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Meribel -The Meribel Valley consists of 14 villages, all located downhill from the resort of Meribel itself (1450 m, 4760') and its neighbor, Meribel-Mottaret. Les Allues is the valley's "capital" and main village, where the Church, the Town Hall, one hotel and three restaurants are located. Most of the valley's traditional feasts and festivals are held in this village.
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In 1938, British Major Peter Lindsay visited Les Allues Valley and decided to build a ski resort there. He established the architectural specifications which are still enforced today, making it mandatory to build all chalets out of mountain stone and pine wood and crown them with double slanting slate covered roofs.
Part of the Trois Vallees system, which fans believe is the largest lift-linked ski area in the world with 600km (although the Franco-Suisse Portes du Soliel have a more tenuous claim to 650km) there is a vast amount of skiing for absolutely evety taste and ability. It's easy to ski over to France's most exclusive resort, Courchevel
1850, to browse the designer fashion stores. Merible is a very French resort full of English people on the edge of some of the best skiing in the world.
This is 'chalet city' which means much of the nightime fun revolves around private gourmet gatherings. There are a couple of good discos though, and several lively bars - notably La Taverne and the imaginatively named Mark Warner pub.
Up the hill from Meribel is Meribel Mottaret, a purpose-built apartment block off-shoot.
New for 1998/99
Meribel is investing in new lifts, trails and accommodation for the 1998/99 season. The biggest single uplift capacity increase will result from the installation of a new detachable 'six-pac' six seater chair lift to replace the two-seater Adray chair. The chair will be capable of speeds of 5 metres per second and will travel 2 KM up over a 600 metre vertical, with a capacity of up to 2,800 skiers per hour.
A second new lift, a traditional four seater, will link the new 'Les Fermes de Meribel Village' hamlet of three four-star chalet-style tourist residences containing 67 apartments with the Altiport. The chair will cover 1.55 KM over a 300 metre vertical. More building is proposed for this area including the development of shops in mid-1999.
Finally a new drag lift for beginners will be built below the Plattieres gondola in Meribel-Mottaret. This area will also see a new Beginner area at the south of the snow front and the completion of a new terrain park. Proposed new trails include a new run allowing a return on skis to Meribel Village and a new trail with a 25-28% gradient at the top of Saulire.
the skiing
Meribel, with its superb links to Courchevel, La Tanis, Val Thorens and Les Menuires, is the ideal base for exploring the Three Valleys – the largest ski area in the world. The skiing is high with over 600kms of runs and endless off-piste opportunities.
advanced
Competent skiers will relish the off piste challengers, powder snow, glacier skiing and steep descents through the trees. Mogul bashers should try the famous “Les Bosses” black run, while off piste enthusiasts can enjoy the Mt Vallon face above Mottaret. Add to this the fast Women’s Olympic Downhill run on La Face, and Meribel really has something for everyone.
intermediate
Intermediate skiers will rejoice in the vast amount of long red runs, ideal for improving your skiing. The Pic Noir runs from the Col de la Loze, descending through the trees or try the excellent 5kmred run down the Combe du Vallon.
ski chalet holidays
beginner
Meribel is probably the best place in the Alps to learn to ski. Once you've mastered the nursery slopes head over to the Altiport (airport) where there are a group of green and blue runs which are absolutely faqntastic.
family
The Saturins in the Olympic caters well for toddlers, and there are plenty of after-ski activities such as a swimming pool, bowling alley and an indoor climbing wall. Please call us for information on child care.
snowboarding
Surf on down in Meribel with a half-pipe under the Adret chair, a dedicated snowboard park with jumps and tabletops, wide open runs and great Three Valleys off piste.
apres ski
If you prefer your après ski lively, Meribel centre is the place to be, such bars as El Poncho’s with its late happy hour, La Taverne and Dicks Tea Bar. The night clubs are open until 4:00am. Also try the Loft at the Ice rink. In Mottaret try the British run Plein Soleil bar/restaurant. Other good restaurants include the friendly Platin, Le Refuge and the more expensive Chez Kiki. The Olympic centre by the Chaudanne lifts hosts top-level ice hockey matches and has a swimming pool, climbing wall and bowling alley.
