Meribel
Meribel ski holidays place skiers and snowboarders right at the heart of the impressive Three Valleys ski area. This pretty Savoyard ski town has long combined a wide variety of chic boutique shopping together with an exciting & eclectic mix of bars, restaurants & clubs. The Trois Vallees skiing covers all bases, with all levels of skier and snowboarder well catered for.
The Three Valleys ski area climbs all of the way up to a peak of 3200m, which helps maintain the domains excellent snow record, keeping the snow in good condition throughout the season. The lift system of the Trois Vallees is constantly evolving and improving. An example of speed improvement is the new Plattieres 1 gondola which has carved nearly 65% of it's journey time (down from 25 minutes to just 9!).
The Après-ski in Meribel is one very big plus point for this resort! The large British presence in the resort, ensures some interesting and exciting nights can be had! The shear variety of bars and restaurants ensures that all tastes and appetites are catered for. Dick's T Bar is known throughout the ski world, and a great place to start (or finish!) the night. Meribel also has two good nightclubs for the party people in your group!
There is a superb variety of skiing over the Three Valleys, offering more than 640 kms of well maintained pistes. After the Portes du Soleil, it is the world's second largest ski area. Intermediate and Advanced skiers have numerous options, from the steeper and faster skiing found near Val Thorens (the highest resort in Europe) to the famous 76km circuit (achievable in one day, thanks to the excellent lift network). The circuit spans the entire Three Valleys domain, taking in a great cross section of slopes and terrain. Meribel itself provides the perfect conditions for beginners and early intermediates to quickly improve their skiing, with a range of challenging (and not so challenging) descents.
Snowboarding has long had good roots in Meribel, and is well accepted. The facilities for snowboard holidays are superb, with three snow park and pipe options in the Meribel sector alone. There are many more very well maintained parks throughout the Trois Vallees, all easily accessible and feature a good variety of hips, slides and jumps to suit all abilities. There is also a border cross course for varying levels of potential snowboard racers!
Freeriding is truly excellent in Meribel. Riders have everything from very good beginner conditions, through excellent intermediate and advanced level terrain. The range of natural gullies, lips, roll-overs, banks, cornices and excellent powder descents (particular around Val Thorens) will keep avid snowboarders entertained for weeks on end!