About Meribel
Meribel is the central of three large glacial valleys adjacent to one another in the Savoie region in the South of France. Courchevel, Meribel & Val Thorens (Les Trois Vallées) together make up the largest and busiest ski resort in the World.
The Alps as a whole, is estimated to receive 10% of the World's tourists population ever year, with the 3 valleys accommodating almost half of them. People come from far and wide to experience the snow and try out their skiing or snowboarding skills on heights up to 2300m above sea level. It is also home in the Summer to a very distinctive section of the world famous Tour De France. The unique characteristic about the resorts is that they are all linked via a series of lifts (telesieges) so one can ski literally all the way from one side of Courchevel, through Meribel and out the other end of Val Thorens - although the skier must be fairly fit and willing to do so as it normally can't be accomplished in even a whole day on the slopes! It's this network of lifts established in 1973 which results in 410 miles of piste. It is home to more than 183 ski lifts capable of transporting 260,000 skiers per hour. There are around 1500 ski instructors and 424 ski patrollers watching families from all over the globe go up and down on the slopes. It's almost impossible at times to find yourself alone in such a place. The main reason people flock to this particular part of the World is because the slopes are simply excellent for snowboarders and skiers alike.
Whether you stay on or stray off the piste, you're sure to find something here to suit you. There are bars and restaurants here to suit everyone's taste as well. From budget lunch deals with Happy Hour après ski drinks thrown in to exclusive hotels and 5 star gourmet restaurants. Most of the places allow you to ski right up the door - some places you don't even have to un-strap your ski or board to be able to make an order. It's fair to say that for ski holidays, les trois vallees has everything for every level of skier and every budget.
The first person to see its potential which some call its founder, was the British Colonel Peter Lindsay way back in 1938. He stressed that the resort should continue to have traditional wood built chalets and it's this reason that the place has kept its breathtaking beauty despite the sheer numbers visiting the place. Although he has since died, his grandchildren still use the slopes to this day keeping the traditional of the whole place alive.