Resort recommended for:
Beginners, Intermediates, Advanced, Skiing for all standards, Moguls, Snowboarding, Off piste, Mountain restaurants, Luxury accommodation, Eating out, Families, Romantic/charming, Cross-country
Nearest airports/stations:
Chambéry - 2 hours
Lyon - 2.5 hours
Moûtiers - 0.5 hours
Geneva - 3 hours
Resort altitude: 1400m
On the snow: top: 2952m - bottom: 1400m
Lifts in area: 167 (40 cableways, 69 chairs, 58 drags)
Lift pass: Trois Vallées adult €204, child 5–13yrs €153.50, both for 6 days
Trails/pistes: 600km
Méribel is a sprawling chalet-style resort built originally by an Englishman on the mountainside above the valley town of Moûtiers. The most central and convenient base for fully exploring the giant Trois Vallées ski area. It offers an enormous amount of intermedate skiing and the widest choice of luxury chalets of any resort in Europe
Méribel vies with Val d'Isère for the title of the most popular resort in Europe for English-speaking skiers. It was founded in the late 1930s by British skier Colonel Peter Lindsay who, like other international racers, had boycotted St Anton in Austria and was looking for a new resort when he stumbled upon the scenic Les Allues valley.
The first lift was installed after World War II when Lindsay began developing the area in conjunction with French racer Emile Allais. He decreed that all buildings must be made of stone and wood with slate roofs in order to blend into their beautiful mountain environment. Méribel today has grown into a ski city that he would not begin to recognise. It stretches in different quartiers up the mountain from Méribel Village at 1400m to the top of Méribel Mottaret at 1800m. But, miraculously, his building regulations have been vigorously adhered to and, with the exception of the original buildings of Mottaret, Méribel avoided the concrete architectural horrors of the 1960s. The main village is also connected to the valley by a long gondola that climbs from the spa resort of Brides-Les-Bains.
Heart of the resort is Méribel 1450, which houses most of the shops, restaurants, and the lift hub of La Chaudanne. The bi-weekly street market provides colour. Other communities are situated off the dead-end road leading to the Altiport and on the edge of the wooded pistes leading into the resort. Confusingly, Méribel Village is not the main village but a modern satellite situated a 2km drive away from 1450, but linked by chair-lift into the ski area.
Méribel Mottaret is a higher satellite situated at 1750m on the road above Méribel 1450, and is a convenient base anyone wanting doorstep skiing and the best snow-cover. The different sectors of town are served by a ski bus which reporters complain is oversubscribed. Some walking is inevitable. Before booking accommodation – particularly for families with young children – it is important to find out where your hotel or chalet is located.
From Méribel a mighty network of lifts link Courchevel, La Tania, Les Menuires and Val Thorens to form one of the world's greatest intermediate playgrounds. However, so many English-speakers congregate here during the winter months that you could be forgiven for thinking that this was some sloping suburb of south-west London rather than a top French ski resort.
Linked resorts: Courchevel, La Tania, Les Menuires, St Martin de Belleville, Val Thorens
Mountain
MeribelYou need a whole season to explore every corner of the Trois Vallées and Méribel is the best place to start. From the Chaudanne lift centre at 1450 and from Méribel Mottaret higher up the valley, lifts rise on either side. To the east, gondolas take you up to 2738m at Saulire for a choice of descents towards Courchevel and La Tania. The mountainside back down to the resort is criss-crossed with mainly blues, benign reds, and an assortment of chairs. To the west, more gondolas and chairs rise to the long ridge that separates the valleys of Les Allues and Belleville. From the top you can ski towards Les Menuires, St-Martin-de-Belleville, and Val Thorens. Alternatively you can explore the dozens of lifts and runs down to 1450 and Méribel Mottaret.
