Les Deux Alpes. Month by month, Val Thorens has the edge in January.
Which has better snow down to the village, Les Deux Alpes or Val Thorens?
In February, Val Thorens: its village had 30 cm or more of modelled natural snow on 100% of days, against 5%.
Does this include snowmaking?
No. These are modelled natural snow figures only, from ERA5 weather. Groomed pistes with snowmaking often ski better than this.