Les Menuires
Why Les Menuires In Les 3 Vallées?
- Fantastic position within Les 3 Vallées ski area - quick access to Val Thorens and to the best of the Meribel skiing
- Great mixture of terrain for all abilities
- 'Famille Plus' resort - good children’s facilities and great for families
- Best value - one of the more affordable ski resorts within Les 3 Vallées
- Welcoming resort, good for families
Winner 'Family Resort of the Year' - World Snow Awards 2015
Les Menuires (3 Vallees) Information
The purpose-built ski resort of Les Menuires is situated at 1850m in the Belleville Valley within the Les 3 Vallées ski area - in complete contrast with the old stone farming village of Saint Martin de Belleville (featured by our sister company Peak Retreats) below and the snow-sure resort of Val Thorens perched above. Sitting on the west-facing slope of the valley, Les Menuires is lucky enough to get the sun all day long. The resort is the best value for money in Les 3 Vallées, with a huge choice of accommodation and services for every kind of holiday and budget.
Once known for its controversial urban style, the architecture of Les Menuires has undergone extensive renewal in recent years to make it a recommended place for keen skiers and snowboarders as well as for families. The original high-rise feel to the La Croisette, Preyerand and Brelin areas has been softened by the development of the Les Bruyères and Reberty areas with more chalets and quality ski residences made from local wood and stone, creating a true Savoyard feel.
Thanks to the quality of the welcome guests receive and its open-arms policy to children and families as well as the attention to detail and the resort’s traditional French atmosphere, Les Menuires has definitely built itself a solid reputation of friendliness and hospitality.
Les Menuires has been awarded the ‘Family Plus’ label for many years now – guaranteeing successful family ski holidays. The resort boasts the largest ski kindergarten in France and welcomes babies from age 3 months and up.
The overall resort of Les Menuires is quite long and spread out (3km), slowly winding itself up the mountainside with different areas along the way:
- Preyerand - on the down valley side
- La Croisette - around the main lift bases
- Grand Reberty - across the hillside
- Les Fontanettes - in the middle
- Les Bruyères - on the up valley side
All of which are linked by free resort shuttle buses or by the slopes.
LES MENUIRES SKI AREA
Les Menuires is part of the large ‘Les 3 Vallées’ ski area (the largest ski area in the world), which many skiers rightly regard as the greatest intermediate ski-playground in the world! This impressive lift-linked ski area is formed of 8 ski resorts:
- Val Thorens
- Orelle
- Les Menuires
- Saint Martin de Belleville
- Meribel
- Brides-les-Bains
- Courchevel
- La Tania
Les 3 Vallées offers you a total of 600km of high altitude and snow-sure ski slopes - every ski enthusiast’s dream! Amazing skiing can be had right from the beginning of the winter season in the Les 3 Vallées ski area and there is something for everyone - no matter what your style or ability.
The 3 Valleys benefit from excellent snow coverage - the minimum altitude level for skiing is 1300m and the maximum is 3230m. This means that a huge 85% of the ski area is located above 1800m. Some 2000 snowmaking machines cover a third of the ski area as well. The 3 Valleys offer wide ski runs that are maintained nightly by 80 piste grooming machines.
Les Menuires probably holds the best position within the Les 3 Vallées ski area - is set above the treeline and has almost entirely open, very wide slopes. The majority of the slopes are spread across the west-facing mountainside between Les Menuires and Saint Martin de Belleville. One side will take you down into Meribel, which then allows you quick access into Courchevel. Alternatively, you can drop down into nearby Saint-Martin de Belleville or head much higher towards Val Thorens.
Les Menuires offers an efficient and fast lift system for the most.
LES MENUIRES SKIING
LES MENUIRES BEGINNERS
If you thought beginners would be best suited to the lower slopes, think again! In Les Menuires, the Easy Rider 3 Vallées label promises wide descents and gentle slopes, even way up high - accessible to experienced skiers, improvers and total beginners.
Novices are well catered for in Les Menuires, making it an ideal choice for families with young children and beginners. The nursery area is wide, with a specific lift pass called the ‘Mini Ski Pass’ available to beginners to help keep the costs down. This lift pass gives the user unlimited access to 10 extra ski lifts, serving gentle ski slopes. 5 of these chairlifts are equipped with a special safety system on the safety bar for children, making them even safer and giving you peace of mind.
