Ski Accommodation in Meribel, France
Description
Meribel is the central resort in the Three Valleys and is one of the most popular for British holidaymakers. The three valleys is the largest linked ski area in the world comprising of 600km of connected pistes (that’s four times the size of Paris!)
Meribel Centre is located at 1600m-1700m but the resort is spread across several different villages - Brides les Bains at 600m, Les Allues at 1200m, Meribel Village at 1400m and Meribel Mottaret at 1750m. 85% of the resort is above 1800m and there are 2,000 snow cannons and 80 piste grooming to make sure the slopes are always in top condition.
Meribel is a popular all round resort attracting every type of holidaymaker from families to apres groups. The resort offers a host of accommodation to suit all budgets including self catering apartments and luxury chalet hotels.
Getting There
Meribel is easily accessible from four local airports:
102km from Chambery (1hr)
179km from Lyon (1hr55)
175km from Grenoble (2hrs)
181km from Geneva (2hrs10)
Geneva and Lyon are open all year round and are well connected from many UK and European cities. Chambery and Grenoble are busier on weekends and are only open during the summer.
There are several companies who offer both shared and private transfers:
When to Go
Meribel is one of the most popular resorts for British holidaymakers and
is busy all season long. It is a popular choice for families so
similarly to other resorts in the Alps, it does get more crowded during
school holidays. If you are restricted to school holidays and are
planning on travelling during this time then we would recommend booking
in advance as much of the accommodation does get snapped up early.
Where to Stay
Meribel is made up up for 4 main villages - Meribel Centre at 1450m, Meribel Mottaret at 1750m, Meribel Village at 1400m and Meribel Les Allues at 1100m.
Meribel centre is the largest and best known part of resort. The centre is very attractive and traditional with many shops, bars and restaurants. Several chalets are found here although due to the layout of the town, not many are ski in/ski out. The centre of resort is split into 3 areas - Mussillon, Centre and Morel.
Mottaret sits at 1750m making it the highest village in Meribel. Mottaret is purpose built so it isn't the most attractive of places but plenty of the accommodation is ski in/ski out and good value.
Villages is the prettiest part of resort and offers accommodation with excellent ski access via the golf chair lift.
Les Allues is a charming village located down the valley. Due to it being lower down, the accommodation is much cheaper than you would find in the centre. For ski access, the Olympic gondola runs to the Chaudanne and takes 15 minutes.
Getting around
There are three bus lines that run through Meribel linking the villages.
Line A links Les Alliues and Village with the centre and the main Chaudanne area. The bus stops in Le Cruet, Chandon, Nantgerel, Le Raffort, Le Gittaz, Meribel Village and Mussillon.
Apres
Meribel is one of the best resorts in the Alps in terms of apres ski and nightlife.
Eating out
There is a good selection of restaurants in Meribel both on and off the mountain:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Activities
Spa
Walking and snow shoeing – the ski schools offer guiding.
Husky sledging
Cinema – open every day except Saturday.
Inner tubing
Skidooing
Ice climbing
Weekly market and lots of shops
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Ski School
There are several ski schools in Méribel offering both group and private lessons. Group lessons will generally be cheaper but they will be less intense that one to one tuition.
It is recommended to book your lessons in advanced as they can get booked up quickly especially if you are travelling on a peak week.
Getting around
There are three bus lines that run through Meribel linking the villages.
Line A links Les Alliues and Village with the centre and the main Chaudanne area. The bus stops in Le Cruet, Chandon, Nantgerel, Le Raffort, Le Gittaz, Meribel Village and Mussillon.
Family ski
Meribel is one of the most popular resorts for families heading to the Alps.
There are two creches in Meribel - ESF operate Les Saturnins for children aged 13 months - 3 years, and Club Piou Piou for children aged 3-5 years.
Families may choose to book with a tour operator who offer in house childcare as they will be able to offer a creche with English speaking staff and provide similar style care that you would receive in the UK. Ski Esprit offer a range of childcare for children from 17 month and ski lessons from 3 years in their Chalet Hotel Alba.
A third option for families is to book a private nanny as this method provides families with flexible levels of high quality care.