Accomplished skiers and riders head for the more challenging terrain off the Mont de la Chambre. Mont Vallon, and the Col du Fruit at the head of the valley. The sheer volume of skiers funnelling into both 1450 and Mottaret at peak times means that some queuing is inevitable, but the lift system is extremely efficient. One of the greatest assets of the Trois Vallées is that anyone who can ski parallel can travel far afield without ever leaving blue runs, while better skiers can find a route to the same destination almost entirely on reds. The seemingly endless range of runs has produced a whole generation of skiers who never go anywhere else.
Méribel has good nursery slopes with easy green runs around the Altiport and back to the resort. However they tend to suffer from through-traffic, particularly at lunchtime and at the end of the day. This can be unnerving – with the ever-present risk of collision from out-of-control skiers and riders. Méribel has two terrain parks: the 1200m Moon Park and the Snowpark des Plattières at Mottaret.
Learn
The ESF, t +33 (0)479 08 60 31 has 400 teachers and the standard of instruction varies enormously. Ian and Susan Saunders are BASI instructors who work for the ESF and have their own company, Ski Principles, t +33 (0)479 00 52 71. British-run New Generation, t +33 (0)479 01 03 18 is much praised by reporters. Magic in Motion, t +33 (0)479 08 53 36 is the other mainstream option. The British ski school, Parallel Lines, t +44 (0)1702 589580, has BASI instructors and small classes. Snow Systems, t +33 (0)479 004 022, www.snow-systems.com receives praise. Off-piste guiding is through the Bureau des Guides, t +33 (0)479 00 30 38.
Lunch
Eating on the mountain is iniquitously expensive anywhere in the Trois Vallées. Les Castors, t +33 (0)479 08 52 79 is an old favourite at the foot of the Truite run in Méribel. Les Rhododendrons, t +33 (0)479 00 50 92 at the top of the Rhodos gondola and Restaurant Le Rond Point, t +33 (0)479 00 37 51 are both recommended. Bibi Phoque, t +33 (0)479 00 30 93 at Chaudanne has reasonably-priced pancakes. The Altiport Hotel, t 33 (0)479 0052 32 has a sunny terrace. Chalet de Tougniat, t +33 (0)479 00 45 11, at the top of the Combes chair out of Mottaret, is off the beaten track.
In Mottaret, Côte Brune, t +33 (0)479 00 40 97 is an old favourite. Au Temps Perdu, t +33 (0)479 00 36 64 has a wide choice of crèpes, and Pizzeria du Mottaret, t +33 (0)479 00 40 50 is good value. Le Ty Sable, t +33 (0)479 00 43 32 is also recommended.
Party
Jack's Bar and Le Rond Point are busy in the late afternoon as the lifts close. Le Loft, located above the ice-rink, has live music, a fun atmosphere and stays open late. Dick's Tea-Bar in 1450 and Le Privilège in Mottaret are the other late-night venues.
Children
Les Saturnins, t +33 (0)479 08 66 90 is the non-ski kindergarten for children aged 18 months to three yeas. The tourist office, t + 33 (0)479 08 60 01 also has a list of babysitters who will care for infants in your hotel or apartment. Les P'tits Loups ski kindergarten cares for children aged three to five years at La Chaudanne, t +33 (0)479 08 60 31 and at Mottaret, t +33 (0)479 00 49 49.
Reviews
1 February 23, 2006 - 11:14 PM
Nick Holford from UNITED KINGDOM
Fantastic ski area.. just check out the workers web site.. Meribel unplugged..save loads of money on restaurants..bars etc..and don't get ripped off..
Apres-ski is Rond Point and Jacks bar ..night bars.. Rastro in Mottaret on Tuesdays, great rock 70s party..pub in Meribel.. Pizza express on Tuesdays..great Beatles band..LDV Meribel village ..on Tuesdays and Thursdays..
Best restaurant in whole valley.. Zig Zag..Mottaret.. Plat du Jour..9.50... fantasic food ..fish on Fridays...fab...
skiing is fantastic.. print out Meribel Unplugged ski guide.. free and 11 pages ..incredible...
have a great time in this fab resort..
