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What Are The Best Casino Games for Skiing Lovers?
There is a specific kind of exhaustion that hits somewhere around the time you are pulling off your ski boots at the end of the day. Not the bad kind. Your legs are done, your face is still half numb from the cold coming off the Aiguille du Midi, and you are sitting there in the boot room with that particular smell of damp wool and warm plastic all around you, and honestly, life feels pretty good.
Dinner comes and goes. Maybe a fondue if you are somewhere like Chamonix or Méribel, or just a bowl of something hot back at the apartment. A glass of wine. And then comes that window of the evening that ski trips always seem to produce, where it is too early to sleep, too late to do anything ambitious, and the idea of going back out into the cold holds absolutely no appeal.
This is when people reach for their phones, or open a laptop, and start looking for something low effort to fill the gap.
Why Skiing and Casino Games Actually Pair Well
It sounds odd on paper but it makes sense once you think about it.
Skiing is not a constant activity. It is built around rhythm. You drop into a run, legs working, focus sharp, and then it ends and you are back on a lift for ten minutes doing nothing but watching the trees and the other pistes below you. Action, then stillness. Effort, then rest. The whole day is structured that way and by evening your brain is already primed for something that follows a similar pattern.
Casino games, the slower, more considered kind, fit that mood well. Not the ones that flash and scream at you. More like blackjack, where you sit with a decision for a moment before acting. Or a slot game with decent visuals and a relaxed pace that you can dip into for twenty minutes while your boots dry on the rack nearby.
Platforms like Boylesports Casino carry a solid range of titles that suit this kind of evening. Their casino online has a huge game library, one of the best we’ve seen from any casino site. Nothing that demands your full concentration, just enough to hold your attention while the day winds down around you.
Table Games
There is a type of skier, and if you have spent any time in the Alps you will recognise them immediately, who treats the mountain like a problem to be solved. They are studying the piste map at breakfast, checking snow reports from three different websites, arguing about whether the north facing runs on the second ridge will have held their powder since Tuesday. For them, instinct and decision making are the whole point.
These people tend to gravitate toward table games in the evening for exactly the same reasons.
Blackjack is the obvious one. It is quiet and deliberate and there is always a correct answer if you think carefully enough, which is a feeling that skiers who like the technical side of things seem to find genuinely satisfying. Poker works in a similar way, particularly shorter formats where you are making reads and adjustments the whole time rather than just waiting things out.
It is not really about winning or losing in that high stakes sense. It is more about having something to engage the part of your brain that spent all day navigating terrain and reading snow conditions. Keeping it ticking over without overloading it.
Games With the Right Kind of Atmosphere
Some titles lean into outdoor and expedition themes in ways that feel surprisingly well matched to a ski trip context. Not skiing specifically, because nobody wants to watch a cartoon skier on a screen after spending eight hours on actual skis, but the general tone of landscape and altitude and gradual progression.
There are games built around mountain environments, cold weather aesthetics, that slow build of tension as you move through levels or wait for a bonus round to resolve. The sound design on some of the better ones is genuinely good. Understated. More like ambient weather than a carnival.
It is a small thing but after a full day outside where the environment was doing a lot of the work, you notice when a game has actually put thought into its atmosphere rather than just throwing colour and noise at you.
How Evenings on Ski Trips Have Changed
Ski holidays used to follow a fairly predictable script. Ski hard, eat quickly, drink until the bar closes, repeat for seven days, go home wrecked. Plenty of people still do that and it’s good for them.
But a lot of people, particularly those who have been doing this for ten or fifteen years, have quietly shifted toward something different. Better restaurants. Smaller groups. Going to bed at a reasonable hour so the first lift queue does not feel like a punishment.
The après ski drink still happens. Of course it does. You are not going to sit in a mountain village and skip a vin chaud on the terrace at four in the afternoon. That would be absurd. But the evening itself has become something to actually enjoy rather than just survive.
Casino games fit into that version of a ski trip well. They are self contained, they do not require a group decision, and you can stop whenever you want without letting anyone down. On a trip where so much is communal, there is something genuinely appealing about an activity that is just yours for half an hour.
