Meribel

Meribel ski vacation resort is the place to head for to hear more English spoken than French in France. Founded by a Brit, this charming purpose-built ski resort in the middle of the Trois Vallees area is still very popular with skiers from England. Trois Vallees is one of the most popular ski areas in the Alps offering the biggest linked slope network in the world. Meribel is ideal for intermediates, offering miles of tracks suited to this level of experience, but there is plenty for beginners and experts too.

A mind boggling six hundred kilometers of well linked, all-ability pistes and off-piste slopes that are conveniently access by two hundred ultra modern lifts await you here. Boarders will love the Trois Vallees with its three specialist parks, and a separate snowboard area in Meribel. Originally it was not considered to be up to the standard of the other fashionable ski resorts of Trois Vallees like Courchevel and Val-Thorens, but with the opening up of Mont Vallon and the top of the valley, Meribel can stand comparison on most counts. In fact with its prices almost as steep as its slopes, Meribel is a pretty upper crust resort.

Meribel’s biggest plus is its location at the heart of the Trois Vallees, not just for its vast array of on- and off-piste skiing. It actually consists of several distinct areas with access to a skiing area, but each offer their own unique experience. The accommodation is spread over five sectors, the two main areas being Meribel-Centre and Meribel-Mottaret, with its protected tow lift for beginners. Meribel Les Allues is the main town and Mirabel Village is a new addition.

This charming ski-in/ski-out vacation resort is built very aesthetically with beautiful traditional chalets everywhere. The center of the village is very pleasant, with raised walkways giving access to the shops above the one-way road. Many of the chalets are run by operators of all inclusive tours. Unlike many French ski resorts, Meribel has retained an atmosphere of the traditional skiing village resort. There are plenty of things happening après-ski here, with a number of bars and clubs to keep the party crowd happy.