Meribel

Meribel with its picture-perfect wooden alpine chalets, is located in the very heart of the largest linked ski area in the world – The 3 Valleys.

This equally gives Meribel guests easy access to the nearby world-class ski resorts of Courchevel and Val Thorens, all on the one lift pass.

Meribel is spread across 5 main villages and is one of the most tastefully-designed, purpose-built ski resorts in France. You’ll find everything you need in this buzzing and beautiful resort.

Families looking for a truly magical alpine setting combined with the convenience of easy access to all the slopes and resorts of The 3 Valleys linked ski area will love Meribel.

Méribel also boasts one of the best après-ski scenes in all of France and attracts many English visitors, so you will have no problem fitting in or understanding the language. When the lifts close, Méribel comes alive with live bands and bars, open until the small hours.

There’s also a huge selection of restaurants offering everything from Michelin-starred fine dining to traditional Savoyard specialities and trendy on-mountain eateries.

Meribel’s non-ski activities include horse sleigh tours, ski joering, hot air ballooning, dog sledding, snow shoeing, an Olympic Park and Spa with a fitness area, ice rink, swimming pool, indoor climbing.. and the list goes on.

Kids love the Yéti Park and outdoor games on offer at the Inuit Piste Village, with entertainment including an eagle show and huskies.

In the evening, the sledging from Meribel Mottaret is lots of fun, as are the night-time quad bike and snowmobiling tours.  A cabaret kicks off the party at après ski bar la Folie Douce at 2pm every day.

For foodies there are plenty of fine-dining and gourmet restaurants to discover such as the Michelin-starred L’Ekrin or the Chalet Restaurant Le Clos Bernard, located in the heart of the Altiport Forest and accessible only by ski, foot or horse-drawn carriage. There are also plenty of local rustic restaurants serving traditional dishes such as cheese fondue, raclettes and good quality local produce and wines without the silver service.

A breath-taking yet very affordable highlight is catching a 15min scenic flight from Méribel’s altiport (tiny alpine airport)  over the entire 3 Valleys.

Meribel is a 2 hour drive by private transfer from either Lyon or Geneva Airport.
It’s a 25min drive from Moutiers train station, the closest train station in France to Meribel.

A shared shuttle transfer from Geneva will take over 4hrs and will only drop you off at the village bus stop, not at your accommodation – not ideal if you are travelling with ski gear and luggage and don’t know your way around.

Top Snow Travel can also arrange transfers by helicopter from any of the regional airports or altiports.

Whether you are holidaying with your family, partner or friends, Méribel offers a wealth of varied and original activities to enliven your holidays. With the “Méribel In Lights” atmospheric Christmas celebrations, the New Year’s Eve outdoor disco and Russian Christmas, the holiday season will be particularly festive!

If you enjoy show-style entertainment, you’ll be delighted by the Piste Bash Festival, Soundclash, Jib Session or the Winter Film Festival.

Snow sports fans can watch major events such as the Men’s Europa Cup Giant Slalom, the French Moguls Championships, the Roc de Fer Challenge, the 3 Vallées Enduro, or the French Under-16 Alpine Ski Championships.

You can also explore the Vanoise National Park and Méribel’s wild spaces through outdoor activities during the Mountain Bike Winter Tour, the Yooni Moon Trail Run, the Zen Altitude theme fortnight, the Olympe Challenge or the Mountain Restaurant Nights.

Next winter, Meribel Ski Resort is scheduled to open from December 2^nd 2023 to April 21^st 2024.

January 3^rd to Feb 7^th 2026 is the cheapest and best time to go (low season), followed by 7^th March until mid-April 2026 (the shoulder season).

For Australians travelling to France to ski during our January summer holidays, we benefit from the cheaper rates on offer in the French ski resorts’ low season.  This happens to be when the French and Europeans go back to work and school after the 2 week Christmas and New Year holiday period.

Europeans and the Brits flock to the resorts through February into March (DO NOT TRAVEL from 7^th Feb to 7^th Mar 2026 as this is the French school holidays). The slopes are extremely busy, the queues at the lifts are long and the price for accommodation is very expensive during that time.  Even all the restaurants are booked out!

Typically, in January, the snow is dry with the largest build up. It is also the coldest time, so you will need to make sure that you dress warmly. It is still wise to choose a high-altitude resort in case mother nature has not been kind earlier in the season. Bear in mind though, that snow-making is used to supplement natural snowfall in high traffic areas.

So, not only is January the cheapest time to go skiing in the French Alps, it is also the best time to go thanks to the weather conditions, the lack of queues, more availability and choice of accommodation and you get to breathe fresh air with your loved ones, rather than with thousands of other people!