Skiing in Meribel and The Three Valleys
Please follow the links below to find the best pistes in Meribel ski resort, the latest piste status for Meribel and even the avalanche reports. Here you may also find up-to-date Piste Maps.
For piste maps on your phone and instant updates on any changes in lift openings throughout the Three Valleys, please download the Meribel App.
Meribel App (for iOS)
Meribel App (for Android)
Meribel sits in the middle of the three valleys which makes access to the other valleys extremely easy. Courchevel can be reached in 12 minutes via the newly installed Saulire Express and Val Thorens (the highest ski resort in Europe) takes just under an hour. The variety and choice of runs is incomparable, it has something to offer every level of skier.
Where shall we ski today? This is the question we ask ourselves every morning and unless you happen to know the ski area on the back of your hand or are lucky enough to be with an instructor or guide, it can be hard to know where to go. Here are a few suggestions which we hope may help.
If you are a beginner, or a little bit rusty why not start on the Altiport? The ‘Blanchot’ piste is a lovely wide gentle green - perfect to find your ski legs. You can access the green piste from Meribel Village by going up the Golf and Altiport chairlifts or from La Chaudanne by taking the Rhodos or Saulire Express 1 to the midway station. As you progress, why not carry on further, past the top of Altiport chairlift down the blue ‘Lapin’ run taking you into Meribel Village...or take a trip to Meribel Mottaret where you can get the best mountain burgers in the 3 valleys! You can take the Saulire Express to the top, where you can enjoy magnificent views from the summit and see Mont Blanc in the distance as you enjoy a hot chocolate at ‘Les Pierres Plates’ restaurant and later take the ‘Pas Du Lac’ lift down to Mottaret. From there take the green ‘Truite’ straight into La Chaudanne.
You will find that many chairlifts (including the Golf) and cable cars, will allow you go down them as well as up if you prefer to stick to greens. If you finish your day in La Chaudanne, our drivers will be waiting to give you a lift back to your chalet.
You can also take the Saulire cable down into Courchevel 1850 where you will find easy pistes that have been groomed to perfection. Leisurely skiers can potter across to 1650 where not only do quiet wide-open pistes await but lunch in style and sunshine at some of the best mountain restaurants. For the less adventurous, you do not need to be a strong skier to head into the Les Menuires resort and the quieter intimate area of Saint Martin de Belleville is also easily accessed via wide leisurely runs, a lovely place also to spend lunch or have a hot chocolate/vin chaud.
The range of skiing for intermediates means you are truly spoilt for choice. There are 135 blue runs and 119 red runs in the Three Valleys. In the early mornings, the Tougnette area is the best side of the mountain to begin your day. It is a great place to warm up, with beautifully groomed pistes which catch the morning sun. In the early season, it will not be so cold and in late season it will not be icy. Saulire gets the afternoon sun, so the snow melts and freezes overnight. If you ski the Saulire side too early in spring, the snow will not have softened so it has tendencies to be a little icy. Why not head over to the picturesque village of Saint Martin de Bellville, and blast down the blues and reds (‘Pramint’ and ‘Jerusalem’ are strong favourites).
The Saulire side of the mountain offers splendid long descents. The runs are long and wide and a mixture of reds and blues crisscrossing the mountain. You have the choice to ski into Mottaret or you can choose to ski back to La Chaudanne or make a slight detour and ski Meribel valley all the way down the pretty tree lined run to Meribel village. The Lodge du Village is a good après ski bar at the bottom of the ‘Lapin’ piste for a cool beer and live music - they have a large terrace which always catches the sun!
Another one of Meribel's real treats is Mont Vallon, offering great panoramic views and is well worth a jaunt. There are two enduring runs from the top (both red) that take you back to Meribel - Mottaret.
For advanced skiers there are plenty of challenges. The variety of terrain, from moguls to steep challenging pistes will keep you more than occupied. The steepest readily accessible skiing in the Three Valleys is to be found in the group of famous couloirs dropping off the peak of La Saulire into the Courchevel valley. The ‘Grand Couloir’ is the easiest as it is relatively wide, although the entrance is a little forbidding along a narrow path. If you are keen for more, head back up and try the new couloir directly below the Courchevel’s Saulire cable car – however check the snow conditions first!
Head for Val Thorens and try some runs off the north facing peak Cime de Caron (3200m) with the black ‘Combe de Caron’, it is a tremendous run down with great snow all season. Alternatively, lower down the same valley above Les Menuires there is some excellent stuff off the peak La Masse (2804m). The black ‘Masse’ run usually has excellent snow and is a great route down. This area of the 3 valleys is very often quiet due to it being predominantly red, black and itinerary runs.
For those who enjoy skiing moguls look no further than the black ‘Bartavelle’ above Mottaret on the right-hand side of the Meribel valley. Take the Combes chair out of Mottaret and ski down to the right of the double drag Roc de Tougne. There is a red and black either side of the drag. Also try the black run ‘Suisse’ in Courchevel 1850. The ‘Face’ in Meribel (black piste) is an excellent run serviced by the Roc de Fer (at La Chaudanne) and the named Olympic Express. The best time to do these runs is first thing in the morning when it has been groomed overnight, by the afternoon it tends to get bumpy and icy.
Anyone with a 3 Valleys ski pass can ride in the parks and if you are new to freestyle you shouldn't be intimidated by the more experienced riders. For those who are looking to nail their 360 or send just some kickers in the park with their friends and family, there’s a great choice for everyone! Stay safe and be mindful of others, especially during the peak times of the season.
