Meribel Luxury Chalets

Meribel has regular free buses connecting the hamlets and villages across the valley. Depending on where you’re staying, gondolas, pistes, and walking paths connect many different areas.

Travelling by car

Having a car in Meribel can be convenient if you plan on visiting nearby villages and the neighbouring ski resorts. There’s only one road on the journey that is narrow and windy. Most chalets in Meribel have parking spaces available, but if you don’t have one, there are public parking options throughout the villages.

Travelling by train

There are several national and international rail routes to Moûtiers. This is only a 45-minute drive from Meribel, so might be a faster and easier option than flying.

Airports

The closest airport is Chambery. However, Geneva is a more popular transport hub with more regular flights and options for travel.

Chambery (CMF) – 101km
By car – 1 hour 10 minutes
By train – 2 hours 35 minutes

Grenoble (GNB) – 168km
By car – 1 hour 50 minutes
By train – 3 hours 25 minutes

Geneva (GVA) – 130km
By car –  1 hour 50 minutes
By train – 4 hours 42 minutes

Lyon (LYS) – 178km
By car – 1 hour 50 minutes
By train – 4 hours

Private transfer
There is a range of transfer options into Meribel, including shuttles, taxis, and helicopter services.

Meribel has long been a staple resort in France’s après ski scene. Its party reputation means that it is never short of a rowdy crowd. But with investment pouring into the area, expectations are rising. Nowadays you’ll still find classic boot stomping fun, but also chic bars and options for a more understated evening.

The party starts early in Meribel. You’ll find plenty of on-mountain antics before you’ve had time to unclip your skis.

• The legendary Folie Douce should be on every après skier’s bucket list. Stunning views, beautiful décor and live afternoon cabaret create iconic mountain parties. After one too many champagnes, show off your moves on the tabletops before attempting the long ski back down.
• Ski straight to Le Rond Point for live music on the packed-out terrace. Also known as ‘the Ronnie’, locals, seasonnaires, and tourists are all crazy about this place, so get here early if you want a table.
• Le Couer De Cristal has a sunny terrace and live DJs every day from 3 pm. It has a more relaxed feeling, but you’ll still find yourself resisting the urge to get dancing.

Whether you want to step off the slopes and into the bar, or you’re looking for a quiet after-dinner tipple, Meribel has plenty of options to help you continue the party.

• The party crowd usually head straight from the lifts to Jack’s Bar. The casual sports bar shows the latest games inside. As the sun falls over the terrace, the outside turns into a party where the live music is pumping and the toffee vodka is flowing.
• The British-owned Doron Pub is one of the largest bars in Meribel. As well as pool tables and flat screen TVs showing major sports, they have a sunny terrace and live bands just steps away from the piste.
  

If you’re looking for something more sophisticated or with a local feel, stay away from the pubs and seek out the wine, cocktail, and lounge bars.

• L’Abreuvoir is a stylish wine bar with quirky rustic décor to set the tone for your winter break. Sip on a great choice of cocktails and soak up the atmosphere of the town on the pretty terrace.
• The uber-chic La Poste is next to the Meribel post office. It attracts the most cosmopolitan clientele with high-end drinks and a quieter environment.
• Barometer is a cosy bistro and a relaxed place to catch up after a day in the mountains. Split a pizza alongside a local beer, curated wine, or house cocktail.

The party never stops in Meribel. It’s easy to dance late into the night and forget about your plans to make the first lift.

• The buzzing Sully’s Bar starts relaxed with pool, arcade games, and pub quizzes. As the night wears on the music gets louder and the nightclub lights come out.
• Les Saint-Pères Club is a swanky French club with DJs playing every night until 5 am.

With 160 efficient lifts linking a 600km ski area, there is no shortage of crowd-pleasers for every type of skier and snowboarder in the Three Valleys. Wide open pistes and the chance to chase the sun all day make Meribel a relaxed destination for an intermediate to explore. If you’re seeking a challenge, you’ll find exhilaration in steep pistes, abundant backcountry, and daunting mogul fields.

The ski area

The Meribel area has 46 ski lifts and a seamless bus system. This makes it easy to get to different parts of the valley as well as the other resorts in the Three Valleys ski area. Meribel is a good launching point to access Courchevel, Val Thorens, Les Menuires, La Tania, Saint Martin de Belleville, Brides les Bains and Orelle. There are three main ski areas within Meribel:

• Meribel Centre is a big hub for the lift system. From here it’s possible to take lifts to Courchevel, Saint Martin de Belleville, and Les Menuires. This is also the main meeting point for the ski schools. There’s a wide and varied ski area here suitable for all levels.
• Meribel Mottaret offers outstanding views of the Meribel Valley. Confident skiers can head up Mount Vallon, the highest point of the valley, and enjoy the panoramic vistas. There are runs for all levels here as well as fast access to Courchevel, Val Thorens, and Les Menuires.
• Meribel Village is a small area with one lift and one piste. The lift takes you to Altioprt with a blue run bringing you back into resort. Altioport is excellent for beginners and has quick access to Courchevel.

Boarders

Meribel is an epic playground for snowboarders, with lots of wide, varied pistes perfect for practising turns. Beginners may feel frustrated with older lifts and drags around the Altiport area. They might struggle on the flats coming back from Mount Vallon if they haven’t learnt to hold their speed yet.

