A loyal band of regular visitors just love Meribel, and it's not difficult to see why. For keen piste-bashers who like to rack up the miles but would rather avoid the concrete jungles of some French resorts, Meribel is difficult to beat.
Unlike other modern purpose-built resorts, Meribel has always insisted on chalet-style architecture. Founded in 1938 by a Brit, Peter Lindsay, and has retained a strong British presence and influence. It consists of two main resort villages. The original resort is built on a steepish west-facing hillside with the home piste running down beside it to the main lift stations in the valley bottom, slightly below the village centre; while Mottaret is situation slightly higher up the valley - cheaper and more modern with plenty of ski in/out options. Since its inception, it's been a regular destination for visitors from the UK, something which carries on to this day with Brits making up half the total guests - the chances of being able to practice your French in a bar or hotel are practically nil. This can either be a positive or a negative depending on your views of course. Regardless, you will never be short of lively bars and apres opportunities
The reason Brits are in love in Meribel is not hard to discern - sat right in the middle of the huge Three Valleys ski area, shared with Courchevel to the east and Val Thorens to the west. Together this makes up 600km of slopes served by more than 160 lifts. The high altitudes accessible from Meribel mean there will always be good snow available, even towards the start and end of the season when coverage in resort may be artificial or patchy. The off piste options are also extensive, with a massive array of options available even before you consider the adjoining valleys. Take advantage of our Instructor Led Guiding service for the best chance of making some fresh tracks ahead of the crowds.
With a modern lift system that's constantly seeing new investment lift queues are almost unheard of, despite the massive numbers of visitors the resort sees.
This is not to say Meribel is perfect, no resort is - others in the three valleys resorts have the edge in important respects - or better snow opt for Courchevel or Val Thorens; for lower prices, Les Menuires or St-Martin, though Meribel is still a very strong option for a wide variety of skiers.
A car is useful for outings to other resorts such as Les Arcs, Val d'Isere, Tignes and La Rosiere; you can access La Plagne via Champagny.
