Beginners:
Preparation.

(MOST skiing tips also apply equally to Snowboarding).
 

Do some ski preparation exercises for at least 6 - 8 weeks before your holiday. Maybe lose some weight ? You sure are not going to lose it in Meribel, with all that chalet food, restaurants and  French wine. Note that there were 13 deaths on piste in the Savoie region last season due to heart attacks!
Get fitted correctly for boots and the latest easy turning short skis. Ski boots should NOT be cold or uncomfortable. (If they are then take them back immediately before you do any damage to your shins or toes or ankles etc). However they should be a firm, tight fit. In cold weather make sure you have the best quality socks and have a good breakfast. Wear warm clothing inc ski hat and especially high quality ski mittens (much warmer than gloves). In hot sunny weather wear good quality large lenses sunglasses (to totally keep your eyes out of direct sunlight) and carry strong sun cream and re - apply regularly. Don't forget the ears if you have short hair. Mountain sun, combined with the reflection from the snow, is far stronger than normal so please be very careful. Now , if you are reading this in the comfort of your living room somewhere in the Uk then here's a good idea. E mail the Meribel Tourist office at www.meribel.comor the Meribel Lift company at www.meribel-alpina.com asking for a few copies of the 3 valley piste map. Read this article later in the company of the piste map and it should then all make sense to you. Good luck.
  
Skiing / Riding
Important advice: Buy just a Meribel valley ski pass (you can buy a daily extension later if required) & join ski school. Book your skiing lessons in advance. Your first skiing holiday could be the best vacation you have ever had or alternatively your worst nightmare. Do not let your spouse teach you unless you are looking for a certain divorce! Ski Instructors spend about £5000 pounds qualifying over several years and know how, what and where to teach. There are more than 10 English-speaking ski schools in Meribel, with many British ski instructors, and countless French instructors with charmingly good English. Many people also make new lifelong friends in ski class so we thoroughly recommend them.

Note:The draglift at Meribel Altiport is free and ideal for your first day or two for skiing or snowboarding practice if you have not booked lessons. You can catch the free Meribel bus to the Altiport ski area. It takes about 15 minutes from the town centre.

Beginners Staying in Meribel - Mottaret:

1^st & 2^nd days:
The Doron draglift above the Cote Brune restaurant is free but has an awkward slope and is very short. Over just past Plattieres is the protected nursery slope. Short again but very easy. Absolutely perfect for your first day.
Lunch:

A very good choice of 3 lunch restaurants right by the learner slope. We highly recommend Zig Zag, small but good food and reasonably priced. Next door is Le Rastro similar prices.
The 3rd we recomend is La Bell Savoie.

Our favourite meal here is Trout with Almonds, and boiled potatoes. Stephanie is a very charming manager here.Service is excellent.

If you quickly tire of this very small ski area then take Plattieres bubble to the first station then use the Sitelle button lift. This button and the run itself (also Sitelle) are both very easy. The run is wide and usually very good snow.

Lunch:

Sitelle Restaurant.

Sitelle is a convenient, very nice, simple, friendly self-service restaurant. Not expensive, with a super fresh vegetable soup at about 4.80 euros.(2010).Be sure to take a photo of their animal museum. (Upstairs)
 

Mottaret to Meribel:
You can ski down the Truite  (= Trout) which starts just to the left of the Tourist Office.

This run is very easy and ends at Chaudanne lift centre. Catch the Rhodos bubble to the top for the Altiport area. Come back down by the Rhodos bubble unless your confidence is ok for the blue DORON PISTE down to Chaudanne. The free bus goes from Chaudanne back to Mottaret but gets very crowded. You can take Tougnète bubble up to the first stage then ski down PERDRIX to Mottaret. Just the very first few yards of Perdrix are a little steep but wide. However you can miss htis part. Just below you as you get out of the bubble about 25m to your left is a new easy pathway. After this it is quite easy all the way down.
 

