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Méribel High altitude resort |   |
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| Resort description |
Meribel is nestled discreetly in harmony with its mountain setting among a forest of Arolla pines and is made up of several satellite areas and villages all well catered with shops, restaurants and bars, and also served by an efficient shuttle bus system. Meribel Centre stretches up the hillside beside the home piste and offers by far the liveliest après-ski. Meribel Mottaret has a more modern appearance and is an unrivalled location and is easily accessible to every part of the 3 Valleys. The hamlet of Meribel Village has developed into a quiet family oriented mini-resort.
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NEW for 2009/2010!
Meribel
has announced a number of improvements to it’s
giant ski area for the coming winter season:
- The slow, fixed Golf chairlift will be a fast,
detachable chairlift which will halve journey times.
This will allow Meribel
Village residents much quicker access to the Altiport area.
- At the summit there is a newly laid out area
offering much more space. The departure point for the
Altiport draglift will be
relocated uphill to the position of the current first
pylon and the poles will be replaced with retractable
ones for improved safety. The current building will
also be relocated to the higher point.
- As usual work has been carried out on the ski
slopes: On the Tougnète side, the
bottom of the Faon
piste has been reshaped, thus
completing last summer's work. The last bend at the
bottom of the Lièvre will also be reworked so
as to widen this piste at
a point often found difficult by beginners.
- The left hand side of the Moon Park will be made
secure by the installation of netting. On the Burgin
side, snow canons will be installed on the Hulotte
piste to guarantee Morel
residents can ski back home. Technical improvements
will also continue to be made to Meribel's
Chaudanne snow-making
facility.
- Meribel's overhaul of
piste signs is continuing
with the installation of fixed chicanes at points
where pistes converge and the installation of
directional banners. These banners were used on a
trial basis during the past winter and received a
favourable reaction from skiers and boarders.
Meribel
Meribel
was founded back in 1938 by a Brit, and remains the
most popular resort for British skiers.
Overall it is a tasteful purpose-built resort made up
of traditional wood-clad, low rise, chalet style
buildings. The draw back is to have to rely on
pedestrian transportation.
Meribel Centre boasts a vibrant
main street
atmosphere but does not offer
the same ski-in ski-out facilities than its cousin
Meribel Mottaret, built for slope side
convince.
Higher up the mountain Meribel Mottaret is getting
increasing number of positive reports. The gondola
for pedestrians that serves the resort centre stops
at 7.30pm.
Meribel Village is a hamlet 2 miles away on the road
from Meribel to La Tania and Courchevel. It has a
quick chair lift to the main lift system.
Meribel Les Allues is the
original village easily identified with its ancient
church.
The local bus service is called Meribus. It runs from 8.30am to
0.15am
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Skiing in the 3 Vallées
Meribel
is
at the heart of the 3 Vallées
Meribel
Village has its own chair lift into the 3 Vallées system
Some
of the best off piste can be found in the Belleville
Valley
For
intermediates and experts there is a great run from
Mont-Vallon down to
Meribel a vertical drop of 1450m
For
the last rays of the day the Saint- Bon valley is the
best place
Click to view 3 Vallées
website
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Skiing in Meribel
Meribel
offers access to Courchevel in one direction and Mont
du Vallon, Val Thornes and Les Menuires in the
other
The
western side of Meribel culminates in a long skiable
ridge that you will enjoy preferably in the morning
sun, before the place becomes busy with
traffic
For
experts the run down the side of the double Roc de
Tougne drag lift is good
so is the steep black run all the way down the Tougnete gondola back to
Meribel
For
less adventurous intermediates the runs from the
second station of Plattieres gondola back to the
first station is ideal
Meribel
has excellent slopes for beginners
For
beginners
and second-week skiers the Altiport surroundings are the
most appropriate
The
lift systems are well planned to cut out walks and
climbs
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Snowboarding in Meribel
Boarders
will love the place, not just for its vast array of
on and off-piste skiing, but also for the separate
specialist parks.
The
Plattieres terrain park
accessed by the second stage gondola which is just
above Mottaret has two half pipes, two quarter pipes
and a spine
There is
also a terrain park in Meribel called Moonpark
The Moonpark terrain park
has 2 half pipes and a boarder-cross
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Cross country skiing
There are
33km/21 miles of trails.
The
main area is near Altiport, which is suited to
beginners.
There is
also 130km of trails to be explore through out the
whole of the 3 Vallées
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Ski Schools
ESF in
Meribel is the largest ski school with over 300
instructors.
They offer
a variety of different lessons from alpine
skiing,
snowboarding,
telemark, cross-country
skiing and snowshoe walks.
There is a
day nursery for children aged 18 months to 3
years.
For
children over 3 there is the
P’tits
Loups club where children
discover the snow by playing
games,
sliding,
sledging and skiing in protected play areas under the
supervision of qualified instructors.
