Méribel Ski Resort Guide
Méribel, France
Rated: 5/5 (from 6 ratings)
Recommended For | Expert Skiers, Intermediates, Beginners, Snowboarders, Snowfall and Apres-Ski! |
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Total Piste Length | 150km93 miles |
Highest Lift | 2,950m9,678ft |
Resort Height | 1,450m4,757ft |
Nearest Airports | Annecy and Chambery |
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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.
Snow and Weather
When will it snow in Méribel?
The next notable snow forecast is 31cm12in, expected on 17 January, with around 83cm33in forecast over the next 7 days.
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Snow this week
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Snow to base | Snow to base | Snow to base | Snow to base | Snow to base |
Ski Area Stats
Méribel Ski Area
Black Pistes Expert Trails | 9 | |
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Red Pistes Intermediate Runs | 24 | |
Blue Pistes Easy Trails | 34 | |
Green Pistes Beginner Runs | 10 | |
Downhill Total Length | 150km93 miles | |
Cross Country Total Length | 33km21 miles | |
Ski Lifts Number of Lifts | 61 |
The Three Valleys Ski Area
Black Pistes Expert Trails | 49 | |
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Red Pistes Intermediate Runs | 175 | |
Blue Pistes Easy Trails | 207 | |
Green Pistes Beginner Runs | 66 | |
Downhill Total Length | 600km373 miles | |
Cross Country Total Length | 130km81 miles | |
Ski Lifts Number of Lifts | 180 |
Altitudes
Méribel Ski Area Heights
Highest Lift | 2,950m9,678ft |
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Resort Altitude (Méribel) | 1,450m4,757ft |
Lowest Piste | 1,100m3,609ft |
Max Vertical | 1,850m6,070ft |
Ratings & Suitability
Expert Skiers | |
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Intermediate Skiers | |
Beginners | |
Snowboarding | |
Snow | |
Apres-Ski |
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.
Location and Map
Where is Méribel?
This ski resort is in the French Alps in The Three Valleys, Savoie.
Map
Tap for Full-Screen, or see J2Ski's Resort map, showing Hotels and Ski Shops.
How to get there
By Air
The nearest airport to Méribel is Annecy, 98 minutes drive away.
Chambery, Lyon St-Exupéry, Grenoble, Lyon Bron, Geneva, Sion, Saint-Étienne and Turin Caselle airports are all within three hours drive.
Infrastructure
Ski Lift Capacity
The 61 ski lifts are able to uplift 75,465 skiers and snowboarders every hour.
Snow Making
Snow-making is available, on 55km34 miles of ski runs, with 688 snow cannons.
Season Dates
When is Méribel open?
Opened : December 5, 2020.
Usual opening is early December, and usual closing is Late April.
NOTE:- Ski area, lift and piste opening is subject to Current Snow Conditions.
COVID-19 / Coronavirus
We don't yet have specific details of the COVID-19 precautions being taken in Méribel, but they are likely to include most of the following :-
- Face masks required on lifts, and in shops.
- Social distancing in public areas.
- Reduced lift capacity.
- Extensive disinfection / sanitization.
French Ski Resort COVID-19 Measures describes further measures that may also be applied.
Visit the Méribel Tourist Office for the latest.
Talking about Méribel
Mentions in recent J2Ski News Items and Snow Reports from our users...
Méribel Webcams
The Webcams in Méribel are not always up-to-date. Please check the date on the image to ensure you are seeing current snow conditions.
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).