Meribel - France
People fall in love with Meribel and it attracts a warm loyalty from visitors who return season after season. The resort lies in the Les Allues valley and the villages range in height from 1100m (Les Allues) to 1750m (Mottaret). It is one of the nicest purpose-built resorts in Europe and the chalet-style architecture that was conceived by Colonel Peter Lindsay of the British Army in 1938 has been preserved through every stage of expansion. The British connection remains strong today with almost 40% of visitors being from the UK.
Meribel sits snugly in the middle valley of the Trois Vallees area and is arguably the most conveniently located of all the resorts in terms of access to the vast 600km network. Much of the accommodation is ski in and out and the nightlife is well developed without being as expensive as nearby Courchevel. The only people who dislike Meribel are those seeking to escape fellow Brits!
With access to 400km of piste in the Espace Evasion the skiing doesn’t have to play second fiddle to the cuisine. Skiing ranges from 1100m at village level to 2350m on Mont Joly and the season lasts in to late April. Access from Geneva takes just over an hour. Megeve is also a great base if you have a car as you can easily visit any of 13 resorts in the Chamonix Valley.
At a glance
| Resort altitude | 1100m - 1100m |
|---|---|
| Highest lift | 2353m |
| Lowest lift | 850m |
| kms of piste | 325km² |
| Black pistes | 13% |
| Red pistes | 40% |
| Blue pistes | 30% |
| Green pistes | 17% |
| Snow parks | 2 |
| Glacier | No |
| Snowmaking | Yes |
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Five to try
- Take a skidoo out for an hours outing in Mottaret
- Try a paraglide - numerous companies arrange for trips across the valley and tandem flights
- For some family fun, go swimming at the 25m pool which has an excellent slide (minimum age six) and a baby pool
- Ice skate at the Parc Olympique
- If you fancy seeing the sights go up in one of the little planes that operate from the altiport
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Planning your trip
Meribel is easily accessible thanks to an increase in routes from airlines, and you can now be at the resort within an hour and 15 minutes of touching down on the tarmac if flying in to Chambery. Be warned that Meribel can get extremely busy, especially during peak holidays, so it is best to book ahead where more...
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Where to stay
Meribel can accommodate up to 30,000 sleepy skiers a night so you should be able to meet your needs and budget. Although there are a selection of hotels and self-catering apartments available the focus is really on chalet holidays and that is the area that UK companies specialise in. For those on a tight budget, the more...
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Food and drink
Meribel may not have the Michelin-starred restaurants of nearby Courchevel but it does have a huge variety of places to eat with something to suit every budget. With a choice ranging from English and French to Mexican and Asian, you should manage to avoid the usual fondue/cheese overload so common more...
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Things to do
Whether lack of snow has driven you off the slopes, you are a non-skier or you simply feel like a change, there are loads of things to do in Meribel. One of the resort's greatest, though perhaps not the most beautiful asset, is the Parc Olympique - the sports centre on the edge of the Chaudanne. If you are very more...
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On the piste
Beginners are well catered for on the small nursery slope at Rond Point and access to the longer green and blue runs is easy from there. Intermediate skiers will find that they can explore the entire Trois Vallees easily, with the Platieres above Mottaret being a great local option. Experts will never get bored of more...
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MadDogView
Part of the fantastic Three Valleys, you can either choose to party your holiday away in the huge Brit scene or have a real family holiday, complete with crepes, chocolate fondue, tobogganing and ice skating. Mottaret offers cheaper accommodation options.
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Map
- Download piste map
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Our favourites
Bar le Chrismaran
Tasty snacks with a large terrace. One of the cheapest places to eat on the piste in the three valleys. Toilets are round the corner and down some stairs. Open till late. -
Useful stuff
