Ski Chalets in Meribel Mottaret, France

Description

Méribel Mottaret is one of Méribel’s numerous satellite villages, nestled among the peaks of the Three Valleys at an altitude of 1750m. With slopes running down to all the major lifts in the village (and a green piste offering an easy route to Méribel itself), ski access is a dream here and it’s this that brings visitors back year on year. At this altitude, snow coverage is assured from December through to the end of April, though the pistes do get a little slushy as April wears on.

The village is purpose-built so it lacks a little charm, but the easy ski access and relaxed feel more than compensate. With Courchevel, la Tania and Méribel to one side and St Martin de Belleville, les Menuires and Val Thorens to the other, Mottaret could easily lay claim to being among the best-located ski villages in the world!

Méribel Mottaret sits in a high, snow-sure bowl, surrounded on almost all sides by a series of rapid and modern chairlifts and gondolas. From here, you can be on your way to the Saulire peak for Courchevel, la Tania and Méribel in moments or, just as easily, be heading in the opposite direction for Val Thorens and surrounds.

The best range of beginner terrain is found in the Altiport sector — above Méribel itself — which is a fair way for learners to go. As such, Mottaret is best suited to intermediate and advanced skiers able to hit the hills and make the most of the expansive terrain available. Sweeping black, red and blue pistes run down the mountainside from the towering Saulire and Tougnete peaks down into Mottaret, and there’s plenty of impressive off-piste skiing in the area too.

There are two snow-parks on the slopes around Mottaret: the large DC Park and the slightly smaller Moonpark. Combined, they offer some of the finest freestyle skiing of any resort in the Alps, attracting keen amateurs and pro-riders alike.

With easy ski access, amazing tuition, car-free centre and a generally peaceful après-ski and nightlife scene, Méribel Mottaret is an excellent resort choice for families — especially if the kids are able to tackle the steeper slopes up top.

On the accommodation front, Mottaret is heavily dominated by blocks of chalet apartments, and there’s little by way of traditional standalone chalets — it’s a purpose-built village, after all! (For more traditional chalets and hotels, look to nearby la Tania, the hamlets around les Menuires, St Martin or indeed Meribel itself.)

The nearest airport is Chambery, 1.5 hours’ drive away. The larger airports of Geneva, Grenoble and Lyon are all around 2.5-3 hours from Meribel.

For train-travellers and those keen to reduce their carbon footprint, Méribel Mottaret is also only 18km – 20km from Moûtiers mainline TGV station, which boasts direct links to Lille, Paris, Brussels and London.

Getting There

If you haven’t booked a package with travel included then you will need to think about the best method of getting to and from resort.

Fly

The most common method of travelling from the UK is to fly. There are four local airports to resort:

Chambery - 102km - 1h15
Lyon - 179km - 1h55
Grenoble - 175km - 2h

Geneva - 181km - 2h10

Transfers

There are several companies who offer both shared and private transfers to take guests to and from the resort. Shared transfers will work out cheaper

Apls2Apls provide private transfers from Geneva, Chambery,Grenoble and Lyon.

Altibus provides shared transfers from Geneva, Chambery and Lyon.

Bens Bus provides low cost shared transfers from Geneva, Grenoble and Lyon.

Cool Bus provides low cost shared transfers from Geneva, Grenoble and Chambery.

Mountain drop-offs provide private transfers from Geneva.

Ski Lifts have been awarded the world’s best ski transfer operator in the World Ski Awards. They provide private and shared transfers from Geneva, Grenoble, Chambery and Lyon everyday.

3VT provides private transfers from Geneva, Lyon, Chambery and Grenoble.

Train

The Eurostar runs directly from London St Pancras and Ashford in Kent to Moutiers and takes approximately 8 hours. The transfer from Moutier to Meribel is approximately 35 minutes.

Drive

If you are planning on driving out to resort from the UK, you can either take the channel tunnel or the ferry. The tunnel departs from Folkestone every 15 minutes and takes 35 minutes. Prices start from £90 each way. You can book your

crossing at https://www.eurotunnel.com/uk/home.

Alternatively, the ferry runs from either Hull to Zeebrugge or Dover to Calais with P&O ferries - http://poferries.com/en/portal. The Hull ferry operates daily and is overnight arriving in Zeebrugge at 0845am. The Dover to Calais service operates up to 23 times each day and takes 90 minutes.

When driving in France, make sure you drive on the right hand side of the road. Please note that there are several tolls on route down to the Alps, the price will vary depending on your vehicle and route but the cost will be approximately €75.