Mottaret Skiing/Riding

2^nd & 3^rd & 4^th days:
 
On your 2nd or 3rd day try "ROSSIGNOL & SITELLE" pistes between the 1st and 2nd stages of Plattieres. This area is wide and quite easy. It is sunny in the mornings but also north facing and keeps the snow longer. When you come to a fork in the piste the left side is slightly easier. The slow Chatelet chairlift is a good option in nice weather to save queuing again at Plattieres 1. This area is really wonderful for practice but DO NOT come all the way down to Mottaret. The last section can get very icy, with bumps, and can be extremely and really quite difficult. Make a wise choice, and don’t spoil a good day. Take the bubble down instead.
 
"BOUVREUIL" (red)) and the top part of the "Ours" (blue)are two pleasant runs accessed from Plattieres 2. After 3-4 days you should manage these.
 You get back to Plattieres 2 by the Mures Rouges chair and the fast 6-man Plan Des Mains chair.

DO NOT go all the way down to Mottaret centre by the "Ours" blue run. Lower down it becomes a fast narrow pathway with skiers and boarders hurtling down at high speed.

Mottaret: Skiing & Riding

4^th & 5^th & 6^th Days.

Head for Meribel.
 
Saulire side:
 
Take the Pas-du-Lac bubble to the first station. Walk up and round to your left past the Chardonnet restaurant (Super food) then take the easy ""CHARDONNERET" BLUE path to the Meribel ski area where you have an extensive choice of Blue runs. This area is west facing so is best to ski it in late morning, when it gets the sun. In spring it's slushy in the afternoon and rock hard next day till approx 11am.
If you are on this side and want a coffee or lunch, try the Rond Point, just below Rhodos 1st station. Best coffee on the mountain. It also hosts Méribel's biggest après-ski party from 4pm till 7pm. (Take the bus timetable with you to get home afterwards).

Tougnète side:
 
Tougnète side is sunny and highly recommended at 9am in the mornings. It is not so icy as the Saulire side first thing.
Take the Combes chair from Mottaret centre.Ski down the first part of COQS (not difficult) then POUILLARD to Tougnète 2 Chair.Take the Tougnète 2 chair up. If you are in Meribel just take Tougnète 1 * 2 to the top station. Note: Plan De L'homme chairlift is faster than Tougnète 1 out of Chaudanne.
 At the top head for the Crêtes & Choucas pistes.
 
Use Cherferie draglift to stay in this area. It has excellent snow most of the day. Finally to come down take Escargot and Gelinotte. This area is best skied in the mornings when this side (East facing) has the sun. The last section of Gelinotte is steep for a blue. It can also get very icy later in the day, so sharpen your edges or better still look out for the new path off to the right just before the bottom and take this track. It joins the Truite green run down to Chaudanne.Much easier.
 
Lunch:
Le Crêtes.

Delightful little place: Lovely coffee and fabulous food. The steaks are superb. Always reserve for lunch. Nice sun terrace. It's very busy, especially in bad weather.

Tel 06 09 40 51 04.
 

St Martin De Belleville: 1400M

Don’t forget to buy your lift pass extension! If you do forget then just buy a book of single tickets at the bottom lift station.
From Les Crêtes restaurant ski down to " CHAT FRERE". It joins with "PELOZET"and is quite easy all the way to the base of the St Martin 2 Chair. Do it a few times if you have time. Later continue down to St Martin by " BIOLLEY",a very easy, relaxing and charming route. On the pathway you will catch sight of an old village to way down your left, but this is not St Martin. It is St Marcel, the next village along the valley toward Val Thorens. (St Marcel has a very famous excellent expensive Michelin star restaurant !). Eventually you reach a small tunnel that runs under the main road to VT. You must turn very sharp right here so take it slow through the tunnel. (It can be icy the other side). After turning you will see the old village with its ancient church in the centre. The draglift at the bottom brings you back up for the St Martin 1 Bubble to start your trip back. You may want to do the whole thing again. Many do. However make sure you have lunch down here. There are 3 really excellent value restaurants.
 
Lunch:
Advance reservations ALWAYS advised.
 
