In 1970, Joseph Fontanet President of the council and mayor of Saint Martin de Belleville created a mix trade union of Belleville in association with the Department of Savoy and the neighboring towns.

This trade union’s goal was to analyze and implement the huge project developed by Pierre Schnebelen: creating on one side an important tourist resort and on the other side the massif de Péclet Polset which would include 2 winter resorts: Val Thorens on Belleville side and Val Chavière in the south, in the Vallon du Planay situated in the Park de la Vanoise in Modane.


The goals of this massive project was, on the one hand, dealing with the connecting the region with a network of ski lifts and ski trails thus helping the development of the tourist economy of Modane (most of its activities were already slowing down). On the other hand creating as in Austria a vast summer ski complex on the glacier around the summit of Péclet (3650 m).

To their dismay the project Val Chavière went against the regulations of the Park de la Vanoise which did not allow any urbanization. After many protests and governmental involvement the project Val Chavière was abandoned.


The project for Val Thorens -outside the park- was allowed and the first construction works started with outstanding dynamism. Within a year, the department built an 8-kilometer stretch of road between the Menuires and Val Thorens.

The Savoy department and the town of Saint Martin de Belleville entrusted the SODEVAB and the promoting group, led by the bank Hénin with the mission of the setting up of Val Thorens.

The first network of ski lifts was inaugurated on 18th December 1971.
SETAM (Society of ski-lifts of the Tarentaise-Maurienne region ) was created in 1972 in order to manage the skiing area of Val Thorens. SODEVAB was also responsible for the construction of the first properties in the first neighborhood of the town called “Hameau de Péclet”.

In 1979 a second neighborhood was created called : “Caron”


Year after year, Val Thorens continued to develop and gain international recognition. For instance, the opening of the cable car of Caron in 1982 , was at the time the largest cable car in the world.

The construction of this cable car put Val Thorens in the category of “top European winter resorts”. Starting in the 90’s SETAM opted for “high tec” ski lifts : more comfort, less wait, and better integration with the landscape was the new development criteria. Of course the oldest cable cars were to be replaced.

Thus in less than 10 years, with an average annual investment of 10 million Euros, the ski lift park of Val Thorens stands out as the most modern in Europe : This included dozens of new generation chair lifts (4 X 6 seats), a cable car with a capacity of 150 people, as well as many technical innovations such as the double boarding ability on the chair-lifts and two funitel (Péclet and Grand fond), that are unique around the world.

In the meantime, the winter resort takes an architectural turn in the 1980’ : The modern style of the 1970’s is altered to create the architecture and charm of a mountain village. Despite the after-effect of the “concrete years”, Val Thorens has returned to its original Savoy style by repairing the façade, covering the walls with stones and wood, and assembling of double-pitch roof.

To help achieve this change, a church was built in 1993 and the appearance of the new area was composed of only chalets.