When to Go

Purpose-built Meribel Mottaret sits farther into the valley than its sister, Meribel, and offers piste-side accommodation for the winter ski season from around early- to mid-December right the way through to the season’s sunny, slushy close at the end of April.

Early-season

Meribel Mottaret isn’t quite as charming or as characterful as other Meribel villages, like for instance Meribel Village or the Altiport sector, so it doesn’t compete in terms of atmosphere for the early-season festive Christmas or New Year weeks. (With that said, it does attract skiers eager to combine central location in the Three Valleys with some of the Alps most hassle-free ski access.) In the early-season weeks, Meribel Mottaret’s 1,700 metre altitude and expansive snow cannoning typically brings strong snow coverage across the pistes and parks.

Mid-season

As the festive Christmas and New Year weeks give way to the wintery January and February weeks, skiers and snowboarders in Meribel Mottaret enjoy a mix of low temperatures and fresh snowfall. The cold weather means you have to wrap up warm to hit the slopes, but Meribel Mottaret’s altitude means the snow stays in often great condition.

February also brings with it the schools’ half term week – a very popular time for kids and families across Europe to take to the slopes. But skiers and boarders using Meribel Mottaret as a base from which to explore the Three Valleys have little to worry about… Lift queues are obviously longer during this popular time, but the area’s chairlifts and gondolas can easily handle the extra volume of traffic.

Late-season

April in Meribel Mottaret is a time of early mornings and early après ski, in order to make the most of the prevailing snow conditions. At this altitude, the snow coverage is superb all the way up to the end of April, but of course the rising temperatures do take their toll. Visitors typically enjoy freshly-bashed corduroy pistes in the morning and softer, slushy snow in the afternoon – especially lower down toward the base of the village.

Where to Stay

Mottaret is the highest village in Meribel located at 1750m. Mottaret is purpose built so it isn’t the most attractive village however accommodation is generally cheaper than in Meribel centre with much of the accommodation being ski in/ski out. Mottaret is the best location for accessing the whole Three Valleys but it can get busy towards the end of the day as it is the hub for being going back to Meribel and Courchevel.

Getting around

There is an excellent free bus service that links the Mottaret to the other resorts and villages in the Meribel valley. The bus runs daily from 7am till midnight

throughout the winter season.

There are three lines through the resort:

Line A links Les Allues and Meribel Village with Meribel centre and la Chaudaunne lift and ski area. The bus stops at Le Cruet, Chandon, Nantgerel, Le Raffort, La Gittaz, Meribel Village and Mussillon.

Line C links Meribel top to bottom, running from la Chaudanne right up through Meribel to the Altiport. On request, the bus will make a detour to the Belvedere hamlet.

Line D links Meribel with Mottaret centre and le Hameau at the top of Mottaret.

There are two gondolas that offer an alternative way of getting around the resort.

The chalets gondola links Mottaret and Meribel centre - this lift runs from the bottom of the resort to le Hameau at the top with one stop midway. The lift is free and runs from around 0800 to 1930.

The Olympe gondola connects Brides-les-Baines with Meribel, stopping at les Allues and le Raffort. The gondola is free with a lift pass, if you don’t have a pass you can take it downhill for free but have to pay to take it uphill.

Meribel sits in the heart of the Three Valleys so it is possible to visit the neighbouring resorts, either bt road of ski lift.

The resorts can be reached by a paying bus service. There are direct buses from Meribel to Moutier which is 18km away, from Moutier you can get buses to the nearby resorts.

During the peak season, there are four buses that run from Meribel to La Tania

Apres

One of the latest additions to Méribel’s après ski offerings is a Folie Douce, which sits on the hillside above Méribel and gets the crowd drinking and dancing from around 3pm each day. If you’re in Mottaret, the Folie is within reach but you need to be careful about timings for the last lifts.

In short however, if you’re coming to the Three Valleys and looking for nightlife, you need to be in Méribel itself (or indeed Courchevel or Val Thorens). The village of Mottaret is home to a humble yet welcoming selection of bars, but compared to neighbouring Méribel it’s pretty quiet. You can stay in Mottaret and take the bus down into town for nightlife, but you’d need a taxi to get back to Mottaret. (Don’t try walking up the Truite piste – it’s very dark and cold at night!)

For après ski of a beer in the evening, bars such as Le Rastro, l’Annexe le ZigZag and La Tavle du Ruitor are worth a look.

