Meribel riding guide - World Snowboard Guide

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Freeriding

Freeriders have a massive area to explore with well maintained pistes and lots of powder faces. From the Saulire are some long reds down to Mottaret which in turn will allow you to gain access to the Mont Vallon area - the highest point in the Meribel Valley. Under the Plan de Homme chair are some well-spaced trees with an easy pitch but a lot of rocks.

Get off the Olympic Express chair and keep going straight until you drop into a 845m off-piste descent towards St Martin de Belleville, be sure to keep left as you may run out of snow early or late season.

A short walk between two peaks off the Mont Vallon bubble will lead you to a huge off-piste bowl with some big drop-offs. Take Care as an avalanche is a real possibility here.

If you do leave the valley, dont miss the last lift home as taxis are ridiculously expensive.

Freestylers

Freestylers have a good funpark which is reached by the Plattieres bubble - get off at the second stage. There are 2 pipes, one of which was used one year for the British championships. Following the pipe are a number of graded hits which could do with steeper and longer run outs, but are fine overall.

Serviced by the Arpasson chair is the Moonpark (www.moonparc.net) which has a good wide pipe, and a new boardercross. A 3-day pass just for the Moonpark is available for 50 euros, and the days dont have to be consecutive.

Pistes

On the piste there's some really sweet runs. The pistes are not as well maintained as in Courchevel but are plentiful and wide. Meribel has red runs with a vertical drop of almost 1300m. If you can't find somewhere to crank it over on a run that long, give up.

Beginners

Beginners have lots of opportunities to master those linked turns around the Altiport area, although some of the lifts are very old and slow and you'll also need to use a drag. If heading for the Mont Vallon area, be prepared for some flat spots on the way home. If looking for a lesson, check out rtmsnowboarding.com a British board school who hold beginners, freestyle and carving clinics.

Resort Statistics

Resort Type: Alpine
Winter: Dec to April
Summer: None

Lifts

Total Lifts: 53
Gondolas: 16
Chair lifts: 18
Drag lifts: 17
Other lifts: 8 Telebabies
Max people per hour: 50,000
Board Leashes required: No

Mountain

Total pistes/trails: 74
Total ride area: 150km/1329 acres
Longest run: 2.5miles (4km)

Top lift: 2952m
Vertical drop: 1552m
First lift: 1400m

Piste suitability

Green runs: 58%
Red runs: 28%
Black runs: 14%

Lift Passes

Lift Passes:
Meribel:
Half-day 28 euros
1 Day pass 36.5 euros
6 Days 174 euros
3 Valleys:
Half-day 34.5 euros
Day pass 43 euros
6 Days 215 euros
Lift times:8.30am to 4.30pm

Snowfall

Average annual snowfall: 500metres
Artificial snowmaking coverage: 26%

Facilities

Snowboard Schools: Around 150 euros for 5x3hr
Snowboard Hire: 120/170euros a week.
Night Riding: : Yes

Other activities

Heliboarding: : Héliski from 155 euros per person on the France/Italy border. Tel/Fax +33(0)4 79 00 30 38. Guides available for 320 euros for the day.
Snowmobiles: Not available

Further information

www.meribel.net/
Email:accueil@meribel.net

Well overpriced and over-rated. The park is good but lift system is not as good as Courchevel, and the snow's better in Val Thorens. Good for large mixed groups and those with long arms and short pockets.

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MONEY WISE: Bad

HALFPIPE: Yes - 2
TERRAIN PARK: Yes - 1
BACKCOUNTRY/OFF-PISTE:Yes
TREE RUNS:Yes

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