Méribel ski resort is located in Tarentaise Valley in the French Alps near the town of Moutiers. Méribel mainly refers to three adjacent villages in the Les Allues commune of the Savoie département of France called Méribel Centre, Méribel-Mottaret and Méribel Village.
Méribel hosted the events of Ice Hockey and Women’s Downhill in the 1992 Winter Olympics.
Méribel has Courchevel to the east and Les Menuires and Val Thorens to the west. Mottaret, on the other hand, is a few hundred metres above from Méribel. The ski resort is part of the Trois Vallées ski area.
It is one of the most popular destinations of the British skiers and snowboarders. Strict regulation on concrete building in Méribel has helped it to retain its traditional Alpine looks and ambience.
Skiing at Méribel-Mottaret:
The ski resort serves an ideal terrain for skiers of all levels. The prime location of the resort in the middle of the Trois 
Vallées ski area gives access to 600km of groomed pistes and some of the superb off-piste terrain in the Alps.
The skiing season here season lasts from December to April. The snow cover is reliable here although in case there is shortage, the slopes are equipped with snow cannons.
Beginners can practise on the green pistes below the Altiport while the intermediates will mostly want to ski the challenging red run of Mauduit. Among the black runs, La Face, Les Bosses and Bartavelle are the classic ones.
Off-piste terrain on Mt du Vallon and Mt de la Chambre also offer loads of skiing opportunities.
Other Meribel Activities:
- Non-skiing activities like dog sledding, snowshoeing, snowmobiling, ice skating, swimming and paragliding.
- Movie watching, bowling, wellness treatments like Jacuzzi, hammam, sauna, massages
- Visiting the casino in Brides-les-Bains
- Child care:
Parallel Lines teaches kids in groups. There are also dog sledding, ice skating and water sliding facilities for the little kids. Merinannies (www.merinannies.co.uk) and Kids Etc also offer child care. The Meriski holiday agency also has its own crèche. - Shopping:
Clothing, sunglasses and outdoor gear are the main attractions for the shoppers here. Fat Face, White Stuff, Freeride and Méribel Optic are some of the popular outlets selling these items. Sport Boutique in Méribel Centre has a chic boutique. - Après ski:
Rond Point bar, at the midstation of the Rhodos gondola is a popular place for après-skiing. Live bands play here six days a week from 5-7 pm, coupled with dance moves. Méribel’s notorious toffee vodka is a major attraction here. Cactus Café at Chaudanne is also popular for its tequila slammers, nachos, table football and pool. Tourists also come here to watch live matches on big-screen TVs. Dick’s Tea Bar is also a place to shake the hip till dawn. - Eating out:
Trois Vallées restaurants are very very expensive. Tex-Mex dishes at Cactus Café and the steak and chips at Zig Zag are among the few cheap dishes available here. One can relish a romantic, gourmet dinner at Le Blanchot, endowed with a cosy atmosphere. Evolution, La Taverne and Rustic Chez Kiki are some of the more upmarket options specializing in all kinds of mouthwatering cuisines.
Meribel Accommodation:
Méribel features French resorts with several individual chalets and low-rise buildings. The hotels here do not fall in the cheap category.
- Chalet La Ferme
- Les Crêts
- Chalet La Boua
Reaching Méribel-Mottaret:
- By air:
Chambéry (96 km) and Geneva (136 km) are the nearest airports to the ski resort. - By rail:
Moûtiers located at a distance of 19 km is the nearest railhead.
Getting around:
One can ski from Méribel to reach all the other resorts located in the Trois Vallées area. Besides, a free bus service links Chaudanne in the centre of Méribel to Mottaret, Rond Point, Altiport, Belvédère and Les Allues. The buses run every half and hour and are often overcrowded.
