Meribel Snow Report: 22nd February 2013

Conditions in the 3 Valleys are glorious– they really don’t get much better than this. The snow is abundant and in great shape; all the pistes and lifts are open; the sun is shining and the days are getting longer and milder. In addition, we have brilliant weekend to look forward to, when Méribel hosts the Women’s World Cup. Although it is high season, there are very few queues to worry about and the slopes don’t feel at all crowded – as you can imagine, there are lots of happy, smiling faces in Méribel.

For the first time this season, I have had to remove a layer of clothing as it was too warm. During this cold and exceptionally snowy season, there haven’t been mild days, so this is rather a pleasant novelty. The strengthening sun tells us the balmy, lazy days of March are only just around the corner - suddenly people are picnicking and soaking up the rays on restaurant terraces and the first glowing sunburns can be seen at après-ski time.

I’ve been skiing over in Courchevel Moriand (1650) where there is generally excellent snow with just a bit of hard-pack at the bottom of some runs. Much as I love the easy skiing and spectacular scenery of this tucked-away part of the ski area, good piste-side restaurants are rather thin on the ground. While skiing towards the ever-popular Bel Air restaurant, wondering whether there was any chance of getting a table, I noticed a new place to eat has appeared on the slopes. The Auberge d’Ariondaz is a ferme-auberge – a rustic alpine farm building which sells its own produce and meals. So of course, we had to go and try it out.

A word of caution: the Auberge will not be to everybody’s taste. It is run by Emily and Bernard, local farmers who sell their own cheese and hams here in summer. The menu is teeny – there are only four options, one of which, the omelette, was off as apparently their hens hadn’t laid enough eggs. There are only four tables outside and a handful more inside the chalet. We had a so-so soup (5€) and a tasty cheese and ham on toast with salad (10€). You can also buy their local Beaufort cheese, which was delicious. If you like buying direct from the producer, enjoy authenticity and genuinely rustic surroundings, then you may love this place. If you require gourmet food, smart surroundings, and speedy or smiley service, then give it a miss. It is located on the Ariondaz blue run just below the Bel Air restaurant. Reserve on 06 11 45 26 63, especially if you want to eat out of doors as the tables book up quickly.

Don’t forget to watch the World Cup racing this weekend – if you won’t be in Méribel, note it is shown on Eurosport and on Ski Sunday.