Ski Resort Guide: Meribel

We stayed in Meribel at Christmas 2009 and had a great time.We traveled with our three adult children. We traveled with Inghams and stayed in Les Grangettes Chalet/ hotel.The hotel was perfect for our needs and the food was great with free wine with our meals every night The Inghams' staff were very friendly and helpful. It was a perfect location, just across the road from The Chaudanne lifts which gave us a choice of lifts to go anywhere we liked. We went to Courchevel a couple of days and really loved it and went as far as Les Menuires but couldn't get to Val Thorens as the lift up was closed that day. Across the road we had a swimming pool to ease the stiff legs after a day's skiing and a very big ice ring too. We were delighted that we decided to go for a chalet as everything in Meribel was very expensive.We will definitely go back because the ski area is so vast.

We stayed in Meribel over the New Year (2008/9) for a week with our 3 sons aged 17 - 24. We had been in Meribel last Feb 08 as a couple and had a great time so thought we would return for a family holiday. What a difference! Meribel needs a lot of snow right now to justify the prices being charged there, the runs where badly maintained and massivly over used leading to very difficult conditions in the afternoon, especially on the runs home through Rond Point where the mix of novice and experienced speed idiots made for really dangerous situations. However, if you take a trip over to Courchavel the conditions are better and the runs are much better maintained. Our sons wanted to make use of the snow parks but most afternoons they were shut due to ice and lack of snow. Having been to Meribel twice I'd have to say it's a great resort when the snow is there and the crowds are not. We were also surprised to find a note slipped under our apartment door the day before we left advising us that the management of the Etelou Apartments would charge our credit card €106 if we did not thoroughly clean our accomodation, including stripping the beds and hoovering. We cleaned the apartment on the morning we checked out but wondered how you would do this if you were on a transfer at 6 am (as some people were) without waking everyone up! When we did check out they charged us € 36.00 'local tax'. Between these two issues we were left feeling a little conned and intend to take issue with the travel operator, Inghams.

We are just back from Meribel Mottaret where we stayed at the Mont Vallon with our teenage+ son and daughter. I can't fault the hotel although it is very expensive - the staff were fantastic and the food delicious. The pool sauna and steam were nice and seemed to be well used. Our rooms faced the slopes (ski in and ski out.) but we met a couple whose room faced the road and said it had been very noisy.

We are inexperienced skiers but had a fantastic time on the large number of blues and some of the reds. We had Monday to Friday ski lessons with Parallel Lines and the instructor Ed was really excellent. The 11.30 to 1.30 time slot meant the slopes were quiet but it limited where we could explore before and after, however our skiing has really improved.

Our son and daughter who are much better skiers and boarders, made use of the whole of the 3 valleys from Courchevel to Val Thorens. They also used a giant air bag at Meribel where you can pay to try "tricks" knowing that your landing will be safe.

We will go back to Meribel or 1650 rather than Mottaret if we have our children with us as it was quiet at night. If we go on our own then we would certainly go back to Mottaret.

I was part off a mixed group who stayed in a chalet with "Ski Basics" based in Meribel, over New Year. Meribel is central for access to the Three Valleys and there is so much variation there really is something for everyone. I would particularly recommend the trip to Courcheval 1650 which is a bit of an adventure but watch out when it is windy as the links at the top of the valleys can close and leave you a pretty expensive taxi ride from your base.

It was my first time away skiing at new year and it was a blast, although getting out early on Jan 1st was a challenge. Worth it though as slopes were empty until mid-day. Generally the slopes were pretty busy with everyone on holiday but if you pick your times you can avoid the worst of the queues and with so many slopes to choose from you can usually find some space.

As someone mentioned previously, Meribel is not the cheapest resort on the planet but you can still find good value. The Saint Amour wine bar was friendly, with a laid back ambiance and the prices were reasonable. A word about "Ski Basics" , the young, friendly and enthusiastic staff were great and the service we received both in the chalet and in being driven to and from the slopes was first class.

I was in Meribel on the 5th - 12th Jan. Lovely resort, although quite spread out. Our chalet was in Morel which was about a 15 minute walk down hill to the centre. Buses to and from the centre were about every 20ish minutes. Night life was really good with excellent bands just about every night. Next time I would make sure we booked a more central chalet.

Visited Meribel-Mottaret from the 5th - 12th January 08. Had a fantastic time with great weather and great boarding and skiing to be had. We stayed in Chalet Ma Licorne with Crystal Ski. Not the best chalet around, but was in a great position, only being a 5 minute walk to either the green run down to Meribel or the main lift area. This is the second time I have been to Meribel and enjoyed it just as much. Great range of activities for non-skiers with easy links into the other valleys which is great.

Seasonaire who has done a few resorts in his time. Spent a few days in Meribel for the first time - all be it at a mates chalet, very nice looking resort i have to say!!! Very crowded pistes, coming from a very quiet resort I found this very annoying, but the Mount Vallon off piste run made up for it. Some great off piste to be had. On the negative, i just cant seen how people get away with charging 8 euros for a beer?!? is it just me??!?!! I had to laugh!! As a bar owner i would feel embarrassed charging that!!!

