Val in Love | Val d'Isère Chalets

Feeling romantic in the lead up to Valentine’s Day 2015? You’re not alone. The powers that be in Val d’Isere are already gearing up for everybody’s favourite celebration of all things love.

That’s right; not content with the meals for two, rose petals on the beds and moonlit sleigh rides that comprise your average Valentine’s Day in a ski resort, Val is once again going one step further with champagne picnics in a gondola.

Whilst some in this office might be thinking this is an elaborate practical joke publicising Val d’Isere’s excellent high speed lifts, or that the folks in Val have forgotten there is a very real difference between the romantic gondola rides in Venice and the bubble lifts that ferry hundreds of skiers up the mountain every day, we assure you that this tradition is one of the favourite ways to celebrate.

Olympique gondola photo credit Tania Ho

For those of you picturing being suspended above starkly beautiful snowy mountains, enjoying one on one time with your significant other, you’ve very nearly got the idea. After all, what could be more romantic than stunning views and alone time in which to join the pylon high club. Not everybody’s cup of tea, sure, but you can’t deny it’s a unique experience.

So, Val d’Isere’s been running these trips for the last few years – what’s new? Where in the past only couples could get on board the love bubble (their words), these days singletons are allowed to take part. Don’t worry though; this isn’t a third wheel deal.

Instead, six singles (three men, three women) are put into a gondola for twenty minutes quality time with strangers over a champagne picnic. It is in this setting that our intrepid love hunters will presumably try to cover all the ground needed to establish whether or not two people who meet in a ski lift on Valentine’s Day are soul mates.

Or, it’s just a bit of fun for couples and singles on the most romantic day of the year. It could be either.

If you want to spend twenty minutes of quality time with your other half (or some strangers) with a romantic champagne picnic, tickets are available online or at the Val d’Isere tourist office from 7th February for 50 euros for a couple and 25 for singles. Spaces are restricted to 50 couples, so if this seems like your cup of tea you should think about booking early.

Don’t worry if that doesn’t sound like your bag, there’s always that moonlight sleigh ride.