Meribel

Meribel is a group of three villages in the Savoie department of France.

Get in

Meribel, in France, is best accessed via train from Paris which goes direct to near-by Moutiers Salins where a short bus or taxi ride will take you to Meribel centre and surrounding areas. Eurostar offers direct services from London and Ashford on Friday evenings and Saturday mornings to Moutiers, returning on Saturday (morning or evening).

Other ways of getting to Meribel include flying to Geneva, Lyon, Grenoble or Chambery and transferring via bus or taxi. It is possible to drive to Meribel, but this is probably not the best way as traffic around the Alps can be awful and the mountain roads are rather hard to negotiate.

There is a direct coach service from London, stopping at a few other places in England which can give 8 days skiing, a very favourable low-cost option for the budget traveller.

The Olympe cable car links Meribel to Brides les Bains at the foot of the Alps, via Les Allués. The ride takes 26 minutes in small 6 seater cabins.

Get around

Meribel is a large resort by Alps standards but the best way to explore Meribel centre is by walking. If you are staying in surrounding villages, a free bus service operates 7 days a week and runs til late.

For example, you can drive to Bozel, in the Tarentaise Valley.

Do

Meribel offers some of the best Alpine skiing in the Alps and other resorts such as Courchevel, Les Menuires and Val Thorens can be accessed via the extensive lift network.

Buy

• The Boot Lab are a specialist boot fitters based in Méribel Centre. They offer a comfort guarantee with every boot sold and have excellent client feedback.

Eat

Chez Kiki is a little steak place run and owned by an old French chap called Kiki. Their steaks are legendary but as with most restaurants in the Alps, extremely pricey and a 3-course meal with wine is likely to set you back at least €100 per head.

Drink

Le Pub, Barometer, the Tavern and Dick's Tea Bar are some of the most popular night spots in Meribel and are generally full of, and run by, English people. Dick's Tea Bar is open until 05:00 most nights. Be prepared to spend lots of money in these places, a pint of beer can set you back €6-8.

The Rond Point, locally known as 'Ronnies' is possibly one of the most famous Apres-Ski spots in the world and is the only place to go for drinks on the slopes. Again, prices are eye-watering but the atmosphere is fantastic. Open to 19:00 daily.

Sleep

• 1 Delicious Mountain, Chalet La Chouette, Impasse des Fontaines, ☏ +33 647 213576, mail@chalets-meribel.co.uk. Check-in: 15:00, check-out: 11:00. Catered chalet, sleeps up to 16 guests in comfort, with hot tub, sauna and cinema room. (updated Jan 2016)
• Mountain Heaven, Chalet La Cote, ☏ +44 151 625 1921, info@mountainheaven.co.uk. Catered chalet at the entrance to Meribel. Sleeps 10-12 in five rooms. Comes with a hot tub, free WiFi, heated boot warmers. Mountain Heaven also offers a number of chalets in other ski resorts in France. (updated May 2016)