Overview of Ski Area
Nestled in the heart of the French Alps, Les Trois Vallees holds the title for the largest integrated skiing area in the world – which makes it a right of passage for any skiing enthusiast. Here you can explore 318 marked downhill pistes which span 600km and slopes which reach between 1,300 and 3,200 metres. This is all within glorious and breathtaking natural surroundings.
Resorts in Les Trois Vallées
- Courchevel
- Méribel Mottaret
- Les Menuires
- Val Thorens
- Brides les Bains
- La Tania
- Méribel
- Orelle
- Saint Martin de Belleville
MAIN SKI RESORTS IN LES TROIS VALLEES
Courchevel
Overview of Ski Resort
The mammoth Courchevel Resort is comprised of four fantastic villages, each with their own distinctive characteristics. These are known as Courchevel (1850), Moriond (1650), Village (1550) and Le Praz (1300). All linked by lifts, pistes and a winding road; Courchevel is a ski area in its own right and its diversity ensures that there is plenty to explore and many activities to try.
Due to its sheer size, this resort is suitable for all experience levels and it has a lot of the best snow in all of Les Trois Vallees thanks to many of the north-facing slopes. With so much to see and do on and off the slopes, different areas to explore and wonderful woodland surroundings, many visitors never leave the area as it has so much to offer.
Best for:
- Beginners
- Intermediate
- Luxury
- Foodies
Piste Guide
With 150km of runs which are mainly blue and red; Courchevel is a terrific resort for beginners and intermediates. Moriond and Courchevel are ideal for beginners, with long and easy green runs plus nursery slopes. The pristine intermediate runs (roughly 75% of the pistes) are suitable for all intermediates and you are sure to progress with so much variety. For advanced skiers, you will not feel too challenged here.
There are other activities to try, many of which are in the superb Terrain Park. Whilst Courchevel is suitable for kids, there are other resorts in the area that are more family focused.
Facilities
Courchevel features excellent facilities, with many quick gondolas and chairlifts, meaning that you never have to wait long and access is easy. Passes are available for Courchevel or the entire Trois Vallees.
Away from the slopes, there is plenty to keep you entertained. This includes indoor and outdoor pools, indoor surfing area, saunas, hot tubs, climbing walls, spa facilities and a fitness centre.
Après
Foodies will adore this resort, which boasts many fine dining options. Here are a few of the most popular restaurants.
- Chabichou – a two Michelin star eatery with a truly exquisite menu.
- Azimut – With a Michelin Star, Azimut is contemporary, cosy and unpretentious.
- Soucoupe – Fine yet slightly pricey food and a roaring log fire make this perfect for a quiet or romantic evening.
For those searching for a fun, thrilling and lively evening under the stars, Courchevel has some top bars and nightclubs. For the hardcore party seekers, Grange at 1850 blasts music till 4 a.m., whilst Tremplin and Mangeoire are also hotspots for music fans. At 1650, live music and pool await at the Funky Fox, and Boulotte is also another great night out. Catarail at 1550 also has live bands and DJ’s, plus each village has plenty more bars and places to head for a quieter drink.
Méribel
Overview of Méribel
Sticking to a more traditional chalet-style which many ski enthusiasts will appreciate, Méribel is a modern resort split into a few separate villages. It sits in the heart of Les Trois Vallees and is known for being an intermediates heaven.
There is a winding road heading to the top of the main village plus a network of lifts, which makes accessing the different quarters easy. This even includes the satellite resort of Méribel-Mottaret, which is around two miles up the valley.
Built on a steep slope, this is generally regarded as a higher and less lively outpost but a resort with top-notch skiing.
Best for:
- Families
- Beginners
- Luxury
- Nightlife
Piste Guide
Although regarded as an intermediates paradise, Méribel is also a great place for starters to come. It has brilliant ski schools and expert tuition, along with nursery slopes at Rond Point and gentle green slopes at Altiport. The ski schools can teach all kinds of activities, including snowboarding, snowshoeing, speed-riding and cross-country.
Whilst it is blue slopes that dominate here, there are a few options for the more experienced. However, the majority of intermediate and advanced skiers come here for the easy access that you get to the slopes of the other resorts.
There are also a handful of terrain parks, including Moonpark (suitable for all levels), the impressive DC Area 43 Snowpark and P’tit Moon for kids.
This is a family friendly resort with plenty of areas for kids, including the beautiful Moon Wild area. This has animal sculptures and fascinating information about the natural surroundings.
Facilities
Méribel has 46 of its own ski lifts, including cable cars, gondolas and fast chair lifts which allow for easy access to the entire ski area.
Other facilities include spas, sports centres, golf courses, shops and plenty more for fun off-slope activities.
Après
Renowned for its lively nightlife, Méribel features a wide range of bars and nightclubs spread out over the area. This allows you to find the perfect night, whether it is a quiet beer or a party till the early hours.
The Ronnie is a hotspot with a rowdy atmosphere and fun live music. Elsewhere, Le Rastro throws famous rock parties and Le Lodge du Village always has great music and reasonable prices. If you are looking for a slower-paced evening, the Piano Bar at Mont Vallon and Kaila in Méribel Centre are superb venues.
How to Get to Resorts in Les Trois Vallées
All of the resorts found at Les Trois Vallees are easily accessible thanks to a handful of nearby airports.
Chambery (CMF) is a popular choice due to the number of flights and low costs, with Snowjet, British Airways and Jet2 flying here from various UK airports. Geneva Airport (GVA) is also nearby and has frequent flights from easyJet, British Airways and Swiss. EasyJet also flies to Grenoble (GNB) from Gatwick, Luton and Stansted.
The quickest, easiest and most affordable way to reach your resort from any of these airports is with Shuttle Direct. Not only does this ensure a smooth ride where you can sit back and relax, but we can also transport your ski equipment for free.
About Shuttle Direct
Shuttle Direct provides reliable, efficient and affordable transfers across Europe from Airports, Cruise Ports, Hotels and Train Stations.
This includes extensive experience of winter ski transfers in the Austrian, Italian and French Alps.
In the French Alps, their range of transfer options from Geneva (GVA), Chambery (CMF), Grenoble (GNB) and Lyon (LYS) airports can accommodate all group sizes and budgets.
Book today and their team of experts can handle the logistics for your transfer.
