Méribel, the heart of the Three Valleys
A string of chalet villages in the Les Allues valley, with Olympic runs above them and Courchevel just over the ridge: what Méribel is like, how its slopes ski, and how our guests use it from a chalet next door.
Méribel is a French ski resort in Savoie, made up of several villages in the Les Allues valley, the middle one of the three valleys that give Les 3 Vallées its name. Its villages climb from Les Allues at 1,100 m to Méribel-Mottaret at 1,750 m, with Méribel Centre at 1,450 m. Because it sits between Courchevel on one side and the Belleville valley on the other, Méribel is the natural crossing point of the whole ski area, and it is the valley Courchevel skiers visit most.
This page looks at Méribel the way our guests usually meet it: from a chalet in Courchevel, one ridge away. We cover what each Méribel village is like, how the slopes suit each level, how a day across the ridge works in practice, and the cases where a group would genuinely be happier staying in Méribel itself. For the ski area as a whole (the seven resorts, the passes and the size figures) see our guide to the Three Valleys ski area; we do not repeat it here.
The short version: Méribel is less about one village than about a valley. The lower hamlets keep their farm buildings and church spires, the centre is built in a strict wood and stone chalet style, and Mottaret, higher up, is the more purpose-built ski base. Which part you visit changes the day.
Méribel in official figures
Checked against official sources, so you can plan with confidence.
Méribel’s villages stand between 1,100 m at Les Allues and 1,750 m at Méribel-Mottaret, with Méribel Village at 1,400 m, Méribel Centre at 1,450 m and Les Hauts at 1,600 m.
Source: Les 3 Vallées, Méribel resort pageThe valley’s alpine network counts 72 runs (8 green, 27 blue, 27 red and 10 black) served by 43 lifts.
Source: Méribel Tourist Office, slopes85% of Méribel’s ski area lies above 1,800 m, and half of its runs are graded green or blue.
Source: Méribel Tourist Office, ski areaThe 2026/27 winter season in Méribel runs from 5 December 2026 to 18 April 2027.
Source: Méribel Tourist OfficeAt the 1992 Winter Olympics, 52 of the 126 events took place in the valley: 46 ice hockey matches and six women’s alpine races.
Source: Méribel Tourist Office, historyMéribel hosted the Alpine Skiing World Cup Finals in 2022 and the World Ski Championships in 2023.
Source: Les 3 Vallées, Méribel resort pageThe Méribel villages, from Les Allues to Mottaret
Méribel is spread along one valley floor and its sunny slopes, so the name covers places with very different moods. If you arrive on skis from Courchevel, you will mostly see the upper part: the slopes above Méribel Centre and Mottaret. If you come by road for lunch or an evening, the lower villages are just as worth the drive. The table gives the official altitudes and our own note on how each place works for a visitor from the next valley.
| Village | Altitude | Character | For a visitor from Courchevel |
|---|---|---|---|
| Méribel Les Allues | 1,100 m | The original village at the foot of the valley, with hamlets around it and a quieter, lived-in feel | A road visit rather than a ski destination; the tree-lined runs down to it make a long last descent for strong skiers |
| Méribel Village | 1,400 m | A small cluster of chalets set slightly apart from the main resort | Pleasant for a calm lunch stop if your group is skiing gently on the lower slopes |
| Méribel Centre | 1,450 m | The heart of the resort, built in the wood, stone and slate style defined in the 1930s | The obvious place for lunch or a stroll, and where most evening visits by road end up |
| Méribel Les Hauts | 1,600 m | Chalets spread on the slopes above the centre | Mostly residential; you will ski past it rather than stop |
| Méribel-Mottaret | 1,750 m | The higher, more purpose-built base, opened in 1976, closer to the head of the valley | The base for the snow park and the higher runs; a good meeting point if part of the group is heading on towards Val Thorens |
Altitudes from the Les 3 Vallées and Méribel Tourist Office websites; the right-hand column is our own guidance.
Méribel skiing by level
The Méribel ski area is a broad bowl of open slopes above the treeline, with forest runs lower down towards the villages. The tourist office counts 72 runs, and half are graded green or blue, so it is one of the most comfortable parts of the Three Valleys for a mixed group. Lifts run up both sides of the valley, which means you can usually follow the sun: one side in the morning, the other after lunch.
For experts, the reputation rests on a handful of runs built or made famous by competition. The tourist office calls the Roc de Fer and La Face its legendary runs, tied to the champions of the 1992 Olympics, and La Face is the one most visiting skiers want to try once. Off-piste routes such as the Gébroulaz glacier are serious mountain terrain: book a qualified mountain guide through the local ski school, never follow tracks.
