Travel to Les Menuires with travel insurance from Essential Travel

Calling itself ‘The Smile of the Alps’, Les Menuires is the most cost-effective resort in the prestigious Trois Vallées, one of the world’s finest ski areas. While not quite as pretty as some ski destinations, it is the most practical and functional, offering easy access to the slopes and fabulous runs for all levels.

The village is located at 1,850m, and consists of seven sections linked by footpaths and mechanical lifts, with a comprehensive range of visitor facilities. In recent years, there has been a move to restore the traditional Savoyard atmosphere of Les Menuires, with the reintroduction of stone and wood chalets to the ski resort.

Les Menuires offers skiing for all levels of experience, but the best is La Masse, offering superb advanced runs and one of the best views in the Alps. The ski area is known for its uncrowded sunny slopes, covering 62 pistes in total, over a distance of 160kms. Intermediate and advanced runs account for the majority of these – 23 and 24 respectively; while beginner runs are limited to six; and expert runs to nine. The area’s longest run is 3.5kms.

Visitors to Les Menuires have the option of trying out one or more of the other ski resorts in the Trois Vallées region. Other attractions in the surrounding areas include the Sanctuary of Notre Dame de la Vie (the Savoie’s most visited baroque attraction) and the spas at Brides-les-Bain.

The ski season at Les Menuires runs from mid-December to the end of April, with the best value-for-money periods before December 20 and after April 19. As Les Menuires is situated fairly far from any airports, the most convenient means of reaching the ski resort is by catching the Eurostar from London to Moutiers, and arranging alternative transport from there.

Skiing in Les Menuires

Situated at 1,850m in the French region of Savoie, Les Menuires offers excellent skiing on sunny, uncrowded pistes. It is the best bargain of the pricey Trois Vallées resorts and places an emphasis on function and practicality, providing the ultimate skiing experience. Although Les Menuires is becoming increasingly popular with British skiers, it is still one of the lesser-advertised resorts and receives predominantly French visitors.

Les Menuires offers skiing for all levels of expertise on 62 slopes, but the bulk of its runs are intermediate and advanced (23 and 24 pistes, respectively). There are also six beginner runs and nine expert runs. The runs are spread over 160kms, and are served by a system of 42 lifts. There are 28kms of cross-country tracks and some interesting off-piste routes.

There is a variety of accommodation options at Les Menuires, with hotels, apartments, chalets and tourist residences to choose from. The resort includes two shopping areas comprising approximately 100 shops in total, and there is a tourist office and childcare facilities to make life as easy as possible for visitors.

The ski season at Les Menuires runs from mid-December to late April, with the best deals available before December 20 and after April 19. It’s possible to reach the resort by road, rail, or through the gateway airports of Chambéry, Lyon or Geneva.

Apres-ski in Les Menuires

In addition to skiing the slopes, visitors to Les Menuires can select from a multitude of other activities. The resort offers a sauna, two heated swimming pools, two cinemas, two fitness centres, an ice-skating rink and a tobogganing area, as well as snow scooter hire. Paragliding and snowshoe outings are also available, and the resort hosts regular jazz, classical and blues music concerts. There is plenty to do at night, with a large selection of restaurants, bars and discos.

There are numerous alternatives to the slopes at Les Menuires, with the ski resort offering two fitness centres, two heated swimming pools, two cinemas, paragliding, a sauna, snow scooters, winter climbing, walking and snowshoe excursions. Additionally, musical concerts – jazz, classical, blues - are given all through the year at the arts hall.

Après-ski activities are plentiful, with a lively assortment of restaurants and bars, and two discos. The resort has all essential visitor services, including: two shopping areas, a tourist office, and childcare facilities. Lodging is varied, with hotels, apartments, chalets and tourist residences on offer.

Transportation to Les Menuires

Les Menuires is less easy to reach than many of the Savoie resorts, as it is located over an hour away from the nearest airport, and at the end of a gruelling drive. The best options for transportation to the resort are either catching a train to nearby Moutiers, or flying into one of the gateway airports and arranging alternative transport the rest of the way.

Driving to Les Menuires is the least pleasant method of travel, as bad weather conditions combined with congested roads can often turn the 145-kilometre journey from Geneva or the 180-kilometre journey from Lyon into four or five hours. However, if you do decide to drive, Les Menuires is accessible by means of the A43 motorway to Albertville, the N90 to Moutiers, and the RD 915A to Les Menuires.

The best way into Les Menuires is undoubtedly by train to Moutiers (27kms from Les Menuires), with a transfer by either a bus or taxi. There is a special London-Moutiers Eurostar service via the Chunnel, or you can take a train into Paris and connect with the high-speed TGV snow train to Moutiers.

If you opt for transportation by air, you will need to fly into Chambéry (120kms), Geneva (145kms) or Lyon (180kms) and arrange alternative bus, taxi or auto transport for the rest of the way to Les Menuires.

Eurolines buses run between major cities on the continent, from which you can take local transport to the resort. This is the cheapest option, but also the least convenient.

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