Mottaret a guide to please

Going to Mottaret in Jan and was hoping to pick the brains of people on here. Whats the best skiing you have had there, basically which piste did you enjoy and which lifts got you to the best Pistes in the easiest time? Is there a better time of day to go to a certain part of the 3 Vallees?

Cheers

Millwall fan?

Used to be A Liverpool Season ticket holder until my son was born and it just cost to much to keep the ticket (hard choice mind) )

Now a Morecambe Season ticket holder and just cannot bring myself to shouting Sammy Mcs name! Once scum always scum :lol: Go to most away games and its great apart from the awful start but its part of the fun and passion!

Anyway back to skiing what do you know about France?

Been to Meribel twice and loved it both times, though quite a while back now (even if the resort is more Little Britain than authentic France). Skiing throughout the area is generally very good and very well connected, though it can be busy, especially over in the Courcheval valley. The run over to Val Thoren takes quite a while and I was not convinced that it was worth it starting from Meribel - you would be slightly closer in Mottaret. My favourite run in the entire resort is the Jerusalem run down into St Martin de Belleville. Its in a small area but for some reason I always found it very enjoyable and usually very quiet - you can often have the entire run to yourself and I loved it.

Enjoy. :lol:

As a starter, can recommend Plattieres, a 3 stage lift that allows you to get some good long runs back into Mottaret or gets you over to the other side of the mountain so you can get down to Les Menuires, St Martin d-B and Val Thorens.Check out the lift map if you haven't done it already: http://www.meribel.net/ftelechargeables/389434982523148.pdf

Everywhere is better in the morning. Mottaret can get quite slushy down the bottom by mid to late afternoon. If you go into Meribel, runs from the top of Tourgnette are better done in the morning, but the sun's still out on the runs on the Saulire side in the afternoon. Down to Couchevel from the top of Saulire sometimes has visibility problems later in the day.

I have to second the tip on Jerusalum though - it's a great run. Don't try it in high wind though - did that once and not doing it again! Have a great time!

Mont Vallon
The run through the trees down to La Tania
Bartavelle bumps
The couloirs off the top of Saulire, on either side
Death Couloir if you're fearless, have a guide and an jump turn really well
The hike up the glacier in Val Thorens and over the top to the head of the Meribel Valley (with a guide)- not a lift in sight
The runs down to St Martin
La Masse
Cime de Caron
The 4th Valley

Do I need to go on? :lol:

There are so many great runs in 3 V, much depends on conditions.

On the Courchevel side, Jockeys down to Le Praz, long black through the trees. Or the Gd Couloir black run if you're feeling brave.

Meribel valley, I'll second, Combe Vallon and Campagnol red runs off the top of Mont Du Vallon.

Val Thorens, Combe de Caron black is great, as are the runs on the 4th valley including a nice off piste route.

Les Menuires, all the runs off Point de la Masse are good, usually quiet over there with plenty to go at, again some lovely off piste

Third recommendation for Jerusalem ! It's not the easiest run to get to, but boy is it fun.

On a powder day, we got some excellent runs from dropping off boulevard de la loze, and heading down via a little wooded section toward the Altiport chair lift.

Heading off the back of the Point De Masse is a good off piste bit, but be careful the first time you do it. There's a rather vital point at which you have to cross a river, and it's a long slog if you miss it.

If you get the time, heading way over to the far left of the piste map it can be quite quiet, and there are some pretty runs. Another long slog is over in to the Orelle valley, but reaching the Sommet De Piste is worth it. There are some epic off-piste opportunities around there, but I wouldn't do them without a guide.

One day last year, I hit Jockeys the day after a big dump and before the piste had been reopened. It's a great run any day, but in 45cm of fresh snow it's heavenly.

At the top of the Chanrossa chair, you have an opportunity for some fun red or black action back to the bottom, or, if feeling a bit more adventurous, you can head off to the right, down a nice (if often a little choppy) open slope, and then follow the bottom of the valley to the Aiguille De Fruit chair.

Finally, there's a route from the top of the Olympic ski lift, at the top of Roc De Fer, all the way down to St. Martin de Belleville. It's a fun route, and there are signs for summer footpaths there if you're ever in doubt of the direction.

A general comment: The valleys can have completely different weather. If you've got a white out where you are, hop across a valley and don't be surprised to enter glowing sunshine. The 3V offer a lot of variety, and the size of the place makes it a favourite of mine. Enjoy it!