Méribel

Méribel, France

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Méribel

Méribel lies at the heart of The Three Valleys (Les 3 Vallées) and has a wide range of skiing for all levels, both within its own valley and beyond.

Summary

The French ski resort of Méribel is in the French Alps at an altitude of 1,450m4,757ft, with 150km93 miles of marked runs.

Méribel is part of the Three Valleys ski area with access to 600km373 miles of downhill skiing, with 497 marked pistes, served by a total of 180 ski lifts. In addition to the skiing in Méribel itself (150km93 miles of pisted ski runs), the appropriate ski Lift Pass will allow you to ski or snowboard in the other Three Valleys ski resorts of Courchevel, La Tania, Les Menuires, Saint Martin de Belleville and Val Thorens.

Méribel comprises the villages of Méribel Centre, Méribel Les Allues, Méribel Les Hauts, Méribel Mottaret and Méribel Village.

Ski Area Stats

Méribel Overview

Méribel is the central resort in the world's largest lift-linked ski area, the 3 Vallées. One of the first in the post-war 'second wave' of ski centre development, the village and its skiing have been a success on a colossal scale. Méribel today has grown far beyond the original village with half a dozen 'neighbourhoods', extending the resort over 10km (6 miles) of the valley floor, and expansion is still continuing, helping to make the resort one of the most important in the world today.

The resort has invested heavily in high capacity gondola lifts, to get large numbers of skiers uphill fast meaning that queues are rare.

Skiing

Méribel's location allows skiers based there to make the most of the Three Valleys. To the East is Courchevel's world famous skiing, to the West the high altitude slopes of Val Thorens with Les Menuires below it in the Belleville valley. Méribel's own central valley runs North - South allowing skiers to stay in the sun all day, with the whole valley in the spotlight around lunch time.

The choice of skiing here is vast, with 150 km (93 miles) of trails in the Méribel Valley alone and more than five times that much again in the neighbouring valleys.

Méribel for Beginners

Beginners have easy runs up by the Altiport and Rond Point des Pistes, as well as a special beginners' area at Méribel-Mottaret.

Méribel for Intermediates

Downhill choices are as close to limitless as they can be, with The Three Valleys often described as an 'intermediates' paradise'.

Méribel for Experts

There is plenty for experts to enjoy, such as the off-piste Mt. Vallon face above Méribel-Mottaret or the legendary Les Bosses black. The Women's Olympic Downhill run is not to be sniffed at either, nor the powder or tree skiing.

Easier choices include the 3.6km (2.2 mile) long red run down the Combe du Vallon or the Pic Noir descent through the trees from Col de la Loze.

Ski Schools

The ski and snowboarding schools, including ESF and a number of British and International schools and independent ski instructors, employ staff able to teach all disciplines, speaking most of the world's major languages between them.

Cross Country

Cross country skiers have plenty of trails in the Méribel and Courchevel valleys, including two exceptional routes around the Tuèda Lake and the Altiport Forest.

There are a variety of pistes to suit all levels of skier ability, from Beginner to Expert.

Snowboarding

Méribel has several snowboard parks and of course there are lift links to others around the 3 Vallées. Numerous competitions are organised for snowboarders throughout the season.

Aprés Ski

Méribel has some of the liveliest apres of any ski resort anywhere - so long as you stick near the village centre. Méribel-Mottaret and the other outlying neighbourhoods are mostly quiet.

History and Development

The Méribel valley was almost abandoned until it was 're-discovered' in 1938 by future British Colonel Peter Lindsay, who returned after the war to oversee its early development in partnership with French architect Christian Durupt. Although the men's plans were modest compared to what was to come, they did begin the task of building the resort in a traditional style, with gabled slate roofs and white pine and stone facades. Along with its perfect location, Méribel's decision to stick to these building requirements through its 50+ year history and through the era of the rectangular concrete tower block has won it ever more fans over the years.

Although driven to construct the inevitable high altitude 'satellite off-shoot', Méribel Mottaret at 1800 metres in 1972, the resort ensured the giant apartment blocks still had chalet style design. The British influence in Méribel remains strong and vast numbers of Brits arrive each winter; the more well-heeled staying around Méribel Centre, the rest up at Méribel-Mottaret, whilst Courchevel in the next valley is popularly regarded as being more French (or even Russian, as they have been attracted in significant numbers in recent years), more chic (and more expensive).