ESCAPADE 2026: The Derbados Crew: Chris, Indi, Tim & Henri

21 March 2026

The Escapade has always been on the skiing ‘bucket list’ of things to-do ever since we first visited La Tania in 2022. However, each of our 4 previous trips to the 3V has been during the school holidays meaning the slopes and lifts were always too busy.  So, when my daughter Indi suggested a cheeky weekend ski-trip, a plan was hatched.

We arrived late on Friday night after being driven over by our Geneva resident friend Tim and his son Henri.  Tim’s originally from Derby (more on that later), which is where me and Indi now live (despite being big Stoke fans…).

We were staying in Brelin in Les Menuires, which had the advantage of being able to get to Bettex lift for its 8.45 opening, and having one of the longer runs on the course back from the St Martin lift. 

Best laid plans and all that quickly went astray as a late opening ski-hire shop (we thought it was 8am…but was actually 8.30am) put us over 10 mins behind schedule before a pole was planted in anger. However, undeterred and with a plan that had a good amount of flex in it, we set off.

We soon got into a decent rhythm ticking off lift after lift, and slope after slope.  The conditions were generally good, with low cloud hampering visibility at the top of Pointe de la Masse, but nothing a bit of careful skiing and internal praying (‘please don’t fall over…’) couldn’t handle. 

We stayed roughly on expected pace, not losing any more time than that lost at the start, gaining a bit on the run down to Peclet (we went down Chardons & Plein Sud, rather than Pluviometre), before losing all of what we gained on the sketchy run to the Moraine lift via Christine and the next run in thick cloud down to Face Nord.

Once at the top of Col de Thorens, we feared the worst as visibility was getting worse, only to drop into glorious sunshine as soon as we made the descent into Orelle via the beautiful Lory blue run.  Orelle was soon complete pulling back some more lost time, and we headed back into the gloom at the top of Cime Caron, almost going badly wrong and skiing off a drop due to a gap in the piste markers…

After we got back on track, VT was quickly ticked off, and we smashed down the run from Col de la Chambre to Mont Vallon (6 mins faster than pace) recovering all the time from our late departure. The Mont Vallon to Pas du Lac run was a bit heavy snow wise, and leg burn was starting to kick-in (for me at least), but we were now over halfway done. 

Lunch was inhaled on the lift to Courchevel, a busy run down Lac des Creux was navigated, before the beautiful Moriond side of the mountain was positively glided through as the snow was good, the slopes were empty and the legs felt not that awful! By the time we hit the top of the Ariondaz lift we were 16 mins ahead of pace….so felt confident that we could have a well-deserved toilet break! The only downside was Tim insisting on blasting out the Derby vs Birmingham match on his speaker on each lift…each to their own I guess!

After relief was had, we dropped into the lesser visited Courchevel Village, admiring the tiny, cheap properties that lined the Cospillot piste. Our pace dropped a bit in the slushier, chopped up snow, no more so than the run to Le Praz where my left thigh decided it would be a lovely time to cramp up. The other 3 were patient as my pace dropped….mainly because I couldn’t turn right without considerable swearing.

Drugs were taken (it’s not big or clever kids) on the Foret lift, and we skied quickly down to La Tania via Folyeres – a run we know well from a couple of LT stays – waving longingly at the S’Lodge as visions of beer danced round our heads. 

Once at the top of Col de la Loze we felt we were truly on the way home. Meribel Village came and went, spirits were high even on the drag lift at the top of Golf, and the run towards Legends was heavy but do-able. By the time we hit the top of Roc de Fer, we were still 10 mins ahead of pace time with a whole 50 mins to play with to get to Saint Martin before the lift cut-off time. The penultimate run was a painful one for me as both legs this time decided to cramp-up, but despite almost veering off the edge of the piste, the bottom was reached and we knew we’d done it! 

The final run was time to look around and enjoy the view with no need to rush or hammer the legs even more.  Hugs and high-fives were plentiful as soon as we got back Brelin at 16:38 – just under 7 hours and 40 minutes since we set-off. 

Because they are utterly mad, Indi, Tim and Henri then shot off to do a final 10km to knock over the ton before the final lift shut at 17:15.  I decided that my day was done and that reflecting on an amazing day was the best thing to do. Escapade 2026 over and out.

Strava route fly-by: https://youtube.com/shorts/CF-GkgdCqQk?si=AtVVaNRT0n4j_A8v

For anyone interested, here is our target and actual section times:

ESCAPADE 2026 – What’s this all about…

The 3 Valleys Escapade was the lift company promotion of visiting (originally in 2006) 14 points across the Three Valleys and gaining a certificate & badge over the period of your holiday – doing it in a day was a bit tricky though!

It all started out as a late night “is it possible?” discussion – the history and our original route from 2006 are here

Originally punch cards had to be stamped at each check point until electronic passes arrived and then the use of a lift was recorded – now we use Apps such as Ski Tracks or Relive to prove our route.

Note that the Escapade is no longer officially promoted by Les 3 Vallees from Winter 2017 but we still record successful tracks for anyone who is interested in being in the sought after La Tania Escapade Hall of Fame

Send a pic of yourselves on the day with your successful tracker data & screenshot plus a story of your day to toffa@latania.co.uk and you’ll get your place in the HoF.

The original Escapade took 30 lifts, around 13000m vertical with 70km length and by 2016 reached 34 lifts, 17000m vertical (twice the height of Everest) and around 80km skiing (140km total distance). With the newer, longer, faster lifts we’re now at 32 lifts (depending on the route) ESCAPADE 2026 Route

Changes through the years
2006 – First year and cards with hole punches stationed at lifties huts are used.
2008 – Electronic lift analysis is now used – no use hiking out the 4th Valley now!
2010 – The piste map did not include the top of the 4th Valley and the Col lift in Val Thorens.
2011 – The X-Wing Discovery was launched but only had 10 check points and doesn’t count!
2012 – Peclet included and Biollay / Vizelle used for Saulire access.
2015 – Foret used instead of La Tania gondola.
2016 – Mont Vallon is included for the first time plus the Montaulever drag lift.
2017 – Chapelets replaced by Petite Boss drag and La Tania’s Bouc Blanc chair replaces Tovets.
2018 – The new Roc de Tougne chair replaces the drag lift of the same name.
2019 – Legends replaces Roc de Fer and the Montaulever drag in Les Menuires has been removed.
2020 – Cime Caron now back in use.
2022 – New Pointe de la Masse and Orelle-Caron Gondolas (for example) could be used.
2023 – Using the new lifts, we ski all the resorts, all the perimeters and classic peaks – ESCAPADE 2023
2024 – No changes to 2023 route!
2025 – No changes to 2024 route!
2026 – Grandes Combs and Tortollet are added – ESCAPADE 2026