The mini-escapades in the 3 Valleys To be done in 3 hours!
Intermediate level (blue runs)
The alpine meadows of Saint Martin de Belleville
An easy adventure in the neighbouring valley, in three hours and on our favourite blue runs.
From Méribel-Mottaret, it’s straight into a forest ambience as we begin by taking the Truite piste which trails down to the Méribel Centre snowfront. Hop on high-tech chairlift Legends then the more understated Cherferie. From the top, enjoy a great run down the blue Jérusalem, far from the crowds, in an alpine meadow and those dreamy white rolling hills.
After this superb piste, we cruise down Biollay into the village of Saint Martin de Belleville. From here, take the Saint Martin 1 gondola then Saint Martin Express chair. If you skied that more quickly than you imagined, we definitely recommend you ride another magical run in this valley: take the Granges chairlift and ski the sublime Grand Lac piste. Let yourself go! This run is wide and usually very quiet.
At the end of this run, continue on the Pezolet piste to find the Saint Martin Express chair again. Once at the top, Faon offers you another opportunity to show off your carving turns, before you take Perdrix back down to Mottaret!
The forests of Courchevel
A circuit that gives you the chance to see a different side to Courchevel, far from the glitz and much closer to nature!
From Mottaret, head to Courchevel on the Pas du Lac 1 gondola. To avoid red runs, jump out at the mid station and take the blue run Chardonneret, through the tunnels and cut across over to the Loze chairlift.
At the summit of our famous Col de la Loze (known in the summertime for having welcomed not one, but two stages of the Tour de France), ride down the Col de la Loze piste to Loze Est then take Arolles. These gentle, joined up slopes are often quiet and are surrounded by nature, which we love. Keep left now and take Folyères, which allows you to discover the forests of La Tania with its giant épicéa pines sheltering the local wildlife. Once in the village of La Tania, continue through and take Tania gondola then Dou des Lanches back up to Col de la Loze.
Maintaining the nature trail vibe, descend on the Pic Bleu and Blanchot runs to Altiport chair, then cruise back to Méribel Centre on the Doron piste. At the Chaudanne, (Méribel’s snowfront), take Legends chair, then Perdrix piste to get you back to Mottaret easily.
Advanced level (red runs)
The 3 Vallées Express and the Cime Caron
What could be better than Méribel-Mottaret as central base to explore the 3 Vallées? It’s so easy to ride between valleys and discover the hidden gems of this extraordinary ski area.
From Mottaret, jump in the Plattières gondola and then take Côte Brune chair. You’re now at the junction between Les Menuires and Val Thorens: the Belleville Valley. Take the superb Mont de la Chambre run before turning off onto a quiet blue that leads down to Val Thorens (at the level of the Alpage restaurants).
In Val Thorens, cut through the resort with your skis still on, to the Caron gondola and then the famous Cime Caron cable car. At the top, you’ll find a very different view from what you can see in Méribel: a superb panorama over the Maurienne valley, and the peaks of the Ecrins, the Meije…
After this moment’s pause, take the red run Cime then back to the resort on the blue runs Fond and Combe de Thorens which bring you back to the Plein Sud chair, then take the 3 Vallées chair back to the Méribel valley. From here it’s a cruisy run down the blue Lac de la Chambre which gives you a high altitude, natural environment to enjoy!
The Orient Express: Sunny Moriond in just three hours
Far east meets wild west on this adventure to the other end of the 3 Vallées, but you don’t need to be a cowboy to enjoy the ride. Three hours is plenty of time to enjoy our Orient Express trip.
Hop on the Pas du Lac gondola to the top of La Saulire, the junction to the Courchevel Valley. A quick photo stop (obligatory: it’s too beautiful not to want to take a souvenir snapshot to look at again in a few months!), then down Creux to the Chanrossa chair. It’s a little old school but basks in the morning sun and takes you alongside the cliffs where chamois love to roam, so keep your eyes peeled! From the summit, take the red Roc Merlet, then the blue Pyramides. We know we promised red runs, but we promise you won’t be disappointed!
After throwing some carving turns down Grandes Bosses, take the Signal chair and then down the eastern-most run in the 3 Valleys: the red run Chapelets. One of our absolute favourites, which makes you feel you could be in Canada’s backcountry, when you see the Dent du Villard mountain and its coulouirs.
Take the Chapelets chairlift and then head off the beaten track to Rochers (a secret favourite, need we say more 😉). Spot the Western Ski Park beginner’s area with its tipi, then head down Petites Bosses and Gravelles which lead to the Aiguille de Fruit chair. Under this lift, keep your eyes open again to try and spot the Tetras Lyre (black grouse), our wild mountain chickens with their black feathers and red eyebrows! Head left at the top to ski down to Marmottes chairlift, at the top of which, you can ski straight down the Méribel valley. Easy!