Val Claret is the best place to stay if you want to ski all day every day. Beginners/intermediates can get pretty much everywhere on green/blue runs, although if the snow is hard I would recommend using the Olympique to get down to Val d'Isere and the Toviere (or the bus from Val Claret) to return to Le Lac. The Trolles piste can be very difficult for beginners/intermediates and gets crowded.

For better skiers there are a number of ungroomed black runs which are rarely busy. The Envers de Campanules is a straightforward alternative to Henri at the end of the day, and Golf is excellent after fresh snow. And there are acres of off-piste...

I agree that some of the older lifts badly need upgrading and would encourage readers to get that message across to the STGM which runs them.

As for food on the mountain, I find you get what you pay for: some restaurants, such as Marmottes next to the Borsat chair, offer very good value; the more upmarket ones, such as Lo Soli, are great for a more leisurely lunch.