The Quartiers

>>>   The Centre with it's village atmosphere, shops and restaurants.
>>>   Altitude 1600 and the Plateau quiet and calm.
>>>   Mottaret more compact and sportif.
>>>   The villages, real authenticity.

Arrivals and departures the Saturday

Méribel on saturdays is a bit like an ant hill which someone has accidentally kicked. It is the day of arrivals and departures.

The apartments must be emptied before 10am and are not available until 5pm. What happens between 10am and 5pm ? The ants get busy and put everything back the way it should be, (clean apartments, linen deliveries, servicing the skis etc...).

Come 5pm everything is back in order ready for the new arrivals.

If you arrive early in the day or leave after 5pm why not make the most of an extra days skiing ( it's the calmest day of the week) or use the pool for a relaxing swim, it opens at 2pm.

During this time you can leave your baggage at the agency.

If you are arriving by car the " infos route" will inform you of any traffic problems.
Avoid the traffic jams by taking the time to visit France. Organise stops on the way over, there is so much to see.

And don't forget to equipe your car for the snow before you arrive in the resort !.

If you are arriving by plane or train you can reserve your transfer to the resort. See our "Access and Transport" page.

Moving about in the resort

By car
When the road is "dry" it is easy to navigate from one end of the resort to the other. But don't try driving around in the snow without equipment, saying "I'll be ok", because you rarely are.

If during your holiday the temperatures have been very cold, then it's often a good idea to start your car the day before you leave. That way if the battery is flat you will have time to sort it out.

Car Parks
Find out about the free parking in the resort, a big car park is at your disposition at the entrance of the resort. At peak season, find a place at the beginning of the week and leave your car there. There is a free bus service in the resort.
A large number of public parking zones are paying and are only for a limited period.
There are covered paying car parks with video surveillance. The first 30 minutes are free, then 12hrs is 2€, which is about 25€ for the week.

By bus
A free service is guaranteed between the different areas from 8.20am to 8pm every
20 or 30 mins, and in the evening from 8pm to 11.30pm every hour.
Avoid the busy times from 4pm to 5.30pm.
Ask for a map of the resort and the MERIBUS timetable.

By Gondola
In Mottaret, the "Chalets" gondola link between the centre, the Châtelet and the Hameau is open from 8.45am to 7.30pm.

By taxi
Méribel taxis are present all day in the resort and also in the evening for when the night clubs close !

Pre-reservation

Reserve your ski pass or ski discovery when you book your holiday and benefit from a reduction

Book ski lessons in advance . (essential during school holidays)

Don't forget to book restaurants.

Setting out on skis

Listen to R' Méribel Europe 2 (97.9 and 98.9) every morning to have all the neccessary information for a good days skiing : which lifts and runs are open, the weather, and snow conditions etc....Avoid starting out between 9.30am and 10.30am, and ski between midday and 2pm.

The piste maps available will advise you on which pistes are most adapted to your level, show you alternative routes to avoid the queues and which runs have been bashed the night before.

Don't forget to ask about the last lifts back to your resort from the other vallies.

Check the thermometre or stand outside for 10 minutes before leaving and dress acccordingly !

Make sure that your children have helmets on when skiing, and yourself if you have a tendancy to turn into a giant snowball !

Check your bindings and the undersides of your skis.

Have ski lessons as it is the skiers with a good technic who enjoy it the most.

It is preferable to stay on the marked runs. If you really want to go off-piste then find out about the stability of the snow before following other people's tracks. The tracks that you saw while going up in the gondola might have been made by someone totally unconcious of the risks he or she was taking or they could have been made the day before.

When is the best time to come

The two quieter weeks of the French school holidays are 9th - 16th february and 1st march - 8th march 2008

Make your holidays unforgettable

Why not try something NEW ?

Parapente flying, a husky dog sledge ride, snow scooter outings, snow shoe walk, a trip to a mountain refuge, torchlit desent, a flight around the Mont Blanc, see our activity page...

Services

The banks are closed Saturday and Sunday, Therefore you cannot change money before monday morning.. In the centre of Méribel and Mottaret there are cash machines that accept most cards.


Internet access : both tourist offices have public internet access and the restaurant La Taverne has a cyber café.
Our clients also have access in the Residence le Plein Soleil and the Mérilys.


Skis and boots are too heavy for you everyday, leave them in the ski lockers in "La Chaudanne", below the Burgin gondola.
1 day : 10.50€ - 6 days : 42 €.
For more information, please contact Méribel Alpina : 04.79.08.65.32.