Group Ski
Childcare
Although it’s quite a spread out resort, Meribel is family-friendly in many ways. For parents bringing the kids to the resort, Meribel is a resort with a wealth of activities on and off the snow to keep the kids happy, challenged and entertained all week long.
Childcare in Meribel falls under three categories: In-house, external nanny or creche facilities.
If you’re keen on Meribel and you want in-house childcare, you need to consider the Hotel Alba. Everything from nursery to ski lessons and kids’ clubs is catered for under one roof, making life very easy for parents! http://interactiveresorts.co.uk/france/meribel/alba - Other options along the same lines are Meribel’s Club Med properties. Spectacularly well located and offering an all-in price which makes for excellent value for money, they are an attractive prospect for many: http://interactiveresorts.co.uk/france/meribel/club-med-meribel-antares
External nanny companies in Meribel are superb, and many of them have strong reputations going back years. Whether you need all-day childcare or just half-day with ski school pickups, there are services to match your requirements. Standout companies include Merinannies (http://www.merinannies.com/ ) and Jelly and Ice Cream (http://www.jellyandice-cream.com/childcare-in-meribel/ ) who both offer highly qualified child carers with UK-based qualifications.
For toddlers keen to get a taste for the snow, Meribel’s ESF ski school run a nursery area, the Piou-Piou Garden, where kids are looked after for the day and taken onto the nursery slope for their first experiences of skiing. http://www.ski-school-meribel-mottaret.com/children Exciting obstacles, toys and games make their days exciting and interesting, and the level of care is excellent.
Aside from the childcare, Meribel’s ski schools also welcome children of all ages and standards for lessons and, unsurprisingly for a resort of this calibre, the level of tuition is outstanding. The vast majority of the schools meet down at the base of the lifts in La Chaudanne, so they are easy to find. There are many excellent ski schools in Meribel but a good place to start is Magic in Motion: http://www.magic-meribel.com/uk/index.aspx
For parents hoping to enjoy a few non-ski activities with the kids, Meribel has a wealth of options to suit all tastes. The Sport Centre offers a climbing wall, swimming pool and a host of other pursuits. The ice rink offers skating, ice hockey matches and even ice-karting too, and the gentle hills near the base of the lifts are the perfect place to enjoy a spot of tobogganing.
The Piste
Meribel has two designated beginner areas with free lifts; one in Mottaret (zen zone) and one at the Altiport (ski cool zone). There are 24 blue runs in Meribel so plenty of places to progress after the nursery slopes.
The best intermediate pistes are located south of Mottaret and are accessed by the Plattieres gondola. The red Combe de Vallon piste from the top of the Mont du Vallon gondola and the Face run from the top of the Roc der Fer are both challenging runs for intermediate skier s to note.
Meribel itself has limited runs for expert skiers but its central location in the Three Valleys means it is a good base to access some of the harder runs in the valley. La Face run which hosted the women’s Olympic downhill is a great spot for un-pisted powder, and for those looking for off-piste, the valley between the Combe de Vallon and Campagnol pistes is the place to head.
Ski School
There are several ski schools in Méribel offering both group and private lessons. Group lessons will generally be cheaper but they will be less intense that one to one tuition.
It is recommended to book your lessons in advanced as they can get booked up quickly especially if you are travelling on a peak week.
Equipment Hire
Meribel has a large selection of ski hire shops. It is recommended to book your hire online as many of the shops will offer online discounts for booking in advance.
Lift Passes
When visiting Meribel, there are two types of lift passes available; the local pass which covers Meribel and Mottaret, or the full Three Valley area pass which covers the whole area
The below prices are based on the current rates in resort but may change at the time of booking.
6 Day Ski Pass Méribel Valley Pass Three Valley Pass
Adult (13-64yrs) €249 €300
Child (5-12yrs) €200 €240
Senior (65-75yrs) €224.10 €270
Free passes are available for under 5yrs and over 75yrs, proof of age is required.
6 Day Méribel Valley Three Valley Pass


Meribel Chalet Sleeps
Ski Chalets in Meribel
Ski chalets in Meribel
Found 227 results matching your search .