There are 2 beginner areas where you can learn and improve in complete safety. 5 free magic carpets (1 of which is covered at Les Bruyeres) and 1 free drag lift, both allow completely free and easy access to the slopes for beginners and novices.
Other elements that make Les Menuires great for beginners, novices, children and families are: The Bruyères, Saint Martin and 3 Marches gondolas have been given easier access thanks to the installation of ramps instead of stairs. Itineraries have been created around the ski area especially adapted for family fun.
Once you feel more confident, you can ski from Les Menuires down to Saint Martin de Belleville (featured by our sister company Peak Retreats) on blue slopes the whole way.
Progression is generally very easy from green to blue slopes throughout the area.
LES MENUIRES FAMILY ZONES
On the Masse 1 gondola, Walibi Gliss is a fun zone for families that has a slalom course and boardercross.
LES MENUIRES INTERMEDIATES
The terrain on the Les Menuires side of the valley is gentler, making it perfect for intermediates. The ski areas above Les Menuires and Val Thorens offer great skiing for intermediates with a good selection of wide, open and cruising slopes. There is a great long red/blue run towards Saint Martin de Belleville (featured by our sister company Peak Retreats) called Jerusalem which is very enjoyable.
Although the Pointe de la Masse sector at 2804m is a little steep and does have a couple of blacks, it is still good for intermediates and the views from the top of the gondola are certainly not to be missed.
Don’t forget to watch out for the impressive 3.5m high ‘Le Bouquetin’ wooden goat sculpture on the red Fred Covili slope! From this run you have the option to take the red Crêtes but beware that this does feed onto the black Lac Noir. Alternatively, you can continue and opt for the large network of blues further down.
If you take the Roc des Trois Marches gondola then ski over to take the Mont de la Chambre chairlift this will take you right up to 2850m. From here, you have the option to head straight into Méribel, or choose from a great selection of reds and blues back towards the village – perfect for practising those parallel turns!
LES MENUIRES EXPERTS
Les Menuires has great terrain for experts. The La Masse sector of Les Menuires at 2804m offers advanced skiers some excellent long and technical blacks as well as off-piste runs, which all tend to be less crowded. The snow coverage here is amazing.
LES MENUIRES OFF-PISTE
You can enjoy the thrill of off-piste skiing in the safety of one of the three 'Liberty Ride' zones which have been created across the ski area. These non-groomed slopes are perfect for leaving your own tracks in the powder:
- La Masse which is accessible via the Masse 2 gondola
- La Riondaz which is accessible via the Saint-Martin 2 chairlift
- Les Pylônes which is accessible via the Sunny Express chairlift
At the top of the Roc des 3 Marches gondola you will find the DVA Park (Avalanche Victim Detector), where off-piste enthusiasts can practice their skills at searching for avalanche victims (Open 09:00 – 16:30).
Pointe de la Masse and nearby Cîme de Caron offer exceptional off-piste skiing, probably the best in the 3 Valleys ski area.
As always we highly recommend hiring a mountain guide or instructor to find the best possible off-piste skiing that Les Menuires and Les 3 Vallées have to offer, ensuring your safety along the way.
LES MENUIRES SNOWBOARDERS
There is huge amount of terrain for free riders in Les Menuires. ‘Le BK Park’ is located in the Becca area which is accessible via the Becca chairlift. There are 2 boarder-cross (1 blue and 1 red) for the racers as well as bump and rail zones. It has three different area to suit different levels and it had a makeover in 2018.
The ‘Big Air Bag’ is located at the bottom of the slalom stadium in the La Croisette area of Les Menuires and is perfect for trying out your tricks and jumps in complete safety. Helmets are compulsory and are available on site.
LES MENUIRES CROSS-COUNTRY
There are 28km/17 miles of prepared trails along the valley floor between Saint Martin de Belleville (featured by our sister company Peak Retreats) and Val Thorens. From Les Menuires you can start from Plan de l’Eau along the Doron River and head towards the villages of Saint Martin de Belleville (featured by our sister company Peak Retreats) and Châtelard.
