English News, Weather and Daily Events - January 31, 2026

Weather

The sky will be cloudy  early this morning, then it will continue generally overcast, although some sunny spells are possible this afternoon.  Highs of  -1°C in Val d'Isère. 

 Currently at 8am it is  -10.1°C up at the Pisaillas, -7,7°C at the top of Bellevarde, -5.7 degrees up on solaise and -10°C here in town. 

Roads

On the roads, traffic will be heavily disrupted today for departures from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., while traffic is likely to be congested from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., with a peak around 11 a.m. for returns. No difficulties are expected for departures tomorrow. However, disruptions are forecast from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. for returns.

Local News

Flag Bearers for the Milan-Cortina Olympics

It's official: Clément Noël will have the honor of carrying the French flag at the Opening Ceremony of the Milan-Cortina Olympic Games. The French National Olympic and Sports Committee and the French Paralympic and Sports Committee announced yesterday afternoon the names of the four flag bearers for the French delegation at the Winter Games. Our reigning Olympic champion will be accompanied by snowboarder Chloé Trespeuch, and on the Paralympic side, by snowboarder and reigning Olympic cross champion Cécile Hernandez, and skier Jordan Broisin. The Opening Ceremony will take place this Friday at 8:00 PM, live from the San Siro stadium in Milan.

Occupancy and Traffic

For this first week of February before the school holidays, the occupancy rate will be 83.4%, which corresponds to 95,000 overnight stays. Note that the occupancy rate for January reached 83.1%. Over the past 10 years, the number of overnight stays has increased by 30% during the January half-term break. On the roads, traffic will be heavily disrupted today for departures from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., while traffic is likely to be congested from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., with a peak around 11 a.m. for returns. No difficulties are expected for departures tomorrow. However, disruptions are forecast from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. for returns. This weekend, 71,000 vehicles are expected heading north and 67,000 south on the roads of the Tarentaise Valley.

Loyalty Medal

Three new loyalty medals were awarded earlier this week. Claire Bulman received the copper medal for her 17 years of loyalty. She appreciates the locals and loves meeting new people and nationalities. Claire Bulman tells us that she learned a lot here, especially how to ski with her godmother, Laure-Yanne Schneider, who gave her a gift.

Geneviève Julienne received the Grand Gold Medal for her 50 years of loyalty. She appreciates the whiteness of the mountains and fell in love with the resort from her very first day in Val d'Isère. She reminisces about many memories with her godmother, Dominique Tondereau.

The last gold medal was awarded to Jean-Hugues Belland in the presence of his godmother, Diane Catelan, who presented him with a few small gifts. He particularly appreciates the resort for its sporting activities, its ski area, and also its village.

The next loyalty medal ceremony will be held this Tuesday.

Bearded Vulture Breeding

The breeding season has gotten off to a good start for the bearded vulture pair in Val d'Isère. Incubation has begun in the nest located in the Gorges de la Daille. This is a sign of stability and confidence in this protected area. Respect for the Major Sensitive Zone is therefore crucial to ensuring the success of this breeding season. The tranquility of the site is essential for successful incubation and to ensure the protection of this rare species. This new season is part of a positive trend across the Savoie region. Following the successful 2025 breeding season, with seven young bearded vultures fledging in Savoie, the 11 breeding pairs are now entering a key phase of their life cycle: replenishing nests, mating, and incubation. The youngest, Groupillon, born last year, has already traveled between Castellane, Alpe d'Huez, and the Mediterranean coast. Today, Val d'Isère is among the Alpine areas where its presence is most regular and long-established.