Meribel-Mottaret takes a lot of beating as a ski resort. Smack bang in the middle of Les Trois Vallees, arguably the biggest and best skiing area in the world, it benefits from great snow, a wide variety of accommodation and decent shopping.
At 1700 meters, it is some 250 meters higher than the main village of Meribel and about 5-10 minutes further on by road, making it effectively a self-contained resort. Access is easy from Lyon (St. Exupery) Airport. The journey by coach takes around 3 hours and costs 62 Euros each way, or you can hire a car and do the drive in less than 2.5 hours.
Geneva and Chambery airports also give easy access,, but hiring a car at Geneva is less convenient and flights to Chambery are limited.
Driving all the way is also a popular way to get here, with the journey from Calais taking around 10 hours. Don’t forget to allow for road toll charges when working out the cost of this route. I haven’t done this for a while but I think they currently work out at about Ł70 each way.
Because Mottaret is much smaller than Meribel itself, its accommodation is generally more conveniently placed than in the main village. Much more skiing to and from the doorstep, which suits me as carrying heavy skis up hill is not my idea of fun.
There is a good range of hotels, from 2 to 4 star, and plenty of self-catering accommodation, but some of it is up some pretty steep steps from the village centre, so it pays to check on the exact location. There are a couple of good supermarkets, which have plenty of delicious French delicacies for self-caterers and picnickers.
Restaurants are plentiful, and there are some great alpine specialities on offer: cheese fondue is a perennial favourite, as is pierrade (cooking pieces of meat, vegetables and chicken yourself at your table on a hot stone), raclette (hunks of cheese which you melt on a special table-mounted grill and eat with boiled potatoes and charcuterie), and tartiflette (a delicious mixture of potatoes, lardons and cheese).
Skiing facilities are superb. The modern lift system whisks you to all areas of the Meribel valley, as well as providing easy links over the top of the mountains into Courchevel on one side and Val Thorens/St. Martin de Belleville on the other.
Even late risers like me can get to the Bel Air restaurant above Courchevel 1650 in plenty of time for lunch. Surely one of life’s great pleasures must be sitting on the restaurant terrace, in the warm winter sunshine, downing a steak-frites accompanies by a bottle of decent wine.
The entire 3 valley ski area has 600 km of pistes, so you can ski there for weeks and barely ever cover the same run twice.
The cost of lift passes last year was 157 euros for the Meribel valley alone, 193 for a pass covering the entire Trois Vallees, and I would highly recommend the full pass to anyone into their third year of skiing or more. For beginners, there are good nursery slopes right in Mottaret village, and a choice of ski schools offering group and private lessons in skiing and snowboarding. There are plenty of shops to choose from when it comes to hiring equipment. The cost will vary depending on the standard of equipment you need. It’s probably reasonable to allow about Ł80 a week for basic boots and skis.
There are pubs and clubs for night owls, and a free shuttle bus runs between Meribel proper and Meribel Mottaret.
Just one caveat: skiing is expensive and, since the arrival of the Euro, it seems even more so. Everything from drinks to accommodation will make a deep hole in your pocket.
Happy skiing.
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If you’re daunted by the prospect of arranging your own trip, there are lots of package tours on offer from companies like Crystal and First Choice.
Meribel has a great website at www.meribel.net.
by (2%):
15.12.2005 18:12
I'm off to the Three Valleys next week - really looking forward to it, and your review only heightens my excitement :) Geoff
23.06.2003 23:02
I think Meribel is the only other place (outside of Lille and Paris) that you can go directly to by Eurostar from Waterloo, during the season, that is. Just your luck to get a comment from a polyglottal trainspotter, eh?
18.06.2003 23:57
i'm not sure if this would be 'right' for me.. although out of interest i am going to check out the website :o) great review ~ take care karen