Val Thorens innove : une académie de formation et un drone autonome au service du secours en montagne
How does a ski resort prepare for what comes next? In Val Thorens, the answer for winter 2026-2027 comes in two innovations: the Val Tho Academy, the first training academy run by a mountain resort in France, and the deployment of a second autonomous rescue drone to support the ski patrol. RevolutionR, communications and PR agency for Val Thorens, unpacks two stories that speak to mountain media as much as to tech and employment desks.
Val Tho Academy: training the mountain's talent
The resort is creating the Val Tho Academy, with programmes in management, artificial intelligence, customer relations and languages. A concrete answer to the recruitment and upskilling challenges facing seasonal and permanent staff, and one that makes Val Thorens a high-altitude training laboratory.
An autonomous drone to watch over off-piste terrain
Val Thorens is deploying its Second Autonomous Rescue Drone to support patrollers monitoring off-piste areas. Olivier Gardet, technical director of the Belleville Valley Piste Service, works where the field meets technology: as early as 2019 he helped create a drone unit used to monitor specific zones, analyse avalanche risk and carry out checks before committing a team. His principle is clear: "The machine provides valuable data, but knowledge of the mountain remains irreplaceable."
A resort that thinks beyond skiing
Both announcements belong to a wider shift: altitude is no longer only about the descent. Training, technology, wellness and outdoor activities extend the season and make room for those who come to the mountains without putting on skis.
About RevolutionR Born in winter sports 25 years ago, RevolutionR supports Val Thorens and many resorts (Courchevel, Vars, Méribel, Val Gardena…) in media relations, influence, content and events. We turn a resort's innovations into stories for national, regional and specialist media: an angle, figures, faces, access.
FAQ
What is the Val Tho Academy? The first training academy run by a ski resort in France, with programmes in management, AI, customer relations and languages.
How are drones used for mountain rescue in Val Thorens? To monitor off-piste zones, analyse avalanche risk and carry out checks before ski patrollers are sent in.
Who handles communications for Val Thorens? The resort's media relations and influence are supported by RevolutionR, an agency specialised in mountain and tourism PR.