Meribel Ski Resort: The complete guide

With its picture-postcard landscape, Meribel is widely considered the prettiest ski resort in the Three Valleys. Its traditional beauty together with superb snow conditions, entertaining nightlife and fantastic shopping establish Meribel Village as one of the must-visit mountain sports locations in the world.

Meribel at night

Where is Meribel?

Meribel is located in the Tarentaise Valley in the picturesque French Alps, not too far from Moutiers.

Here you will find Meribel nestled in the heart of The Three Valleys, the largest lift connected ski area in Europe spanning across 600km of unrivalled ski area.

View Meribel on Google maps

How to get to Meribel, France

Meribel is easily accessible by plane, car and train. It’s ideally located within a few hours to a number of major airports and approximately 20 minutes away from main highways and moutiers train station, meaning travel is straightforward from a number of locations.

To learn more about Meribel transfer times and how best to access the resort via plane, car and train visit our travel guide.

How far is Meribel from Geneva?

Geneva Airport to Meribel is approximately 180km and on average takes 2 hours and 45 minutes by car. Public transfer run from daily from Geneva to Meribel during the Winter with 8 buses on Saturdays, 4 on Sundays and 3 on all others days.

When does Meribel open?

Meribel opens for the winter season early December and closes at the end of April.

For 2023 Meribel will reopen fully on Saturday 9th December from 9am and the resort will close on Sunday 14th April.

Is Meribel expensive?

The most expensive part of your holiday to Meribel, in comparison to other resorts, is likely to be your lift pass. This cost will depend on your age, how many days you’d like to ski for and the piste access you’d like.

In terms of access, you will have the below options:

Meribel Valley Ski Pass. This is the cheaper option and offers access to 150km of pistes, exclusively within the Meribel- Mottaret Valley.

Three Valleys Lift Pass. The more expensive option which grants you access to infamous 600km of pistes from Courchevel all the way across to Val Thorens.

Although more expensive, continual investment in resort infrastructure including high-speed state of the art lifts, means you really do get what you pay for.

It’s useful to note that there are often great deals for families and groups buying together.

Similarly, when staying with us at Ski Basics during the weeks commencing 7th and 14th January 2024, your booking will include a free Meribel Valley ski pass (appropriate age category) for each party member of your group worth approximately £250.

For more information on prices and offers for throughout the season, visit seemeribel.com.

Is Meribel good for beginners?

Meribel is great for beginners who are learning to ski and snowboard. The Meribel-Mottaret area offers 8 green slopes, 25 blue slopes and two beginner areas, both with free lifts. You can visit Mottaret’s two Zen Zones which are also designated for beginners only.

There is also vast range of ski schools in Meribel, who come highly recommended by Ski Basics and throughout the resort. Head over to our ski school page for more information on each school.

How high is Meribel resort?

Meribel resort altitude spans from 1400m to 1750m, with the highest peak standing at 3153m.

Meribel Village sits at around 1450m at the bottom of the valley, with Meribel-Mottaret at an altitude of 1750m and Meribel Centre at 1500m. From Meribel, it’s easy to access The Three Valley’s 600km of pistes that range right up to 2952m on Mont Du Vallon.

The highest peak in Meribel is actually at the top of Mont du Borgne at 3153m and the other highest peaks in the area include Aiguille de Fruit (3051m), Dent de Burgin (2739m), Roc de Tougne (2537m) and Rocher de la Loze (2526m). For more information, check out our piste maps.

Meribel snow

Is Meribel snow sure?

Meribel’s altitude and alpine climate mean that it’s an ideal option when looking for a snow sure ski resort. Approximately 80% of the slopes are above 1800m with the lowest run, only reaching as low as 1300m. The average snowfall on the upper slopes is approximately 200cm between January and March, and 75cm on the lower slopes from March to April.

Even during weeks when the snow is thinning and the next dump is on its way, Meribel is home to around 2000 snow cannons which cover approximately 50% of the resort. The resort team also work around the clock to ensure pistes remain in world class condition.

For more information on snow conditions and when it’s best to visit, check out our snowfall in Meribel page.

Meribel's landscape

Where to stay in Meribel

Accommodation in Meribel is primarily split between Meribel Centre and Meribel Village.

Meribel Centre is the main town of the area with lots of bustling nightlife, facilities and shops. The town also has easy access to the slopes via the La Chaudanne.

Meribel Village, just outside Meribel town, is a tranquil collection of chalet-style accommodation, quaint alpine shops, delicious patisseries, a mini supermarket and a small selection of laid-back bars and restaurants. The slopes are also easily accessible in Meribel Village via the high-speed golf chair which operates from the centre of the village, just a stone through from our chalets located within the village.

In terms of getting around, there is a free Meribus service that runs three routes around Meribel Centre, Meribel Village, Les Allues and Mottaret and reasonably priced taxis are also easy to find. You can also find walking distances within Meribel from each of our Ski Basics chalets here.

For chalets more than a 5-minute walk from the slopes, our chalet driver service is available to take you and your group to the slopes each morning between 8.30am - 10.00am and pick you up from La Chaudanne between 4:30pm – 6pm.

For more details on what your holiday includes and how the staff look after you, please see ‘Our Services’ page.

If you’d like to book your next holiday to Meribel, view our remaining availability here.

If you require any further information or have questions at all, please don’t hesitate to get in contact.



Meribel and 3 Valleys logo

Meribel Resort Highlights

Fantastic skiing

Vast ski area (600km)

Family friendly

Great Wellness facilities

Amazing apres ski

Vast choice of Alpine restaurants

Great non-ski activities

Convenient location and easy transfers

Had the most lovely time here. Not only being in the mountains but the company from our chalet hosts made it incredible and so joyful. Credit to Una and Ugne and the entire team. I will 100% be returning for Ski Basics in the future. Thank you for the unforgettable memories. Wade :)

Wade Loftus - December, 2022