Eating out

Mottaret is home to a small but diverse selection of restaurants serving up all the Alpine classics and speciality dishes you’d hope for. Prices are generally better-value than down among the bright lights of Méribel, too.

Good for Couples

Le Rastro

Route du Châtelet

Meribel Mottaret

+33 4 79 00 41 51

Good for Family

Le ZigZag

Route du Chatelet

Meribel Mottaret

+33 4 79 00 47 40

Good for Friends

Le Café del Motte

Chemin Chardon

Meribel Mottaret

+33 4 79 00 47 47

Activities

Méribel Mottaret is surrounded on all sides by the beautiful forests, and there are plenty of cross-country trails and walking paths to explore. Visitors to the village can also enjoy paragliding and snow-shoeing, and there are spa and sauna facilities too.

With all that said, the best of the non-ski activities are to be found down in Méribel itself. There, you’ll find the Olympic Centre with indoor swimming pool, children’s pool, water slide, fitness centre, climbing wall, spa and indoor ice-rink.

Indoor climbing wall

La Chaudanne

Meribel Mottaret

+33 479 08 60 02

Leisure Centre

La Chaudanne

Meribel Mottaret

+33 479 08 60 01

Paragliding

Meribel Mottaret

+33 4 79 00 45 67

Snowshoeing

Meribel Mottaret

+33 6 33 44 20 41

Ski School

The two main schools in Mottaret are ESF and Oxygene. Both schools are staples across the Alps and offer both group and private lessons. Group lessons are more sociable and cheaper but are less intense than one to one. Make sure that you pre-book your lessons so that you don’t miss out.

Getting around

There is an excellent free bus service that links the Mottaret to the other resorts and villages in the Meribel valley. The bus runs daily from 7am till midnight

throughout the winter season.

There are three lines through the resort:

Line C links Meribel top to bottom, running from la Chaudanne right up through Meribel to the Altiport. On request, the bus will make a detour to the Belvedere hamlet.

Line D links Meribel with Mottaret centre and le Hameau at the top of Mottaret.

There are two gondolas that offer an alternative way of getting around the resort.

The chalets gondola links Mottaret and Meribel centre - this lift runs from the bottom of the resort to le Hameau at the top with one stop midway. The lift is free and runs from around 0800 to 1930.

Meribel sits in the heart of the Three Valleys so it is possible to visit the neighbouring resorts, either bt road of ski lift.

The resorts can be reached by a paying bus service. There are direct buses from Meribel to Moutier which is 18km away, from Moutier you can get buses to the nearby resorts.

During the peak season, there are four buses that run from Meribel to La Tania

Family ski

With a series of chairlifts and gondolas running up to the Saulire and Tougnete peaks, and a relaxed atmosphere, Meribel Mottaret makes a great base for families exploring the Three Valleys. The village doesn’t have the broad range of facilities and services you’ll find in Meribel itself, but for those looking for a no-frills approach and a ski-focused holiday, it’s a strong resort choice to make.

On the accommodation front, Meribel Mottaret offers a broad selection of piste-side apartments which offer the ultimate in hassle-free ski access. Whether you choose to book an apartment with UK flights, transfers and half-board catering included, or go solo in a self-catered property, Mottaret’s value for money and convenience makes it a popular option.

As a car-free village, Mottaret is a safe place for families on the snow. The central area is home to ski school meeting points, piste-side restaurants, and of course the gondola bases, but with no traffic to worry about, kids and parents alike can relax and enjoy their holiday.

Group Ski

Mottaret is one of Meribel’s numerous satellite villages, and sits farther into the valley above Meribel itself. With fantastically hassle-free ski access and the expansive Three Valleys area at your ski tips, Meribel Mottaret works well for a wide range of skiers and snowboarders. If your priorities include easy ski access, broad terrain for a wide range of levels, good ski schools and good altitude, Mottaret is a great resort to use as a base for your ski holiday.

The lifts and gondolas running out of Mottaret whisk skiers up to the surrounding peaks in moments, and the range of terrain in the Three Valleys is staggering. You’ll find slopes here for all levels, but Mottaret is perhaps best suited to intermediates and experts. Intermediates can explore the wonderful blue and red pistes within the local area, while experts head off toward the far-flung corners of the Three Valleys – Courchevel and Val Thorens.

There are one or two rather lovely restaurants and bars to enjoy in Mottaret, but if you’re looking to balance out a big ski day with a lively nightlife then you’d be better to base yourself in Meribel itself. There are a few spots for an après ski drink in Mottaret, but overall it’s not great for groups looking to party hard.