All About Balance
The best sessions tend to be the ones where you barely notice the time passing. You finish a run at the blackjack table or reach a natural stopping point on whatever you were playing, and twenty minutes have gone by and you feel the same as when you started, maybe slightly more relaxed.
That is about the right level of engagement for a ski trip in the evening. Not a distraction from the holiday but a small quiet part of it. Something that sits alongside the other things rather than competing with them.
The mountain does the heavy lifting during the day. By evening, all you really need is something gentle enough to let the day settle properly before you sleep.
ESCAPADE 2026: Leon, Jonas, Pia, Constantia & Valentin
19 March 2026
After a failed attempt in March 2022, we finally conquered the Escapade Challenge on Thursday!
The Crew:
- Ski: Pia, Constantia, Valentin
- Snowboard: Leon, Jonas
We kicked things off at 8:45 AM, dropping from Courchevel 1850 down to Le Praz. However, luck wasn’t on our side initially – technical issues at the Forêt lift delayed our first ascent until 9:10 AM. With the memory of our 2021 failure looming, the pressure was on from the very first minute.
Following the descent to La Tania, we stuck to the suggested route. Even as long-time 3 Vallées veterans, we were surprised: the route led us to lifts like Tortollet, Bettex, and Grandes Combes – corners of the resort we had never explored before. Unlike our first attempt, the slopes were empty, the snow was fast, and we were making excellent time.
Disaster struck at the summit of Mont Vallon just as we were planning our relaxed return to Courchevel. A metal pin in Jonas’s binding snapped, rendering his board useless. Spirits plummeted; it felt like the challenge was over. Jonas managed a sketchy, slow descent down the long run and cat-tracks to Mottaret, but the lift staff at Pas du Lac had no tools or tape to help.
At the top of Saulire, we spotted a paraglider and asked for help. He offered us a piece of rope. Without a knife or scissors, we had to get creative: we used the freshly sharpened edges of the snowboard to cut the rope. With a series of professional sailing knots, we lashed the binding together. It held!
We officially completed the challenge at 4:10 PM in Courchevel 1550, leaving us with 50 minutes of lift time. At 85 km total distance, our ambition kicked in—we wanted the “100.”
We pushed through: Tovets to Plantrey, Bioley, and Suisse back up to Vizelle. From there, we took the Creux non-stop all the way down to Le Praz. With burning legs and a final count of over 100 kilometers, we finally called it a day.
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
THIS IS NOT A RACE
You do this entirely at your own risk, act responsibly, take full ownership for your own actions and all of those with you, respect other people (& the mountain), ski & ride within your limits, always obey the skiers & snowboarders code, observe all signs, pay attention to all notices, advice & instructions from Pisteurs, only ski off piste if fully equipped & knowledgeable, it’s not a race (you won’t be insured), think about the safety of others as well as yourself but above all, take care, don’t wreck things for others & don’t even think of blaming anyone else if it all goes horribly wrong….. Note that setting of record times and max speeds WILL NOT BE PUBLISHED
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
ESCAPADE 2026: Mikey, Cat and Bennett
20 March 2026
Mikey, Cat and Bennett chinned the Escapade on Friday.
LT gondola at 09:05, clocked into Tovets at 15:50, clocked Forêt at 15.59, it was like a movie finish!
Good day for lifts all round, we took a 10-15 min hit on a big queue at Legends because of the bubble closing, but that was the biggest queue of the day, most others were a row or two.
Grand Combs is the devil, walking pace at most. Allowed one wee break, scran on lifts etc.
