Meribel, France   Ski Holidays & Snowboard Holidays

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Flexible Breaks announce the addition of 2 chalets in Meribel for the season 2007-8.

Meribel is located in the heart of the world-famous 3 Valley ski area, and is within easy access of several international airports, the closest being Chambery only 1 hour 30 minutes away. The airports of Geneva, Grenoble and Lyon are between 2 hours and 2 hours 30 minutes away and the Eurostar train station at Moutiers is only 30 minutes away.

Formed by six resorts (Courchevel, La Tania, Brides-les-Bains, Meribel, Les Menuires and Val Thorens), the 3 Valleys is the largest and one of the most beautiful ski areas in the world. It has over 600 km of snow-packed runs for skiers and boarders of all abilities, with massive, sweeping slopes and tree-lined runs. The resort has two terrain parks: the 1200m Moon Park and the Snowpark des Plattières at Mottaret. The neighbouring resorts of Courchevel, la Tania, Val Thorens and Les Menuires can all be reached quickly, using the lift system, making Meribel the ideal base from which the explore the vast Trois Vallées ski area.

Meribel offers little queuing, rapid slope access and picturesque, traditional chalet-style accommodation, making it one of the most attractive ski resorts in France. The lift system is modern and efficient, benefiting from continual improvements. Queues are rare thanks to the state-of-the-art, hands-free system carrying up to 260,000 skiers per hour.

The resort runs from the village at 1400 metres up to the highest lift at 2952 metres. Meribel is an intermediate skier’s paradise, well known for its long, wide, motorway pistes. The sunny slopes are magnificently maintained all season thanks to phenomenal snow cannon power, ensuring good snow coverage as well as a good tan. Beginners will appreciate the gentle green runs above the Altiport. Intermediates are spoilt for choice with an abundance of reds and blues, while Experts will revel in almost 40 black runs and world-renowned couloirs, as well as the off-piste skiing on Mont Vallon, which ‘The Good Ski Guide’ rate as one of the best red runs in the Alps.

The 3 Valleys is one of the most extensive linked ski areas in the world with the skiable area rising to 3200 metres at the Cime de Carron, and running to over 615 kilometres of perfectly groomed piste. There are also over 30 km of cross-country skiing tracks that are prepared and maintained each day, taking you through breathtaking scenery.

Popular with the British for many years, (and indeed founded by a Brit, Colonel Peter Lindsay, in 1938) there is no need for a phrasebook, as you will hear more English than French spoken both on and off the slopes. The heart of the resort is Meribel 1450, where our chalets are located within walking distance of the main street which houses most of the shops, restaurants, and the lift hub of La Chaudanne. Other ‘resorts’ are situated off the road leading to the Altiport and on the edge of the wooded pistes leading into the resort. Confusingly, Meribel Village is not the main village but a modern satellite situated a 2km drive away from 1450, but linked by chair-lift into the ski area. Meribel Mottaret is a higher satellite village situated at 1750m on the road above Meribel 1450. The different sectors of town are served by the ski bus.

Flexible Breaks offer free transfers every Sunday from Chambery airport to Meribel, meeting flights from various UK airports. Skiing in Meribel on Saturdays is pure bliss with most tour operators using this as their change-over day, so you get almost deserted slopes all to yourselves.

See our transfers page for details of the airlines, routes and transfer times. It is also possible to arrive by train or car (9 hours drive from Calais).
 

Childcare

Meribel has a host of child-care facilities from private nannies and baby-sitting services to crèches staffed with UK qualified nannies. It is however essential to book these services well in advance.

www.kidsetc.co.uk for private nannies, babysitting, crèche and equipment hire (prams, sterilising equipment etc. delivered directly to your chalet). They also offer a pick up and drop off service. They take children from 3 months to 7 years. staff are UK-qualified, and there are just 15 places.

ESF www.esf-meribel.com (the French ski school) runs ‘Les Saturnins’ day nursery for children from 18 months to 3 years. It is located at the Chaudanne in the Olympic Centre. Children are introduced to sledging and other snow games as well as indoor activities.

Children from 3 to 5 are taken by the ESF’s ‘Les Piou-Piou’ skiing kindergarten located at Le Rond Point, La Chaudanne and in Mottaret. Here children are introduced to snow and skiing in a special snow-covered playground equipped with inflatables and a mini ski lift. There is also a heated chalet and rest area.

www.lesfarfadets.co.uk for nannies and equipment hire

Getting around

There is a free bus service operating in and around Meribel, which runs from 8am until midnight. After that there is a taxi service available.

Apres ski/activities for non-skiers

For the non-skiers there are over 25kms of scenic pedestrian trails around Meribel and Mottaret. There is also a pedestrian lift pass for those wanting to go further afield. Many of the mountain restaurants can be accessed directly from the gondola, so you can meet up with the rest of the team for lunch etc.  In addition there is an Olympic ice rink, a bowling alley, indoor swimming pool, fitness centre, snow-biking, snow shoe walking and over 35 shops, in addition to ski hire and equipment shops. Each resort within the 3 Valleys also has dedicated areas for sledging, as well as sledge runs for a real thrill. Unusual activities include snow carting on the ice rink, ice climbing, para-gliding, dog sledding and rock and ice climbing. There is also the opportunity to do scenic flights from the local altiport and even hot air balloon flights.

Michelin star restaurants mingle with pizzerias and stylish cafes to give a varied choice for all pockets. And with over 30 bars and 3 night clubs, there is something for every night of the week in Meribel. Happy-hour start straight from the slopes as early as 4pm and continue until late, with some bars staying open as late as 4am, with dancing and live music.

With so much to do off the piste, it is not hard to see why Meribel is as popular with non-skiers as it is with skiers.

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