- First days and young children: the Yéti Park is a wide, gently sloping green run with themed games, and the Piste des Animaux winds through the forest near the altiport. Both are gentler than most ridge-top terrain.
- Intermediates: the long blue and red runs on both sides of the valley are where Méribel shines. A confident intermediate from Courchevel can spend a full day here without repeating a run.
- Freestyle: the snow park at Méribel-Mottaret is aimed at experienced riders practising tricks, not beginners.
- Long descents: the Mont Vallon descent is described by the tourist office as one of the longest runs in the Three Valleys. Keep it for good visibility and fresh legs.
- Bad-weather days: the tree-lined runs towards the lower villages hold their shape far better in flat light than the open bowls above.
Skiing over to Méribel, and getting home
From Courchevel, Méribel is simply the other side of the ridge. The crossings run over the high ground around the Saulire and the Col de la Loze (2,304 m), and a gondola built in the 1980s links the Saulire with Burgin on the Méribel side. You need a full 3 Vallées pass for the day; a Courchevel valley pass stops at the ridge. Most of our guests ski to Méribel two or three times in a week, and the day goes best when it is planned around the return rather than the outward run.
- Check the ridge lifts before breakfast
The lift company publishes live openings each morning. If the lifts on the ridge are closed by wind, the Méribel side is cut off for the day and you save the plan for tomorrow.
- Start from the top of Courchevel
Guests in Courchevel 1850 are closest to the lifts that climb to the ridge. From Courchevel Village the Grangettes gondola brings you up to 1850 first; from Moriond, the Ariondaz gondola connects you into the network.
- Choose the side of the valley by the sun
Ski the slopes that catch the morning sun first, cross the valley floor around lunch, and work along the other side in the afternoon. It is the simplest way to keep the snow soft and the group warm.
- Book lunch early and in the centre
Lunch around Méribel Centre keeps you in the middle of the valley, equally placed for either side. A late lunch at the far end is the most common reason for a rushed ski home.
- Set a return time and stick to it
Agree a time to be heading back up towards the ridge, well before the lifts close. If anyone is tired, it is the moment to take the lift down rather than push on.
- Keep a car in reserve
If the group misses the last link, the road home runs down one valley and up the next. With Chalet Flys, a resort driver is available across the Three Valleys; at Chalet Valmont in Courchevel 1850, a private driver is on hand eleven hours a day. Our concierge arranges a driver for other houses on request.
When guests prefer Méribel, and when they do not
Our luxury chalets are all in Courchevel, so we are not neutral, but we are honest about the map. Méribel’s central position is a real advantage for some groups, and for others it makes no difference at all. The table below is how we talk it through with clients who hesitate between the two valleys. If the answer points to Méribel, we say so; if it points to the highest resort in the area instead, read our guide to skiing in Val Thorens.
| What matters most | Méribel | Courchevel | Our view |
|---|---|---|---|
| Skiing every corner of the Three Valleys evenly | Central, with both Courchevel and the Belleville valley within reach | At one end, so the far valley is a long day | Méribel has the edge for groups who want to cover the whole area |
| A staffed private chalet with chef, pool and driver | Possible, but outside our collection | Our houses, each visited by our team | Courchevel, and ski to Méribel for the day |
| Traditional village architecture | Strict chalet style in wood, stone and slate | Several villages, from the historic to the modern | Méribel Centre is the more uniform; both are attractive |
| Beginners and young children | Half the runs graded green or blue, with dedicated play areas | Gentle slopes and ski schools in every village | Choose by the walk from the door to the ski school, not the resort |
| A quiet evening at home after skiing | A busy centre in season | Depends on the village you stay in | A chalet with staff makes either one quiet |
| Arriving early in December | Opens 5 December 2026 | Opens 4 December 2026 | A day’s difference: plan by snow, not by opening date |
Opening dates from the Méribel and Courchevel tourist offices for the 2026/27 season; check their websites for any change.
Méribel for non-skiers and for evenings
Non-skiers staying in Courchevel often come to Méribel by road rather than on the lifts. Snowshoe and winter walking routes leave from the villages, and the tourist office lists a 17 km cross-country trail linking Méribel and Courchevel, which makes a lovely half-day for a confident Nordic skier. Inside the resort, a free shuttle service links the villages, so a driver can drop you in the centre and collect you later. For more ideas, see our page on ski holidays for non-skiers.
An evening in Méribel is the other reason to cross. Many groups like one dinner out in the week in a different valley, and the road trip there and back is easy with the chalet’s driver. Our concierge books the table and arranges the timing so that nobody has to watch the clock.