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
THIS IS NOT A RACE
You do this entirely at your own risk, act responsibly, take full ownership for your own actions and all of those with you, respect other people (& the mountain), ski & ride within your limits, always obey the skiers & snowboarders code, observe all signs, pay attention to all notices, advice & instructions from Pisteurs, only ski off piste if fully equipped & knowledgeable, it’s not a race (you won’t be insured), think about the safety of others as well as yourself but above all, take care, don’t wreck things for others & don’t even think of blaming anyone else if it all goes horribly wrong….. Note that setting of record times and max speeds WILL NOT BE PUBLISHED
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
ESCAPADE 2026: Alex & George with the Relive App but ends in failure…
13 March 2026
Check out their route on Relive: https://www.relive.com/view/vQvxkR1ww9q
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
THIS IS NOT A RACE
You do this entirely at your own risk, act responsibly, take full ownership for your own actions and all of those with you, respect other people (& the mountain), ski & ride within your limits, always obey the skiers & snowboarders code, observe all signs, pay attention to all notices, advice & instructions from Pisteurs, only ski off piste if fully equipped & knowledgeable, it’s not a race (you won’t be insured), think about the safety of others as well as yourself but above all, take care, don’t wreck things for others & don’t even think of blaming anyone else if it all goes horribly wrong….. Note that setting of record times and max speeds WILL NOT BE PUBLISHED
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
The Bouc Blanc Derby – a race down Folyères!
21 March 2026
Thanks for all the pics and videos, great event, pity it’s on a Saturday changeover day, lots of people working and guests leaving or arriving.
ESCAPADE 2026: Ollie, James & Sean with a proper match report…
05 March 2026
Spring skiing conditions with a light haze
Participants
Sean Deschamps (Experienced Lead officer and Pathfinder of the Expedition)
James Stoy (Snowboarding great from theU.A.E. & Escapade 1st timer)
Oliver Terry (Support staff, Escapade 1st timer)
7am
Wake up and mental prep.
Game day nerves! 7+ hours of precise skiing covering almost 100km chasing ever collapsing timeliness based on lift closing times. Can’t let the team down! Relentless pursuit!
7h30
Breakfast Les Peupliers.
Double coffees and double pain au chocolat to build enough calories for the day. NO STOPPING for food or comfort breaks. …
Talk of tactics and timeframes surround the breakfast table for the debutants (James & Oliver).
8h30
Olympic sport for James’ kit collection.
9h05 FORET
World cup Downhill teams and course technicians flood the departure area of Foret lift …. luckily they open the lift 5 mins early to clear out the pros because they would probably slow us down on the Escapade!
9h22 TANIA
After a glorious groomed Folyeres track and 1 early tumble we hit La Tania, adrenaline pumping.
It quickly became obvious that the documentation of every twist and turn would be …..tricky!! (Time horizons were appearing and evaporating at warp speed and the mission objective could not have been more clear…)
We glided through Meribel and swiftly found ourselves down in Saint Martin and Bettex. A running theme was appearing – the Ski lift queues were extremely LOW (a game changer / time saver) This countered James’ boot binding/ shuffling activities at the beginning and end of each run. Did we have some time slippage ….YES. …and this became a permanent feature of our pre-planning analysis on lift and gondolas. 10 mins behind schedule … 24mins ….. back to 18mins only. OH THE DRAMA! Val Thorens already but a few moments of gut wrenching fears when incredible winds built up from nowhere. The skies above us remained hazy and more so with the violent gusts whipping snow dust up from the slopes … was there a possibility of lift closures? Force Majeure de L’Escapade?
We nonetheless soldiered on and just as soon as the howling gale appeared she dispersed into the
sunshine and let us proceed on our merry way! More respect to our snowboarder James who at many moments was thrust towards the abyss by the crosswind.
…. and this whilst the Snowboard boot dramas emerged– Super TIGHT boots! “IM A UK 9!” exclaimed James as he lamented over why he had been ruffled in to size 7s by the extremely confident and
persuasive equipment technician. Despite the discomfort we remember Sir Winston Churchills famous quote … “if you’re going through Hell. … KEEP GOING”
Ok so now we are really pushing it ….we hit the top of Aguille De Fruit at 16h45. ….WE HAVE 10MINS TO GET TO GRANDE COMBES! Cometh the hour cometh the men! Once moreunto the breach dear friends ONCE MORE! The culmination of the day rested upon our swift expedition through end of day traffic.