For more
information about pre-booking Ski School in Meribel please select
here
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Lift Passes
Lift
passes give you access to Meribel and the whole of
the 3 Vallees
For
more information about Meribel lift passes, please
click
here
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| The Skiing |
| Les 3 Vallées constitutes what many skiers rightly regard as the greatest of intermediate playground. With no doubts Meribel is the ideal location to explore this massive lift-linked ski area, formed with the neighbouring resorts of Courchevel, La Tania, Les Menuires and Val Thorens.The 3 Vallèes has slopes of all extreme. On the edge of the traditional wide ski runs, the eastern side of the 3 Valleys ski area is waiting to be discovered: in the Saint-Bon valley and on the borders of the Courchevel ski area you will find sunny Moriond. The Saint Bon valley offers some of the most beautiful wooded sectors of the 3 Vallées. The western side of the 3 Vallées is represented by the Belleville Valley and at the top of the valley sits the imposing resort of Val Thorens and its circle of glaciers and peaks that reach over 3000m. Great skiing can be had from the very beginning of the season in the 3 Vallées and there is something for every one no matter your style or ability. |
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| Après Ski |
| Meribel is a lively resort with 80 restaurants and a selection of bars and nightclubs. Meribel's wide selection of restaurants includes La Chaumiere, which offers traditional French cooking, Chez Kiki and the Refuge that offer a wide selection of meals. Meribel has a very lively après-ski with many lively bars. Meribel Villages has 2 restaurants with bars these are Le Bo A Mil and Le Lodge du Village. |
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| Amenities |
| Meribel has a lot for the non-skiers to do with its wide selection of shops including supermarkets, bakeries, delicatessens, sport shops and clothing shops. There are also banks with cash machines, pharmacies, a beauty salon, hairdressers and 3 cinemas. |
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| Activities |
| You can try snowshoeing, paragliding, dog sledding, ice-karting and paint balling. There is a sports centre with indoor pool, climbing wall and Olympic ice-skating rink. You can also go bowling, on a hot-air balloon outing or on a joyride in the little planes that operate from the Altiport. |
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| Getting there |
Driving distance: From Calais: 580 miles, approximately 8 hrs 45 mins.
Airport access: Chambery: 60 miles, approximately 1 hr 30 mins. Lyon: 113 miles, approximately 2 hrs 30 mins. Geneva: 115 miles, approximately 2 hrs 30 mins. |
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| Ski Facts |
| Village height: |
1400 (4,590ft)- 1700m (5,580ft) |
Slope range: |
1260m (4,130ft) - 3230m (10,600ft) |
Ski area: |
Les 3 Vallées |
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| Piste coverage |
600 |
| Ski lifts |
180 |
| Ski runs |
300 |
| Green |
71 |
| Blue |
97 |
| Red |
105 |
| Black |
27 |
| Snow cannons |
2000 |
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| Beginners |
*** |
| Intermediates |
**** |
| Experts |
**** |
| Boarders |
**** |
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| Tourist Office |
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| Accommodation |
| Les Chalets de Morel Our rating: **** |
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5 bedroom chalet sleeps 10
(c.100-120m2) lounge with fire place, dining area with American style kitchen , 5 twin or double bedrooms, each with ensuite bathroom with shower toilet (4 with balcony). Private sauna, laundryroom with washing machine and tumble dryer.
5 bedroom chalet sleeps 10-12
(c.120-160m2) same as 5 bed chalet 10, plus extra cabin room with two beds and additional shower room.
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| Les Crets Our rating: **** |
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1 bedroom apartment sleeping 4-5
(36-50m2) 1 bedroom with 2 single beds and 1 pull out bed, living area with 1 sofa bed for 2 and a bathroom with WC. Some apartments may be split level.
*2 Bedroom Apartment Sleeps 4-6
(46-50m2) Living area with a double pull out bed, a bedroom with twin beds, a bedroom with 2 single beds, a bathroom, a shower room and a separate WC.
2 bedroom apartment sleeping 6
(46-50m2) Living area with a double pull out bed, a bedroom with twin beds, a bedroom with 2 single beds, a bathroom, a shower room and a separate WC.
2 bedroom alc apt sleeps 7-8
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| Les Fermes de Meribel Our rating: **** |
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*2 Bedroom Apartment Sleeps 4-6
Living area with a single sofa bed and a single pull-out bed, 1 bedroom with 2 single beds, 1 bedroom 2 single beds OR 1 single sofa bed and 1 pull-out bed, bathroom, shower-room and WC.
1 bedroom alcove apartment sleeping 5-6
Living area with a single sofa bed and a single pull-out bed, 1 bedroom with 2 single beds, 1 alcove with bunk beds, bathroom and WC.
2 bedroom apartment sleeping 4-6
Living area with a single sofa bed and a single pull-out bed, 1 bedroom with 2 single beds, 1 bedroom 2 single beds OR 1 single sofa bed and 1 pull-out bed, bathroom, shower-room and WC.
*3 Bedroom Apartment Sleeps 6-8
Living area with a single sofa bed and a single pull-out bed, 2 bedrooms each with 2 single beds, 1 bedroom with 2 single beds OR a bedroom/mezzanine with a single sofa bed and a single pull-out bed, bathroom, shower-room and 2 WCs.
2 Bedroom Alc Apt Sleeps 6-8
2 Bedroom Apartment Sleeps 8
Living area with a single sofa bed and a single pull-out bed, 2 bedrooms each with 2 single beds, 1 alcove with bunk beds OR 1 mezzanine with 2 single beds, bathroom, shower-room and WC.
3 bedroom apartment sleeps 6-8
Living area with a single sofa bed and a single pull-out bed, 2 bedrooms each with 2 single beds, 1 bedroom with 2 single beds OR a bedroom/mezzanine with a single sofa bed and a single pull-out bed, bathroom, shower-room and 2 WCs.
*3 Bed Mezzanine Apt Sleeping 8-10
Living area with a single sofa bed and a single pull-out bed, 3 bedrooms each with 2 single beds, 1 mezzanine with a single sofa bed and a single pull-out bed, bathroom, shower-room and 2 WCs.
3 bedroom mezzanine apartment sleeping 8-10
Living area with a single sofa bed and a single pull-out bed, 3 bedrooms each with 2 single beds, 1 mezzanine with a single sofa bed and a single pull-out bed, bathroom, shower-room and 2 WCs.
4 bedroom apartment sleeping 10-11
Living area with a single sofa bed and a single pull-out bed, 3 bedrooms each with 2 single beds plus 1 single bed in the attic-room, 1 alcove with 2 single beds, bathroom, shower-room and 2 WCs.
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Click to Méribel website