Meribel Mottaret has the Plattières Park (also known as DC Area 43) with some decent rollers, rails, boxes, a small halfpipe, and large features to catch some air. Access this snow park by taking the Plattières cable from Mottaret and loop the runs using the slightly quicker Chatelet chairlift. Bottom of Plattières is where you will also find the Big Air Bag if you want to practice safely before heading out to the park or if you and your family or friends just want to have a laugh and do something a bit different, they also provide inflatable donuts.
Meribel also has its own fun snow park area, The Elements park. It used to be called the Moon Park and is now dedicated to freestylers of every level. Even novices will enjoy the boardercross and the Fun Cross where you can try your first tricks on the soft impact boxes, rails and jibs. The park is easy to get to (Legends chairlift) and open to skiers and snowboarders of all levels. It is ideal for beginner to intermediate freestylers and is serviced by its own drag lift; Arpasson.
Courchevel’s Family park has a good selection of kickers all ranging from extra small, small, medium and large to extra-large. A couple of boxes and rails, a mini boardercross and even an Air Bag are located at the end of the park run as well. You can access the park by taking the red ‘Saulire’ run down to Courchevel 1850 from the top of Saulire peak. The park starts at the bottom of the big Saulire cable car so you can also just take the cable down. Loop the park by taking the quick Rocher De L’Ombre button lift or if you’re a snowboarder who is not so keen on the button lifts, go slightly further down and grab the Biollay chairlift back up.
Speak to one of our recommended Ski and Snowboard schools if you want to join a freestyle session for some expert advice on how to land the tricks and stay safe.
Yeti park
Take the kids to Meribel Mottaret’s Yeti park and see Yooni! Access the winding green piste by taking the Combes chairlift which is safe and easily accessible with fun features including gongs, trumpets, tunnels, and prayer wheels, just like in Yooni’s Himalayan home.
Piste des Inuits
Go to the Inuits Piste. Discover the Far North in the heart of the Altiport forest. Slalom between the games and peak ice animals, then have a break in the village, where the Inuits will welcome you with games and entertainment. The piste can be accessed by taking the Golf and Altiport chairlifts or going up the Rhodos cable from La Chaudanne in Meribel. There are often activities and events planned in the area which include games, stories and sled dog visits. Check the Coup De Coeur booklet which you will find in the chalet.
La Reine Des Neiges 2
Visit ‘La Reine Des Neiges 2’ (The ‘Frozen 2’) in the Meribel’s Magical Forest where you can spot the Disney characters dotted along this easy green run. Just in front of the La Loze chair lift, there’s a mountain cabin nestled at the entrance to ‘La Reine des Neiges 2’. You can take the Golf and Altiport or Rhodos lifts to get here. The Frozen themed adventure is dotted all around the Three Valleys with different locations including a Labyrinth at the top of Roc 1, Anna, Elsa, Sven and Olaf at the ‘Jardin Alpin’ in Courchevel 1850, one of Funitel de Péclet cabins on your way up to the everlasting glacier, and more. The Frozen theme piste map with all the locations can be downloaded here or you can ask your chalet manager for one to be provided.
The Three Valleys is an enormous ski area and it probably comes as no surprise to hear that in such a big place, there are plenty of places to head to on a good powder day for some incredible off-piste skiing. We recommend as with all off piste, especially those that are far from the pisted areas, that you have a mountain guide. In the 3 Valleys area it is crucial to have a 3 Valleys pass as you never know which town you will end up in after a day in the powder!
Meribel
For some great off-piste skiing in Meribel head from Loze Express to Dent du Burgin. Take the Loze Express chairlift up and ski along Boulevard de la Loze track that leads over to the Dent du Burgin chair (under no circumstances should you take this if it is closed for avalanche danger). When you are about halfway along the track, drop off to the right for large, swooping open plains of fresh tracks and powder. Also, underneath the Loze Express chairlift, there is a very popular off-piste run that gets tracked out very quickly. Great fun if you are one of the first to ride it, so make sure on a fresh powder day you head up there on the first lift. Try cutting off to the right and riding in between the trees, and it's even possible to enjoy powder in between the trees all the way down to Meribel Village on a good snow day. There is a also a good section under the Mont Vallon bubble if you want to be slightly more adventurous without straying very far. The area around the Cote Brune chairlift is a beautiful area to ski in fresh powder. It pays to be imaginative and put in a bit of hard work around here. A short hike can take you to some incredible descents and some amazing fresh tracks. Make sure you stop at the Ski Patrollers’ hut at the top of the lift to check with them which routes are safe – they are the experts, and they are always happy to advise.
Courchevel
After a recent snowfall, the easiest and safest off-piste is in the Bel Air area above Courchevel-Moriond, either side of Pyramide/Signal/Chapelets. There are also the well-known off pistes of Col du Fruit and Vallee des Avals. They take you far away from the pisted area. The tree areas are great for catching some fresh snow and playing off piste - just make sure you have a helmet on and have taken all the safety precautions necessary. Some of the off piste off the top of the Dou des Lanches offer some great lines through the trees and down into La Tania.
Val Thorens and St Martin
Discover the glaciers of the Vanoise (check out the descent from the Gebroulaz glacier towards Meribel or Pralognan) and the most beautiful off-piste skiing in the Three Vallées in the amazing Maurienne side of the valley. Popular off-piste routes include: Pierre Lory from the top of the Col chair into the Orelle Valley; La Masse to Lac du Lou; La Masse down la Vallée des Encombres; further down the valley above St Martin the area between Jerusalem and Pramint is renowned for its off-piste skiing, especially with the instructors and their clients. But you have to be quick, otherwise the Meribellians get there first!