Our Courchevel chalets for skiing Méribel
Houses in Courchevel 1850, Courchevel Village and Moriond, all within one ridge of Méribel and each visited by our team.
The chalets side by side
Size, bedrooms and wellness at a glance; we confirm the route to the first lift towards Méribel for each one.
| Residence | Guests | Bedrooms | Bathrooms | Living area | Highlights |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chalet ValmontCourchevel | 14 | 6 | 7 | 717 m² | Indoor Pool, Cinema Room, Wine Cellar, Hammam, Sauna |
| Chalet OrisCourchevel | 12 | 6 | 7 | 518 m² | Indoor Pool, Cinema Room, Wine Cellar, Hammam, Sauna |
| Chalet EriseCourchevel | 12 | 6 | 7 | 600 m² | Ski-in / Ski-out, Indoor Pool, Cinema Room, Wine Cellar, Sauna |
| Chalet MorelleCourchevel | 12 | 7 | 8 | 900 m² | Indoor Pool, Cinema Room, Wine Cellar, Hammam, Sauna |
| Chalet FlysCourchevel | 15 | 8 | 9 | 680 m² | Indoor Pool, Cinema Room, Wine Cellar, Hammam, Sauna |
| Chalet DaceCourchevel | 14 | 7 | 6 | 600 m² | Cinema Room, Hammam, Sauna, Jacuzzi, Garage |
Rates are on request and depend on dates and services. Your advisor confirms availability and the final details of every residence.
A week in Courchevel with Méribel on the doorstep
How we help guests make the most of the neighbouring valley.
The right days for the crossing
We watch the forecast with you and suggest which mornings suit the ridge, so the Méribel day falls in good visibility.
Passes that cover the ridge
We arrange full 3 Vallées passes for those who will cross, and valley passes for those who will not, before you arrive.
A driver when the plan changes
If the group misses the last link or wants dinner in Méribel, a car can be arranged so the evening stays relaxed.
Guides for the serious terrain
For La Face, Mont Vallon or the glacier routes, we book a qualified instructor or mountain guide through the local ski school.
Méribel questions
Anything else? Our team in Paris answers personally, usually within the day.
Ask our teamHow high is Méribel?
It depends on the village. Méribel Les Allues sits at 1,100 m, Méribel Village at 1,400 m, Méribel Centre at 1,450 m, Les Hauts at 1,600 m and Méribel-Mottaret at 1,750 m. The slopes climb well above that: the tourist office says 85% of Méribel’s ski area lies above 1,800 m, which helps snow cover through the season.
Is Méribel in the 3 Valleys?
Yes, and at its centre. Méribel occupies the Les Allues valley, the middle of the three, with Courchevel on one side and the Belleville valley (Les Menuires, Saint-Martin-de-Belleville and Val Thorens) on the other. That is why the resort calls itself the heart of Les 3 Vallées, and why it is the most visited neighbour for Courchevel skiers.
Can you ski from Courchevel to Méribel?
Yes. The two resorts share a ridge, crossed on skis around the Saulire and the Col de la Loze, and the run down into Méribel follows straight on. You need a 3 Vallées pass rather than a Courchevel valley pass. Check the morning lift openings, because wind can close the ridge, and plan your return before the afternoon closing of the links.
Is Méribel good for beginners?
Yes. Half of Méribel’s runs are graded green or blue, and the resort has dedicated beginner areas such as the Yéti Park, a wide and gentle green run with games, and the Piste des Animaux through the forest near the altiport. For a beginner staying in Courchevel, though, the home slopes are closer, and a Méribel day is better kept for later in the week.
When does Méribel open for the 2026/27 season?
The tourist office gives the winter season as 5 December 2026 to 18 April 2027. Courchevel opens a day earlier on its side of the ridge. Early and late in the season, not every lift and link may be running, so check the live openings published by the lift company before planning a crossing.
Can you get from Méribel to Val Thorens in the evening?
Not on skis: the links between valleys close in the afternoon, and Val Thorens is at the far end of the next valley. In the evening it is a road journey down to the valley floor and back up the other side, so treat it as a planned outing with a driver rather than a spontaneous trip, and allow for mountain roads in winter.
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Plan the Méribel days with us
Tell us who is skiing, at what level, and how often you would like to cross into Méribel. Nathalie Nguyen and Adam Haddad will suggest the Courchevel chalet that fits, arrange the right passes and keep a driver in reserve for the evenings. WhatsApp +33 7 80 98 05 43 or contact@lutetia-group.com; we usually reply within the day. Prices on request.