Many of our guests are return visitors to Meribel, whilst a number have never been before. We thought we'd put together a short list of the top five things you should do when coming to Meribel for a winter stay. We hope you enjoy them and let us know what your top five would be.
1. Ski all three valleys in one day
This requires a fair bit of planning as you don’t want to end up in the wrong valley at the end of the day! You could visit each of the 11 villages – Meribel, Meribel Village, Meribel-Mottaret, La Tania, Le Praz, Courchevel Village (1550), Courchevel Moriond (1650), Courchevel 1850, Meribel-Mottaret, Val Thorens, Les Menuires and St. Martin. This will be about 60km and 10,000 vertical metres of skiing, but everyone should try it at east once!
Check out the Pistemap below to start your planning!
2. Have a long lunch at Le Clos Bernard
If No1 looks too energetic, then stopping for a long lunch may be more up your street. Le Clos Bernard is a unique & charming restaurant, set deep in the forest by the Méribel Altiport. It is reached by skis, by foot or horse and carriage. The restaurant is sign posted through the forest from the foot of the Loze chairlift or you can also walk to it from the altiport parking area (which means you can walk back too).
Open for lunch every day and also on Wednesdays for a set Savoyard dinner and Thursday “Clos Bernard By Night”, the restaurant is known for its Angus steaks cooked on an open wood fire inside. The terrace is truly wonderful on a warm sunny day and that is where we’d choose to spend the afternoon. This is a wonderful restaurant in truly beautiful surroundings and it is well worth a long visit.
Check out Le Clos Bernard here.
3. Whizz around the mountains on a snowmobile
If the adrenaline of skiing isn’t quite enough, a snowmobile ride will give you all the thrills and excitement you seek. Starting after the pistes have closed, the outings start from Le Hameau in Mottaret and follow tracks and go off-piste. Choose between a standard “discovery” tour or a sportier, high-adrenaline one. Prices start from €120 per driver for one hour, and €20 per passenger. Great fun and you can still be back at your chalet in time for dinner!
You can book your snowmobiling adventure here.
4. Watch the live bands at Ronnies
Just above Meribel Centre lies Le Rond Point and it's a perennial favourite for both locals and visitors alike, who head there for the live music and on-slope party 7 nights a week (17:00-18:30). "The Ronnie" as it's affectionately known, is renowned for its high octane antics, free flowing toffee vodka and lively and enthusiastic bar staff.
As the days get longer and warmer, the live music programme moves outside onto the huge sun terrace with a mix of well-known Ronnie bands and local DJs. Being high up on the sunny side of the valley, when the weather is fine, the main terrace is a real sun trap and catches the last rays of the day. The perfect end to a great day on the slopes. And the best thing is it is only about 100 metres from Chalets Veronica and Cecilia!
Check out what is on at Ronnies by clicking here.
5. Paragliding (parapenting)
Discover the thrill and joy of taking off on skis. Flying from La Saulire into Meribel, this flight is for everyone between 5 and 80 years old. Usually done in the afternoon and lasts about 20 minutes, depending on the weather and aerological conditions. On a vertical drop of 1000 meters, this is the best flight if staying in Meribel. This flight flies you near Rond Point des Pistes where you will be able to see the 'Ronnie' the Aprés Ski bar of the alps. It will also fly you over the Domain de Burgin and the lower end of Meribel centre La Chaudanne, the main lift area before landing in a field just of La Truite - the beginners green run that joins Mottaret and Meribel. The Last Flight is perfect for the end of the day as you will then not need to catch the lift back to the top.
You can book paragliding in Meribel here.
Whatever you choose to do when you visit Meribel, you will always find a warm welcome when you stay with Ski Cuisine. Your chalet hosts will be happy to give you advice on any of the above activities and what is going on in Meribel during your stay.