Travel to Meribel with travel insurance

The resort of Meribel is located in the centre of the famous Trois Vallées in the Savoie region, one of the world’s largest ski domains. Many insist that it is the prettiest of the resorts in this area, and it is certainly the ideal base for those who wish to explore the entire 600kms of Trois Vallées’ ski slopes.

Meribel village offers a full range of visitor facilities in a traditional Savoyard setting. Although Meribel has grown rapidly in recent years into one of the world’s great cosmopolitan ski resorts, it has retained the traditional Savoyard style of chalets made from wood and stone, and a charming, authentic atmosphere.

The ski resort has a variety of terrain suitable for all levels, with 74 runs spanning 150kms within Meribel’s boundaries. The longest of these runs is almost four kilometres. The slopes are particularly suited to intermediate and advanced skiers, with 33 blue and 21 red pistes. Additionally, there are 11 green slopes for beginners and nine expert slopes.

Skiing is only one of the winter activities at Meribel, and there are plenty of alternatives to keep you busy should you want a break from the slopes. The resort offers ice-skating, indoor swimming, mono-skiing, snowshoeing, parasailing, hang-gliding, bowling, wall-climbing, squash, fitness centres, cinemas, concerts and a library.

Nightlife is also vibrant, with a wide range of restaurants and a selection of bars and discos to choose from. Accommodation abounds, with hotels, vacation centres, tourist residences, a mobile home park, and hundreds of chalets available. Childcare facilities are also on hand, along with banks, a post office, a plethora of shops and a petrol station to ensure maximum convenience.

Meribel’s neighbouring ski resorts, Val Thorens and Courcheval, provide the perfect opportunity for further exploration of the Trois Vallées ski area. Also located nearby is Brides-les-Bain, with its appealing spas and a number of interesting baroque buildings.

The winter season at Meribel runs from early December to late April. The easiest means of reaching the resort is by taking a train to nearby Moutiers, and a bus or taxi from there. Alternatively, visitors can fly into Champéry, Geneva or Lyon airports and take alternative transport to Meribel.

Skiing in Meribel

Meribel is located in the prestigious Trois Vallées area in the French region of Savoie, and is popular with French and British visitors alike for its fabulous skiing and reliable snow conditions.

One of Meribel’s assets is that it provides good skiing opportunities for all levels of expertise. There are 74 pistes, of which 11 cater to beginners, 33 to intermediates, 21 to advanced skiers, and nine to experts.

These runs make up a cumulative distance of 150kms (the longest of which is almost four kilometres) and are served by a system of 60 lifts. In addition to groomed slopes, there are 23kms of cross-country trails in Meribel, and numerous off-piste activities.

Activities at Meribel are not limited to skiing the slopes, however. There are numerous winter alternatives, including: ice-skating, indoor swimming, mono-skiing, snowshoeing, parasailing, hang-gliding, bowling, wall-climbing, squash, fitness centres, cinemas, concerts and a library.

Après-ski activities are also profuse, with bars and discos providing plenty of lively entertainment. There are plenty of eateries at Meribel, serving a varied selection of French, Italian, Savoyard and gastronomic cuisine to satiate ferocious post-skiing appetites.

There is no shortage of lodging options in Meribel, which offers a total of approximately 30,000 beds of all price ranges, in varied establishments. Visitors can choose between hotels, tourist residences, vacation centres, self-catering apartments/chalets, and even a mobile home park. There is an enormous variety of shops and stores, three banks, a post office, a petrol station and childcare facilities, to make your stay as pleasant and hassle-free as possible.

Meribel offers skiing from early December to late April. It is located farther off the beaten track than other resorts in the Savoie region, but is accessible by rail, air, and (less conveniently) by road.

Apres Ski in Meribel

Après-ski activities are also profuse, with bars and discos providing plenty of lively entertainment. There are plenty of eateries at Meribel, serving a varied selection of French, Italian, Savoyard and gastronomic cuisine to satiate ferocious post-skiing appetites.

There is no shortage of lodging options in Meribel, which offers a total of approximately 30,000 beds of all price ranges, in varied establishments. Visitors can choose between hotels, tourist residences, vacation centres, self-catering apartments/chalets, and even a mobile home park. There is an enormous variety of shops and stores, three banks, a post office, a petrol station and childcare facilities, to make your stay as pleasant and hassle-free as possible.

Transportation to Meribel

Meribel is located in France’s Savoie region, in the area of Les Trois Vallées. 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. There is also the less convenient option of driving your own vehicle to the resort.

Driving to Meribel is the least advisable transportation option, as congested roads make the 130kms from Geneva, or 170kms from Lyon, a three- to four-hour journey on a good day, and even longer when weather conditions are bad. However, if you do decide to drive, Meribel is accessible by means of the A43 motorway to Albertville, then the N90 to Moutiers. From here it’s a further 18kms to the resort.

The most effortless way of reaching Meribel is by taking advantage of the direct London-Moutiers Eurostar service, and a bus or taxi from Moutiers to the resort. Alternatively, it’s possible to take a train into Paris, and connect with a local train to Moutiers.

Air transportation to Champéry, Lyon or Geneva airports, and alternative transport from there is another option, but not advisable, as the convenience of catching a plane is undermined by the length and unpleasantness of the final road leg of the journey.

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.

click here for a holiday insurance quotation