Find the uncrowded runs and the skiing can be awesome and try the vallon!!! Just laugh at the prices!!

SUMMARY: Go to Meribel (or anywhere in the 3 Valleys) - you won't be disappointed!

Spent a week snowboarding in Meribel (Mottaret) between 4th and 11th Feb 2007. We were a bit worried about the conditions before leaving, as we'd heard so many bad things about the lack of snow. However, the pistes were in very good condition. A few more inches arrived during the week which improved the on and off-piste conditions considerably.

We stayed in Les Arols Bleus which was about a 15 minute walk outside Mottaret centre. The chalet was run by Total Ski and they had a shuttle service which ran for a couple of hours every morning and afternoon to and from Mottaret centre - very good service. The chalet itself and the staff were excellent.

As for the resort (and snowboarding), I couldn't fault the place. The Three Valley's is incredible (Courchevel especially). Just so many runs to choose from and it never seemed to get very busy - we very rarely had to queue for the lifts. There are some fantastic long, wide runs (blues and reds) down from Saulire, which suited us boarders. My favourite would have to be Park City leading to Creux on the Courchevel side. There are also several boarder cross tracks which you have to try!!

I just wanted to tell you that in the face of other ski sites, that your site is a very informative, refreshing and useful web site... a great user experince, well layed out, and informative... well done User Experience Architects !!

Mick

I just wanted to recommend the Parallel Lines ski school, which operates from Meribel. They are an all British ski school and if you are like me, you'll find not having a language barrier invaluable, no matter how small it may have been. My instructor was Ed Woolley and he was fantastic. Relaxed, friendly, and inspired vast amounts of confidence in even the most nervous of skiers (namely myself)! His knowledge of the area meant we skiied lovely powder throughout the lessons, even though conditions were poor at the time. I went from coming down the easy blue Doron on my backside on the first day (intentionally I may ad. I took my skis off and shuffled my way down) to flying down some fantastic reds by the end of my stay , and I put it all down to the confidence gained in my lessons!

I am just back from Meribel staying in Le Hameau, basic but comfortable complex of apartment, next to a very skiable blue piste and twenty minutes away by ski bus from the main centre in Meribel Valley. Excellent snow on arrival which did become a little threadbare after three days brilliant sunshine but good recovery after two significant falls of lovely powber on the next two nights. Fog was the biggest weather problem. Ski school with ESF was the best ever and hard to imagine it could be bettered. Jean Louis was an absolute treasure, keeping us on the quieter slopes and guiding and teaching his way through Courcheval, les Menieres, Meribel and the highlight Val Thorens.

Skiing was fantastic for even me as it was my first time. Thoroughly recommend lessons if a first timer with ESF, taught me brilliantly and really take care of you. I had three and was paralell skiing by the end of my holiday. Cheap aswell. Nihgtlife I found was slightly lacking for me, especially in Mottaret, however, the Annexe Bar was ok as it showed live sport in English. Dicks Tea Bar I thought was an over advertised hole but worth a try. In meribel itself Pizza Express on a tuesday is a must and was one of the best nights i had. I found that The Pub next door to Scotty's was the best for done to earth english people as i thought alot of the other places contained stuck up rich kids....just my opinion. Skiing was brilliant though but I'll go to Val'Isere next time instead.

Snow Top- class. Plenty of powder but slopes did get slightly cut up and icy in the afternoon. Some really nice runs that are most enjoyable early in the morning. Highlight probably 'Lagopede'. Also did some good reds in Val Thorens. 3 Valleys pass a must. Did a black for the first time. Daunting but can get down most hills now but would not win many awards for style. Snow parks are good. Did a few jumps but failed to land any of them. Was out most nights. Night life good but geared towards young English gap year kids. Lacking overall European vibe at night. We had great apres ski bar that we went to every evening with cool and friendly French barmaids called the Downtown in Mottaret. Good pool table too. Shades vs Goggles Wore both but will probably become a strictly goggles man in years to come.

Just got back from a week in Meribel, stopped at the Doron hotel, if your looking for an early night take your earplugs. The area is superb so much choice, dont have to ski the same places each day, the only down side is the place is so EXPENSIVE, £5 for a pint, £14 for burger & chips !!!!!!!!!!!! if your going before the season finishes, stay away from the mountain restaurants & come back down into the village, I recomend a bar called the Cactuss Bar, good food at reasonable prices & service with a smile (which is more than can be said for some of the french establishments). although eating out is expensive buying gear is relativly cheap skis are £60-90 cheaper & ski boots £30 cheaper than in the UK & its all this seasons stuff.....