All going well past the base of Pralong. ….5 mins to go ….. OH NO! A potentially fatal wrong turn! What
followed next can only be described as a Jurassic Park style bunch of raging velociraptors tearing through the trees off piste tumbling through the forest towards Grandes Combes ….. A shocked looking lifty had already drawn the gates closed …..
DISASTER! But just as Moses did at The Red Sea our new best friend (we have nominated him for the highest French accolade -Chevalier & Legion D’Honneur) parted the red netted gates and waved us on thus allowing the last leg of the Escapade to continue ……16h55 and 30 seconds. …WE MADE IT!
Total elation and screams of joy! The final leg down to Le Praz was merely a celebratory procession. We had done it! Over 8 hours of theatre, pain and excitement. The apres at Les Peupliers where the day began was a beautiful moment for us andnow I can say that “ne’er a day goes by, from this day to the ending of the world, we in it shall be remembered, we few, we happy few, we Band of Escapade Brothers”.
Same again next year??? YOU BET!
Special thanks to Sean for expert guidance throughout the day and James for flying all the way from Dubai!
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
THIS IS NOT A RACE
You do this entirely at your own risk, act responsibly, take full ownership for your own actions and all of those with you, respect other people (& the mountain), ski & ride within your limits, always obey the skiers & snowboarders code, observe all signs, pay attention to all notices, advice & instructions from Pisteurs, only ski off piste if fully equipped & knowledgeable, it’s not a race (you won’t be insured), think about the safety of others as well as yourself but above all, take care, don’t wreck things for others & don’t even think of blaming anyone else if it all goes horribly wrong….. Note that setting of record times and max speeds WILL NOT BE PUBLISHED
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
ESCAPADE 2026: Phil, Bradley, Jordan & Brooke doing it again…
13 March 2026
Friday the 13th probably not the best day to have another go at the Escapade in a day, however we completed it all in one piece, albeit a little slower than last time in Jan 2020…
We used your advised 2026 route which worked perfectly and we all enjoyed a very pleasant sunny day.
We had no dramas and although busier than in Jan 2020 it didn’t hold us up very much.
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
THIS IS NOT A RACE
You do this entirely at your own risk, act responsibly, take full ownership for your own actions and all of those with you, respect other people (& the mountain), ski & ride within your limits, always obey the skiers & snowboarders code, observe all signs, pay attention to all notices, advice & instructions from Pisteurs, only ski off piste if fully equipped & knowledgeable, it’s not a race (you won’t be insured), think about the safety of others as well as yourself but above all, take care, don’t wreck things for others & don’t even think of blaming anyone else if it all goes horribly wrong….. Note that setting of record times and max speeds WILL NOT BE PUBLISHED
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
ESCAPADE 2026: Richard on a solo attempt 26 years in the making…
07 March 2026
I have been coming to La Tania for twenty six years and in recent years I have been fortunate enough to spend much of the Winter (and Summer) here.
For as long as I can remember, I have been intrigued with the idea of the Escapade, and today the stars aligned for me and I thought I’d give it a try.
I gave myself the best possible chance of completing the route by setting out on a Saturday, which is noticeably less crowded than other days of the week due to it still being the most common change-over day. This definitely paid off as I only had one lift queue (Pointe de La Masse) of about five minutes, being able to walk straight on to every other lift with no delay at all. I was also fortunate that there were no closures and the only other delay was a breakdown when I was in Pas du Lac 1 which lasted about ten minutes.
I was blessed with great weather and the sort of azure sky that reminded me that we’re only a couple of hundred km from The Mediterranean Sea. It was a little blustery at the top of Les Trois Vallées at Pointe de Bouchet, but perhaps that is to be expected at more than 3km above sea level !
I followed the suggested route with a couple of minor variations: I chose to drop in to VT via Monte de La Chabre and Traversee de Montaulever rather than via Pluviometre. This was because M de la C is one of my favourite runs and I also find it less busy (not that that would have mattered today, I suspect).
I also skipped across to Rhodos at the bottom of Cime – again a personal favourite.
