Méribel

Méribel is the geographic heart of Les Trois Vallées, the largest linked ski area in the world with around 600 km of connected pistes spread across three parallel valleys. From its central position, skiers can reach Courchevel to one side and Val Thorens to the other on a single pass, making it a natural hub for exploring the whole domain.

The resort rises from about 1,450 m to 2,952 m at the top of the Mont du Vallon, with the Saulire ridge linking it to Courchevel. Because it sits mid-valley, Méribel offers a genuine spread of terrain: sheltered tree-lined runs low down for poor-visibility days, sweeping intermediate cruisers on the Tougnète and Roc de Fer, and steeper off-piste bowls higher up. The Roc de Fer hosted Olympic and World Cup women's races.

Unlike the purpose-built resorts nearby, Méribel was planned in the 1930s around a chalet-only building code, giving it a warm wood-and-stone character rather than concrete towers. That heritage, plus a British following that dates back to the resort's founder Peter Lindsay, gives the village an easygoing international feel.

Snow reliability is good thanks to altitude and extensive snowmaking, with the season running December to April. Families favour the gentle Altiport sector, while advanced skiers use Méribel as a launch point for the long, demanding descents of the wider Trois Vallées.