France’s Top 3 Ski Resorts 2011/12
With a new skiing season fast approaching skiers of all ages and abilities will be looking forward to the prospect of fresh, undisturbed powder, exhilarating runs and convivial après-ski. Thanks to its proximity to the UK, ease of access and the availability of budget transport options France is the ideal location for those seeking a speedy return to the slopes. The sheer range and diversity of French ski resorts means that there’s plenty of ski action for everyone, but if you’re finding it tricky to choose the perfect French ski resort this season, here’s our guide to three of the best for 2011/12.
Meribel
Just 100km from Chambery Airport (serviced by Flybe, Jet2, Snowjet and others), Méribel sits at the heart of the legendary Three Valleys ski region; the largest linked ski area in the world. Since its establishment as a ski resort in 1938 Méribel has become a destination of choice for discerning skiers. Beginners are spoilt for choice with a wide selection of gentle and scenic nursery slopes at their disposal, and Méribel offers the perfect terrain to allow confident beginners to make the transition from green to blue runs. Red runs are plentiful for the intermediate skier, providing a combination of winding routes and rolling hills, with the Mont du Vallon an excellent introduction to Méribel’s intermediate skiing opportunities. Thrill-seeking expert skiers won’t want to miss Méribel’s challenging selection of black runs; notable among these are Bartavelle, Bosses, Tetras and The Face (which is the run used for the women’s Olympic Downhill event). Méribel also offers easily accessible off-piste terrain both above and below the tree line, including glacier runs.
All of Méribel’s ski runs are serviced by one of the largest and most efficient lift networks in Europe. The lifts also provide access to Méribel’s two extensive terrain parks: Moonpark and Plattières.
Méribel itself is a stylish collection of individual wood-clad chalets and chalet-style apartment blocks and hotels. Bars and restaurants are plentiful and the resort has more than ninety shops as well as a twice-weekly market, should you wish to exercise your credit card. Apres-ski is equally well catered for, and Méribel is renowned for its vibrant night life.
- Chamonix
Chamonix
Hop on a morning flight to Geneva (with EasyJet, BMI Baby or Flybe for example) and the world-class French ski resort of Chamonix is just an hour’s transfer away. Nestling along the valley beneath Mont Blanc, Chamonix is a traditional alpine town with cobbled streets and charming buildings. A popular tourist destination since the nineteenth century, Chamonix’s reputation for winter sports was cemented by its selection to host the first Winter Olympics in 1924.
Whilst expert skiers may benefit most from the varied terrain around Chamonix there’s no doubt that the resort truly offers something for everyone. From a choice of nursery slopes, Chamonix’s best beginner area is perhaps La Tour which provides two gentle green runs and a slightly longer blue run; perfect for getting acclimatised before tackling the various intermediate red and blue runs of Les Houches and the more challenging intermediates of Le Brevent, La Flegere and Grands Montets. Whilst these areas also have their moments for advanced and expert skiers, most will head for the legendary black runs of Grand Montets which include the Point de Vue and Pylones; both icy and bumpy but offering spectacular views and also the Chamois and the La Remuaz runs. Chamonix offers enough off-piste back country to satisfy every grade of skier and is easily accessible from the pistes; avalanche risks need to be heeded though.
The bustling town of Chamonix provides the perfect base for exploring the mountains and valleys of the resort and offers a wealth of accommodation and fine places to eat and unwind after a day on the slopes.
- Tignes
Tignes
Perfect for skiers of all abilities, Tignes is one of the highest ski resorts in the French Alps and boasts over 300 square kilometres of varied terrain. Significantly, Tignes’ altitude makes skiing viable for at least ten months of the year. The visual appeal of Tignes itself has been criticised; the architecture veers toward the ‘ugly but functional’ end of the scale, but efforts have been made in recent years to add ‘chalet-style’ charm to the resort. Buildings aside, it’s the skiing that matters in Tignes and the diversity on offer doesn’t disappoint. Beginners are pampered with free lifts to the many dedicated areas such as Pitôts and Le Bollin, whilst Rosset and Lavachet also offer nursery slopes. A plethora of red and blue runs makes Tignes a haven for the intermediate skier, allowing for every skiing style from ‘boy-racer’ to ‘scenery-admirer’. If conditions are good, the ‘eye of the needle’, a natural geological feature atop Aiguelle Percee is an unmissable attraction, whilst the wide descent from the summit of Grande Motte provides the defining intermediate route. Experts who enjoy rock-jumping with their skiing will want to try the ‘Telegraph’ and ‘Telephone’ black runs, or the challenging couloirs simply named ‘One’, ‘Two’ and ‘Three’ which provide some of Tignes’ best skiing. Tignes excels in its variety of off-piste opportunities, which include the Grand Motte Glacier, the Massif du Lavachet with its 45 degree slopes and the Vallon de la Sache; a long and beautiful run featuring a 900 meter drop.
Architectural aesthetics aside, chalet and apartment accommodation is plentiful in Tignes and whilst there may not be the vast array of eateries to be found in other resorts there are still more than enough restaurants, bars and clubs to satisfy the demands of those seeking agreeable venues for après-ski and nightlife.
This was a guest post by John from Alpine Action who have a choice of Meribel chalets and chalets in La Tania, France