Slopes around Meribel aren’t always as well maintained as neighbouring resorts. But with the whole of the Three Valleys at your fingertips, this is a small sacrifice to make. If you’re looking for more pristine runs, head over to Courchevel for a day.

You have endless opportunities for off-piste snowboarding in the Three Valleys. Make sure to stay in the Meribel Valley towards the later part of the day as it can be easy to miss the last lift. You’ll find some brilliant options around Mount Vallon.

Even the most avid freestyler won’t get bored here, with seven snow parks and 36 fun zones spread across the Three Valleys. The two parks based in the Meribel area include rails, boxes, and kickers, as well as pipes and a boardercross.

Beginners

Meribel is a great place to learn to ski, with two beginner’s areas and an extensive network of gentle green and blue runs in the tree line.

The Altiport area is easy to access by bus or from the lifts at La Chaudanne in the centre of Meribel. This is where most of the ski schools are based. There are dedicated runs for beginners and children in Altiport, as well as slow chair lifts to help them get the hang of hopping on and off.

Mottaret has three nursery slopes with magic carpets. From here you can also access Yeti Park. This green run gets children excited about skiing with fun interactive features like tunnels and slaloms.

Once you’ve mastered your turns, it’s time to develop your skills. There’s a wonderful selection of greens and blues around Altiport and Motteret to build your confidence. Once you’re ready for a challenge, take the blue from the top of the Cote Brune lift all the way back to Mottaret. Watch out for the Lapin piste. You may feel ready to take this blue back to the Meribel Village but it’s steep and can be icy towards the end of the day.

Our recommended ski schools:

• Oxygene have 25 years of experience teaching group and private lessons for children and adults. They have their own ski garden and magic carpet especially for kids aged 4-12
• Parallel Lines is one of the most popular British ski schools in Meribel. As well as private or group lessons for children and adults, they offer guiding and freestyle coaching.
• New Generation is an excellent ski school spread across the Swiss, French, and Austrian Alps, meaning they attract some of the best instructors in the business. You can take their children, adult, and off-piste lessons with private instructors or in a group.

Intermediates

Intermediate skiers will have no trouble getting around Meribel, with a lovely mixture of wide reds and blues. Meribel is the ideal destination for relaxed, sunny skiing. Start your day basking in sunshine on the Roc De Fer run at the top of the Olympic lift. Spend the morning in Tougnette, then follow the sun around to Saulire in the afternoon.

To get your snow feet warmed up, take the blue Biche run from the top of the Saulire Express. If you want to ramp things up, you can join the red Chamois run and take it all the way back down to La Chaudanne.

Confident intermediates should attempt the popular Combe du Vallon by the end of the week. This long red run starts at the highest point in the Meribel Valley and descends 1,000 vertical meters over 3km. It’s steep, bumpy, and a definite workout for your legs, but the fabulous views at the top will have you coming back for more.

If you have a good level of fitness and plenty of stamina, you don’t need to be an expert to complete the Three Valleys Escapade. This epic challenge tasks you with skiing almost every piste in the Three Valleys in one day. You’ll record your efforts by scanning your lift pass through 35 different stations.

Advanced

Expert skiers have plenty of options both in Meribel and across the epic Three Valleys area. The most famous black run in the resort is La Face. Intended for the Women’s 1992 Olympic downhill race, it’s instantly steep but finishes with some much-needed flatter parts. The Grand Couloir in Courchevel is considered to be one of the scariest ski runs in the French Alps and throws moguls, narrow ridges, and steep rugged terrain at you along your hair-raising descent.

There is some incredible off-piste to discover in the Meribel Valley. The slopes around Mount Vallon, Dent du Burgin, and under the Cote Brune chairlift are popular for wonderful views and great powder. With an immense ski area like the Three Valleys available to you, it’s highly recommended that you hire a guide to help you maximise your time in the resort and find the most epic backcountry opportunities.

With 85% of the runs in the Three Valleys being above 1,800m, the slopes remain snow sure throughout the season. Meribel usually opens in early December until April, with good snow-making facilities keeping snow conditions fresh.

December
December is a lively time to be in Meribel, with everywhere opening and building anticipation for the season ahead. The valley might not have much snow, but you’ll find it at the top of the lifts. Slopes will be quiet in the first half of the month but expect them to fill up in time for the festive period.
Average snowfall: 78cm
Snow days: 5

January
The temperature drops in January, meaning good snow conditions but with the definite need for some extra layers. Ski on the south-facing slopes to keep warm. The mountains are quiet at this time of year but with kids back at school, most of the adult clientele are making the most of the buzzing après scene.
Average snowfall: 72cm
Snow days: 5

February
February is also very cold. It’s an extremely busy time of year with many families visiting over the school holidays. Make sure to book your accommodation, equipment hire, travel, and lessons well in advance to avoid disappointment.
Average snowfall: 44cm
Snow days: 5

March
With days getting longer and temperatures heating up, March is a popular time to visit Meribel. Live music events and festivals make the most of the spring sunshine. High altitudes keep the snow fresh but if conditions deteriorate, concentrate your skiing on the North facing slopes.
Average snowfall: 52cm
Snow days: 6