La Voute:


In the village centre by the church. (The best ducks leg in the world ). All the food is here great.It has been the same chef for over 20 years.!
Tel: 04 79 08 91 48
 
La Montagnard:

Halfway down the draglift on the right set among old buildings. Really fabulous food here, with friendly service and wonderful quaint interior. (Note: no Sun Terrace here)
Tel 04 79 01 08 40.

 
Homeward route to Meribel and Mottaret.
 The St Martin village draglift then St Martin 1 & 2 to Tougnète. On the way home take either the route to Meribel as described from Tougnète or the bubble down from half way.For Mottaret take the Tougnète directions from the 1/2 way stage and ski the " PERDRIX" in to Mottaret.

Courchevel: 1300M -1850M

3^rd -4^th-5^th 6^th days.

Important note: Lift Pass extension needed.
 
Courchevel 1850 for beginners.

This, the highest and most famous resort of the Courchevel valley is very chic, expensive and full of very rich ladies wearing fur coats and carrying poodles. In January it is now also crowded with Russians. However  it is still the entry point for some of the best skiing & riding in all 3 valleys.
 
Outward Route 1.
 
Take Pas du Lac (Mottaret) or Burgin (Meribel) to the top of Saulire.
 
Great views up here.

Nervous beginners: You can walk up 150 meters further up to the Verdons cable car. Take the cable car down. You will see the famous Courchevel couloirs on your left. At the bottom you have a wonderful choice of very easy green runs all leading to 1850. Apart from Courchevel 1650 this is the best practice area for beginners in all 3 valleys.

If you are quite confident then ski to the far side in front of you as you come out of the bubble, keeping to the right pathway, then follow that path round to the left down in to the bowl. Thereafter it is quite easy down to Courchevel centre. Keep to the left side. You will come to a fork in the piste. Take the left one. The right side is often both steep and icy.
 
Outward Route 2
 
Take Rhodos bubble from Chaudanne to the 2nd stage then ski down to very slow
Loze chairlift at the end of the green Altiport Blanchot run.

At the top follow the easy " LAC BLEUE" down to Courchevel 1850 centre.
To ski in this area use the Verdons bubble up to the base of the Saulire cable car. 1850 resembles Euston station in the rush hour so make sure you get in the right lift queue. You can also take the Chenus bubble and do any of the easy 3 blues that bring you back to the centre.

Lunch:
If you are skiing near Chenus gondola, the self-service
Chenus Restaurant of the same name at the top is fairly reasonable for a simple meal.


For a very upmarket lunch try the Soucoup Restaurant at the top of Plantry chairlift. 1850.

Excellent food,beautiful interior for bad weather.

Homeward skiing for Meribel & Motteret: Route 1
 
This route especially applies to those who are a bit tired. Catch the giant Saulire Cable car again. Ski the few yards down to either Burgin Saulire (Meribel) or Pas du Lac (Mottaret) bubbles. Take either Gondola home (either Meribel or Mottaret but be sure to take the right one!). You can jump out at the middle station if you feel confident. However I don't recommend skiing down in to Mottaret. The last section of AIGLE (a Red) is quite steep,usually very busy and extremely icy. It might just ruin a good day.
 
Homeward bound for Meribel Route 2:
An alternative interesting route home is to catch Chenus bubble from 1850 then Col de la Loze chair. This brings you to the top of Col de la Loze from where it is an easy run down to Meribel via "BOULEVARD DE LA LOZE". Be careful as in heavy new snow this route gets closed and do not be tempted go under the rope if it is. This path is very susceptible to sudden avalanche and can be EXTREMELY dangerous. The path leads to a choice of blues all the way down to Chaudanne. "GEAI" is probably the easiest. The other blue run down to the Altiport, "PIC NOIR" should be a red and in fact was until a few years ago.  Do not take this run unless you are quite confident. It gets very icy and steep in places.

 Missed lift connection:

If by any chance you miss the last lift you can either spend time in 1850 and get the free Courchevel bus to La Tania. Then in the ski lodge pub you might hitch a lift or get a cheap taxi to Meribel Village. From the Meribel Village  you can catch the free Meribus back to Meribel centre, just in time for dinner if you're lucky. There is a bus evry day from Courchevel to Meribel at about 18.00. Check in the tourist office.