Cold weather & great snow in Meribel

This weekend I have been on a hunt for some of the little-used pistes in Les 3 Vallées to share with you. Not only is it deeply satisfying to have a slope all to yourself, but you also tend to find the best snow on pistes which have seen little traffic. As the busy French holiday period is starting soon (11 February to 11 March), my next few reports will be dedicated to how to make the most of skiing during peak season. Today I’ll let you into the secrets of Courchevel’s hidden slopes.

Now, I have to admit that I love the Couchevel ski area – I’m feeling a teeny bit unfaithful to Méribel as I write this – because it’s so varied, with lots of pretty, tree-lined runs, plenty of challenging skiing, and it often has the very best piste conditions. “Courchevel corduroy” is the name given to this valley’s supremely well-groomed snow. I assume it remains in great shape because many of the slopes are high and north-facing and never see any direct afternoon sunshine.

Whatever the reason, it’s worth taking the very first lift of the day at 09:00 to Saulire and whizzing around the perfect slopes on the Courchevel side of the Saulire early on. Early-bird Méribel skiers can access these slopes before Courchevel skiers, giving us at least two descents on empty and immaculately-groomed runs before the crowds arrive. Blue run Creux is a perfect warm-up run first thing in the morning before it becomes super-busy later. As you ski down Creux, remember to look up to your right to see if the Rocher Grises black and red runs have been groomed overnight – if so, these runs are particularly good and are little-skied. The popular slopes on Saulire will soon become busy, so by 09:45 it’s time to move on to somewhere quieter…

Three areas in the valley remain relatively quiet. The first is the large ski area above Moriond 1650. The lifts here almost never develop queues (especially now the Ariondaz gondola has been upgraded) and there are lots of pistes which don’t become crowded even in peak season. There are plenty of wide blue runs so it’s a good place to bring children or intermediates who want nice easy skiing. And for children, there are lots of fun zones including a new toboggan run (open in the afternoons), the Indians piste and the Western Snow Park. Quiet pistes to seek out include Tétras, Bel Air, Rochers, Mont Russe and Grandes Bosses.

The second area is near Courchevel’s Altiport. From the Aiguille du Fruit chairlift you can access the empty red runs Cave des Creux and Altipole and the black run Mur. These pistes currently have perfect snow and, because they are tucked away, very few people know about them. There is also a beautiful, if expensive, restaurant here, La Cave des Creux. It’s a great place for a mid-morning coffee-stop or lunch on the terrace. It’s typically Courchevel 1850 (i.e. expensive and beautiful) and even has a special panoramic lift to take down you to the immaculate loos.

Finally, for experienced skiers, the steep red and black runs above le Praz 1300 are a joy in good snow. Jean Blanc, Jockeys and Murettes were all fabulous yesterday, with perfect grippy snow. These runs are long, steep, tree-lined and offer amazing views over the valley floor below. They are relatively low so are to be avoided when the snow quality is deteriorating, but they are spectacularly lovely when the snow is good. They were such fun to ski yesterday that I grinned from top to bottom until my teeth hurt from the cold, and then went back up and skied them all over again. Other quiet runs in this area which are worth seeking out are Petit Dou and Dou du Midi.

Over the next few weeks, I’ll bring you more tips on how to find quiet skiing during the busy periods.

One important note for those in Méribel right now: the lift map contains an error about last lift times. The 3 Vallées lifts will remain open at the end of the afternoon for an extra 20-30 minutes from the 10th of February onwards. The lift map incorrectly states that the later lift times start from the 4th of February in Méribel.