Finally, I transposed the order of Ariondaz and Chapelets – not intentionally, I just didn’t read the memo – but I think this was a lucky mistake as it meant that I skied down Bel Air, which I much prefer to Chapelets, and could also use Roc Mugnier to get to Aguilar de Fruit.
I got to the last lift, Foret, at 16:12 and so had 38 minutes to spare. I got back to my starting point at 16:27, so a total of 7 hours and 27 minutes. Like the other two recent soloists, I skied every run from top to bottom without stopping at a steady pace, and other than two trips to the WC didn’t take a break.
I had a grand day out and would encourage any other competent recreational skier to have a go.
Richard chaletlatania.co.uk
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
THIS IS NOT A RACE
You do this entirely at your own risk, act responsibly, take full ownership for your own actions and all of those with you, respect other people (& the mountain), ski & ride within your limits, always obey the skiers & snowboarders code, observe all signs, pay attention to all notices, advice & instructions from Pisteurs, only ski off piste if fully equipped & knowledgeable, it’s not a race (you won’t be insured), think about the safety of others as well as yourself but above all, take care, don’t wreck things for others & don’t even think of blaming anyone else if it all goes horribly wrong….. Note that setting of record times and max speeds WILL NOT BE PUBLISHED
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
ESCAPADE 2026: Hannah, Katy, Hope and Poppy smashing it for the girls!
05 March 2026
Four of us set out that morning from Le Praz: Hannah, Katy, Hope and Poppy. Three skiers and one boarder — Poppy bravely representing the snowboard community. Spirits were high as we took the bubble up from Le Praz and continued on to Chenus, ready for a full day exploring the Three Valleys.
The sky was grey and overcast, and Captain Hannah had her concerns about the weather. There were murmurs about visibility and conditions, but as it turned out, the mountains had other plans. The day held together perfectly.
From Chenus we wasted no time and headed straight down towards La Tania via what would become the undisputed run of the day: Folyeres. It was glorious — fast, flowing, and just the right amount of soft underfoot.
Unfortunately, the next run quickly reminded us that balance must be maintained in all things. Pic Bleu delivered the worst run of the day by a comfortable margin. It was scratchy, uneven and relentless, somehow managing to outdo even the sizeable bumps we would later encounter on Christine and Mont Vallon. It was a character-building descent.
The queues were mercifully rare. The only real pauses came at Legends, St Martin Express, and the toilets at La Masse, but use of the gent’s kept us moving fast.
There were, a few minor incidents along the way. At one point Hope lost a ski, and not long after Hannah lost a pole. For a moment it looked like the mountain might start claiming equipment as tribute, but both items were retrieved and the expedition carried on.
Part of the joy of a day like this is the people you meet. We shared sweets with some children in the St Martin bubble, chatted with a lovely French couple in the La Masse bubble, and encountered perhaps the most unusual character of the day: a man who worked for S3V who, for reasons unknown, chose to greet us by meowing.
As the afternoon wore on and the return leg began, the tension increased slightly. On the home straight the Aiguille de Fruit lift stopped for a worrying six minutes while we were suspended above the snow. There was a brief moment of quiet calculation as we wondered whether our timing might unravel after all.
But once we descended into 1550 — after a very slow Grandes Combes — it became clear we were going to make it. The final stretch passed quickly, and we skied back into Le Praz at 16:37 with time to spare.
Huge thanks to the whole team for an excellent day in the mountains: Captain Hannah for navigation and leadership, Hope for her vital role as chief puller and timekeeper, Katy for stats & snacks and Poppy for keeping morale at an all-time high.
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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
THIS IS NOT A RACE
You do this entirely at your own risk, act responsibly, take full ownership for your own actions and all of those with you, respect other people (& the mountain), ski & ride within your limits, always obey the skiers & snowboarders code, observe all signs, pay attention to all notices, advice & instructions from Pisteurs, only ski off piste if fully equipped & knowledgeable, it’s not a race (you won’t be insured), think about the safety of others as well as yourself but above all, take care, don’t wreck things for others & don’t even think of blaming anyone else if it all goes horribly wrong….. Note that setting of record times and max speeds WILL NOT BE PUBLISHED
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
