© Sam Brown
Shopping in Val d'Isere
Discover the top Val d'Isere shops and shopping areas
If you are visiting Val d'Isère it's not necessarily the first place you think of as a place to shop 'til you drop, however the town boasts a diverse range of stores that are guaranteed to suit all tastes and lifestyles.
From high-spec technical sports apparel and equipment to luxury shops and artisanal food shops, Val d'Isère has an array of 'magasins' that are perfect whether you need a last minute gift or just fancy a mooch.
Food & Drink
If it's local regional produce you're after then head to a 'local' shop that will sell cheeses, saucissons, biscuits, sweets, tea and a whole host of culinary delights for packing in your suitcase or for a easy picnic dinner.
Gifts & Souvenirs
For souvenirs and gifts the best places to head to can be the Tabacs and newsagents, which can be found dotted around the resort, and are where you can pick up some knick-knacks such as magnets, mugs, teas towels and ornaments to remember your trip.
High Street fashion
In Val d'Isère there are some fashion, jewellery, accessories and gift stores with a range of clothing for the more fashion-minded amongst you. For the trendy skiers and surfers out there you'll find brands such as Billabong, Roxy, Pull-In and Quiksilver.
If you're after some perfume and beauty goods you can head to the pharmacies - there's nothing quite like the French pharmacy beauty brands, they are known for their high quality with a whole host of great brands that are unavailable in the UK.
Sports Shops
As you would expect from an outdoor sports Mecca, there are plenty sports stores where you can get your hands on some of the top mountaineering brands such as The North Face, Black Diamond, Salomon, Peak Perfomance and Burton to name a few.
Sales
If you're planning on shopping during the sales to pick up a discounted Gore-Tex jacket or designer handbag, you need to plan your visit to a very specific time of year. Unlike the UK when it appears that shops have almost permanent sales on, sale or “solde” time in France is strictly regulated and shop owners are not allowed to discount their products at any other time. End of the line (“fin de serie”) and “Promo” is acceptable but the real bargains are to be found at the specifically designated sale times, when you can get your hands on all the big brands for 40-70% less than the normal retail price.
Shop opening times
Opening hours vary to the UK with many shops and all service providers (banks, post office etc) closing for lunch.
You'll also find the banks are closed on Mondays, although they are open for business on Saturday morning to compensate. Most of the shops open between 09:00-10:00 and then close from 12.30 until 14:00 or 15:00 for lunch, re-opening again until 19:00 or 19:30, which allows you to browse the shops of an evening or on your way to dinner.