Just thought I would add some useful info on Meribel.When you arrive pick up a copy of www.meribel-unplugged.co.uk or visit the web site before you go. As I write it I am obviously biased but both are crammed full of useful tips plus the best value restaurants in all 3 valleys. Meribel is definitely the No 1 resort for good skiers to explore the Trois Valley area, and now finally also has a protected area for beginners. Most who visit do indeed return as the lift system and ski area is still the best in the world.

Despite the impracticalities of getting around Meribel we thought it was quite charming, but then we did stay in Mottaret and only went down to Meribel for shopping and nightlife. Mottaret is a handy base for getting around the 3 vallees, and was a friendly little village, although there's not much going on. I agree that the runs are more interesting in Courchevel, and you get a sense of covering some distance if you go over to Val Thorens. Highly recommend going over to La Masse and eating lunch at the top - the views over the other side (to the 4th valley I think) are stunning. The Mont Du Vallon runs in Mottaret are great on a sunny afternoon. We went with Purple Ski and the chalet, food and service were excellent.

In Mottaret 23-30 Jan. Snow getting mighty thin in a lot of places though a few good runs to be found. Horrible green down to M Village like an ice rink - poor beginners. Needs more snow ASAP.

Went to Meribel about 7 years ago and been back March 2004 and March 2005. In my opinion, one of the most overrated resorts around. Only peer pressure has made me go there more than once. Okay, it's right in the middle of the three valleys but big doesn't necessarily mean good. I find the the 3V ski area just plain boring. Meribel itself is built almost entirely on the side of a hill, so very often, a night out involves a half hour trek uphill to get back to your chalet. It's also a very "reppy" resort. Nightlife is mediocre and any half decent nightspot is crawling with reps and seasonaires etc. Okay, that's to be expected to a certain degree in a ski resort, but I've never seen it so in your face. A few times we were queuing outside certain venues and a never-ending stream of reps and seasonnaires were just strolling straight in. One night, after about 45 mins queuing someone came out and shouted obscene comments about the tourists. Every other person in Meribel seems to be from Clapham or Fulham. No wonder the locals resent the Brits. If you can't be imaginative enough to think of anywhere else but the 3V for your ski holiday, go to courchevel (1650 for a more laid back experience, 1850 for a bit more life - and whilst a bit pretentious is nowhere near as bad as meribel).

In Meribel last week. Fabulous lessons with Yann from SnowSystems who managed to find plenty of powder for my first off-piste experience.

I feel we have to comment on some of your resort descriptions. My wife (a non skier) has now visited a number of resorts (Cervinia x 2, Meribel x 4, Lech, Madesimo and Madonna di Campiglio. Of all these Meribel is by far the most friendly to non skiers, with pedestrian pisted walks, it's own map and pass, access to mountain restaurants, bus service to linked resorts and other activities. But you rate it as not good for non skiers. The other resorts are positively unfriendly yet you do not say as such. My wife is now determined not to trust non-ski reports and intends to return to meribel or not go at all! Do skiers or non skiers determine your rating ?

Had fantastic skiing holiday in Meribel on 24/01/04.Snow conditions were unbelievable.Our instructor (esf)found best skiing conditions each day,including a fantastic and treacherous off-piste down through the forest to Brides les Bains.I would recommend the sking here to any grade,the choice of runs mean always exploring new slopes. excellent off-piste is available all over the valley.Courchevel on one side and Val Thorens-Les Menuires on the other,how could you go wrong!!!!

Have just returned from Brides Les Bains/ Meribel after a long weekend getaway. Neither myself nor my wife were overly impressed with Meribel (as the guide says, it just lacks that "something"), but we had much more fun skiing over in Courcheval where we found the runs much more interesting.

I think Meribel and the 3V is much overated and massively overpriced ! Last year we stayed in an expensive chalet that had not been decorated for 20 yrs with very mediocre food. I also think a lot of the skiing is bland and unchallenging. Meribel is also a large bottleneck in the 3V and getting in and out of it to the better skiing areas takes an age, with large lift queues.

Tuition - I went to Meribel last week (24 Jan 2004) and had a 2 hour private lesson with Phil from Parallel lines. The standard of tuition was excellent. English speaking instructors, the tuition was sympathetic and attentive, completely tailored around what I wanted to get out of the lesson.

Further to what Nicola Smith wrote, I have just returned from Meribel and would highly recommend Parallel Lines ski school, the class size was small (5 people in the class) and it was good value for money.

I have just read your info on Meribel. I would largly agree with your anglophonic exegesis of Meribel 'central' itself, but I don't think that your survey does nearly enough to credit Mottaret as a resort with its own distinct qualities. Not only does it offer the aforementioned ski in/out advantage over its larger cousin, but provides much more entertainment/restaurants than its 'satelite status' suggests. Not only does it have more of a family-french feel, but I feel many Mottaret devotees would never consider Mottaret an extension of Meribel.

Last year I worked as a chalet girl in Meribel and was impressed with a ski school that is not mentioned under your resort guide...Parallel Lines. They are a small British Ski School, website www.parallel-lines.com.