Caron 3200: Europe's highest wine bar at the summit of the 3 Valleys

At the top of the Orelle-Caron cable car, at Caron 3200, in the heart of the Three Valleys, wine can now be tasted at an altitude that shifts the tasting benchmarks for even the most discerning palates, in a wine bar that defies the laws of physics as much as those of oenology.

Tiana Salles Published on 1/12/26 at 4:57 PM

at 3,200 meters, at the summit of Cime Caron, halfway between Val Thorens and Orelle, a new kind of on-slope restaurant has opened. SETAM (the Val Thorens ski lift operating company) has come up with an unusual venue adapted to the extreme conditions of the high mountains. And at its heart, as astonishing as it may seem, is a wine bar. Certainly the highest in Europe, and among the highest in the world, it offers tastings with a 180° panoramic view of the Alps, in a surprisingly hushed setting.

But far from being just a spectacular vantage point, this is a serious approach to wine tasting. at this height, tasting changes. Atmospheric pressure, hygrometry and oxygen levels modify aromatic perception. Studies carried out by oenologists on wines matured at different altitudes show notable evolutions. "At altitude, red wines, for example, gain in density because there is less pressure, less oxygen and therefore less oxidation. Wine ages much more slowly," explains Éric Bonnel, director of Caron 3200.

The wine list features over 150 French and international wines at all price levels, from Léon Favre's regional Seyssel (€26) to grands crus whose prices are also sky-high. These include Pétrus, Romanée-Conti, Rothschild, Angélus and Yquem, as well as wines from Argentina, Chile and California.

t.Loubere - OT Val Thorens

There's no obligation to order a bottle: over 40 wines are available by the glass. Tastings can be done on your own or on a guided tour, accompanied by a deliberately simple offer - boards, cheeses and jars prepared in the valley. More than a high-altitude bar, Caron 3200 aims to be a rare observation ground for oenology, where the context influences as much as the contents of the glass.