Meribel Snow Report: 26th December 2013

Oooh!  I’m writing the Meribel snow report, filling in for Caroline’s snow report while she’s away! Usually you’ll spot me writing my ski racing blog but I have taken a few days off training to enjoy some free skiing in Meribel.  

I always love the skiing here. The runs are long and you can ski from 9 until 5 and never ski the same run twice. The cherry on top was that the sun was shining today and I skied with my Dad for the first time in I don’t know how many years… he can still keep up with me though! 

Despite the surge of Christmas visitors in Meribel this week the skiing is still great and the lifts speedy.  The pistes are so well maintained, they stay in good condition all day long. As my parents only come skiing on the odd day they bought a lift pass called the Freedom pass” (3 Vallees Liberte). It allows you to skip the queues and go straight to the lift in the morning.  At the end of the day, depending on where you have skied, you are charged either a Meribel day pass or a 3 Valley pass. You need to ski for at least 8 days to make it worthwhile but it means if you don’t ski every day of your holiday, you aren’t charged.

It was pretty windy in Meribel today so unfortunately the Cote Brune and Mont Vallon uplifts were closed and the wind blew away a fair bit of snow so it’s just as well there’s some snow forecast for the next few day.   It’s definitely going to be a white Christmas!

The best thing about skiing with my parents are the hot chocolate stops! The centre of Mottaret has plenty of cafes with deck chairs facing the slopes so you can watch the world go by whilst taking a break.  I was very impressed by the very friendly welcome I received in the “Mont de la Chambre” restaurant at the top of Cote Brune. Mum was especially pleased that you got a whole pot of tea rather than just a cup! If you just nip over the back of Cote Brune you can ski to both Les Menuires and Val Thorens. The run down to Les Menuires is a wide path, great for practising your tuck if you like a bit of speed!  If you’re feeling really adventurous you can keep going and get to La Masse opposite Les Menuires.  It’s a good one to save for a busy day as less people make the trip over there.

An area that’s easy to miss is Bartavelle, situated between Mottaret and Tougnete. This run is not long but should be attempted only by confident skiers. There is a steep double Poma, Roc de Tougne, that runs up the edge of the black run, and also a red slope that runs adjacent to the black run. Both runs lead to the same place, a nice restaurant called Chalet Togniat, that has a lovely buffet lunch ideal for families.

Watching the fireworks tonight, Meribel feels  like the ultimate winter wonderland. Everyone here is dedicated to making your holiday special - you really feel like you’re at home away from home.

I hope everyone has a wonderful Christmas and a snowy end to 2013.

..

And the great news is that lots of fresh snow has fallen overnight from Christmas Day into today, and it's still falling :-) Take a look at the weather forecast to see how much more snow is on the radar.