Nik..
2 November 27, 2005 - 09:32 AM
Gail from UNITED KINGDOM
Stayed in Meribel last year for the first time and bought a 3 Vallees pass for around 200 euros. Fantastic range of skiing.
Apres Ski and beyond in Meribel is great fun but one noticeable thing was the amount of Brits working in Meribel. Was a little disappointed not to be able to use and improve my limited French (I even bought a phrase book).
The skiing in the Meribel valley was great although by the end of the day the congestion and condition of the runs down were a bit of a pain.
Can't really give a balanced view on the other 2 valleys as we only skied over twice but from a quick observation - In Val Thorens the skiing was truly amazing but the resort is a bit ugly. In Courchevel the pistes were in amazing condition, never seen perfect pisting that extensive. Was warned about the high prices and was prepared for the visa card to take a pounding at lunchtime, but stumbled upon a fantastic reasonably priced restaurant.
Never been to the same resort twice in 10 years but can definitely see a return to the Three Valleys.
3 November 26, 2005 - 11:12 AM
Henry Bucket from UNITED KINGDOM
I have been skiing for over 15 years now and meribel has to be one of my favorite!
Snow is almost always present at meribel in the winter and ofers great skiing.
I recomd the official meribel website that shows the latest updates on snow reports and allows you to see all the webcams for free. snow has already strted falling in the resort so you better get moving!
4 November 26, 2005 - 11:09 AM
George from UNITED KINGDOM
Meribel is a great resort. we have also stayed in val thorens the next valley on and is also superb for skiing.
Snow fall verry early here and i recomend www.meribel.com to show you all the latest web cams
5 January 25, 2005 - 01:17 AM
Guy Speechley from UNITED KINGDOM
I have only been skiing for 2 years now having done 6 lessons on a dry slope in England and then several practice sessions.
Got to say that the lessons were well worth it, as you could spend your first season there and not get to see the whole of Meribel.
My first day was on the Altiport slopes and getting used to skiing on snow. However, you need to know where the track is to get back onto it - otherwise you end further up and then have to come down a blue, but hey it was a learning curve.
After the first couple of days there we then started our lessons with New Generation Ski, who improved our skiing to enable us to ski on the blues comfortably.
Our nights were spent in Jacks Bar where we were introduced to the Mutzig which is 7.2% but is also at a price of £6 a pint - not for the faint hearted. Then we would have our evening meals cooked at the Chalet Bon with ample wine and would then head out to Le Pub, Barometer etc etc.
Great skiing was rewared with sunny cloudless skies and fantastic views, which made it a perfect resort for a first timer.
Having got the taste for it, I was there again this year where the weather was in full swing, White outs, Avalanches and stuck in Meribel due to too much snow and the risk of avalanches.
Once again we had lessons with New Generation but this time it was only for 2 days to help improve our skiing for both the blues and to get us skiing down the reds.
Same faces and same places again but this time more adventurous in my skiing and going through the woody tracks made it alot more fun with an excellent guide.
Me and the gang will be there again on January 8th till the following Saturday so hopefully another 8 days of greta skiing. this time however, I will not be having lessons but going out with better skiers and a friendly guide who can hopefully get us riound the 3 valleys in one piece.
Good Luck for the new season
Gary SPEC Speechley
6 December 22, 2004 - 07:06 PM
Egg from UNITED KINGDOM
Perfectly groomed pistes with perfect bars and places to eat.
A must is to buy the 3 valleys pass, don't go cheap and just buy the pass for Meribel.
Hope to see more live bands at le pub and the Rond Point, looking forward to the Vodka shots.
Now where was I?
Can't wait to get over there again especially now that the snow has decided to turn up and make an appearance.
Looking forward to trying out my new skis on Mont Vallon and the Bosses providing weather permitting.
Can't help it but must get back to talking about places to go, looking forward to Dicks T Bar again just need to stop bumping into the archways.
Later
Egg
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