Meribel Apres Ski Report: 12th December 2011
Beers, laughs, burgers and parties. I love Meribel.
Bonjour from the snowy mountains of Meribel. We've had a nail biting wait when it was unsure whether the slopes would be white in time for Saturday’s lift openings. But early on Monday the skies finally opened and the resorts first covering of snow didn’t let up until the early hours of Thursday morning. At last, Meribel is looking like the winter wonderland it should be.
With the mountains skiable once more, what better excuse is there to go and celebrate at the Evolution Bar opening party? A highly enjoyable evening of toffee vodka, beer, good company and great music was had by all. Meribel regulars Daisy B. and Albert Jones graced the small corner that the bar had designated as the stage area and they did not disappoint, playing a host of crowd pleasers and some superbly executed hip hop covers. A perfect musical choice for such an intimate venue.
The previous evening, just next door at Jack’s, resident promotion company ‘Taking the Piste’ put on their first comedy night. Another Meribel veteran, Mock the Week regular Marcus Brigstocke was the headline act of the night and his set went down great as always. Playing to a sold out crowd, packed to bursting point, Brigstocke’s dry observational humour went down a storm with the seasonnaire-heavy crowd. Follow ‘Taking the Piste’ on Facebook for news of future comedy nights at Jack’s Bar.
Those willing to hit the slopes for the first time on Saturday with a hangover spent Friday night at the opening party of the infamous Dick’s Tea Bar. The grotto like club was packed to the rafters and punters who prefer a bit of variation rather than last year’s mainly dubstep DJ sets were treated to an eclectic mix of popular and dance tracks.
On Saturday morning the wait was finally over and the majority of lifts in Meribel creaked back into life, completing the 3 Valleys ski area. It was a sunny day, in the main, with the slopes in good condition. Although the second burst of snow that we are currently enjoying will definitely improve conditions further.
Almost as exciting as my first day on the mountain was the promise of my first ‘mountain burger’. For those of you who have not yet experienced the mountain burger you are missing out on an almighty treat. If you are wondering about where to clip out of your planks and stop for lunch, wonder no more. Up in Mottaret centre, next to the Sherpa supermarket you will find one of the 3 Valleys best but not so well kept secrets. Having received rave reviews in various British travel columns, Mottaret’s Mountain Burger is always a popular choice. For the very reasonable price of €6.90 (try filling up anywhere else on the mountain for less) you get a huge burger inside a French baguette segment with salad, burger sauce and delicious traditional uber-melty raclette cheese. This will easily serve as a large lunch for one or a hearty snack for two. All you have to do is figure out where on earth you are meant to take your first bite from!
A day on the mountain here in Meribel is never complete without a stop off at the Rond Point. With the sun still shining on the large heated decking area, holiday makers and seasonnaires alike enjoyed their first après drink of the season, followed by more live music from the talented Daisy B.
There are exciting times ahead here with ‘Freestylers’ highly anticipated DJ set at Dicks Tea Bar this coming Thursday. People have been feverishly snapping up tickets so expect this to be a fun and busy night.