The quality of the ski tuition and the superbly simple ski access makes Mottaret a great resort choice for groups of skiing families, but the range of non-ski activities to try if bad weather closes in is limited.

On the accommodation front, Meribel Mottaret is home to a good range of catered chalet-apartments in piste-side locations, where groups can enjoy easy access to the resort’s various amenities. On top of that, there are some lovely hotels available also with UK flights and transfers included in the package.

Childcare

Parents visiting Mottaret with their children and looking for childcare options in the resort can turn to a broad range of services. T4 Nannies, Meribel Nannies, Snowbugs and the aptly named Meribel Nanny Services are all worth of note.

There’s also the ESF’s nursery for little ones aged from 6 months to 5 years, in which kids are cared for and entertained for half- or full-days, with or without meals included — as requested at time of booking. For older children, the service offers safe and fun childcare, and the perfect introduction for young ones to the snow.

The Piste

Beginners

In 2016, Mottaret spent millions on redesigning its beginner area. There is now a magic carpet and a drag lift as well as the Combes chair which serves the new Little Himalaya beginner run.

There is also beginner area in Meribel centre as well as plenty of beginner friendly slopes. The Petit Moon at Rond Point is great for kids and the Chemin des Ecoliers which is located near the DC Area 43 snowpark above Mottaret is popular with adults.

There are 24 blue runs in resort so plenty of piste to explore when you are ready to progress from the nursery slopes.

Intermediates

Some of the best runs for intermediate runs are found south of Mottaret which are accessd by the Plattieres gondola from Mottaret. The red Combe Vallon piste from the sop of the Mont du Vallon gondola and the Face run from the top of the Roc de Fer are both good options for the more experienced skiers.

Experts

Meribel Mottaret itself doesn’t have the best skiing for intermediates but its central position in the Three Valleys means that expert skiers can easily access more challenging pistes in the other valleys.

The Bartavelle and Bosses black runs are the best for bumps although the resort does have a tendency to keep these pistes mogul free. Le Face run which hosted the women’s Olympic downhill is a good run for un-pisted powder. Some of the best off piste is found at the Mont Vallon valley between the Combe de Vallon and Campagnol pistes.

Ski School

Equipment Hire

There are a few ski hire shops in Meribel Mottaret that offer a good range of winter ski and sports equipment. Make sure that you book your hire in advance as the majority of schools will offer online discounts.

The following stores are found in Mottaret - Skimium, Sport 2000, Precision ski, Skiset

Lift Passes

If you are skiing in Meribel you can either purchase a local Meribel pass or the full are Three Valley pass. The local pass covers the lifts in Meribel and Mottaret, and the Three Valley pass covers the whole area. The full area pass is more expensive but it does allow you to cover more area.

The below prices are based on the current rates in resort but may change at the time of booking:

6 Day Ski Pass Méribel Valley Pass Three Valley Pass

Adult (13-64yrs) €249 €300

Child (5-12yrs) €200 €240
Senior (65-75yrs) €224.10 €270

Free passes are available for under 5yrs and over 75yrs, proof of age is required.

There are group discounts available for groups of two or three. The discounts are only valid on passes bought for the same duration in the same transaction.

6 Day Méribel Valley Three Valley Pass

2 Persons €242 €290

Duo Pass (price

per person)
3 Persons €239 €285

Tribu Pass (price

per person)

Family Ski Passes are available when all family members pay the child’s rate. Family passes are available to families of 2 parents and 2 children (5-17yrs) and any extra children (2-7 children). All passes must be purchased at the same time for the same duration and same ski area.

There are beginner passes available in the Méribel and Mottaret area for €28.50 per day for all ages. The pass gives access to: Drag-lifts: Altiport, Cotes, Sittelle, Aigle; Telecabins: Rhodos 1 et 2, Tougnete 1, Olympe, Chalets; Chairlifts: Altiport, Golf, Morel, Arolles, Combes; Magic carpets: Loupiot, Doron; and Pull –cords: Fontanyl, Ourson.

You can pre-book your lift pass online from the Méribel or Mottaret lift pass office. Make sure that you order from the right one if you are picking up in resort otherwise you will have to trek to get to the right office. Alternatively, you can book your pass through the tour operator that you’re staying with who will deliver the pass to your accommodation for you upon your arrival. This is generally the easiest method of doing it as you don’t have to worry about the hassle of going to pick it up or buying it in resort and can get straight out on the slopes on your first day.