It was in the heart of the 3 Vallées that I tried spring skiing for the first time, in “Slow Ski” mode, as they say. There is still snow (it just melts earlier in the day, so it’s better to ski mostly in the morning), there are fewer crowds, prices are lower, you enjoy yourself more—in short, the mountain belongs to us! This first stop of our mountain trip (the second is coming soon) at the end of the season (around the beginning of April) took us to the famous resort of Méribel for 3 days of discovery, skiing, of course, walks, and all kinds of activities…
This winter sports resort, located in the Tarentaise Valley in Savoy, dates back to before the Second World War. The Méribel-Mottaret village-resort area where we stayed is located in the heart of the 3 Vallées ski area, which is considered to be the largest in the world (yep!).
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Hotel Le Mottaret by Madame Vacances
In the heart of the 3 Vallées, this brand-new hotel, renovated in 2014, is ideally located on the snow front, very close to the start of the slopes, which is super convenient! It was following an invitation from Madame Vacances to come and test one of their ski resort accommodations that my favorite photographer and I found ourselves embarked on this little mountain trip. The hotel’s atmosphere is very warm, and there are regular activities for guests, such as the little live concert evening we attended a bit by chance.
Our room 212
Our room was quite classic (apart from the red velvet which isn’t quite my cup of tea, I have to admit), but I really liked the small shared balcony with the view of the mountain.
The All-Inclusive Package
This All-Inclusive package from Madame Vacances offers an all-inclusive (or almost) package in many rentals in the range.
At the beginning of your stay, you are given a small gold bracelet. It allows you access to the meals and drinks included in the package (full board + a list of unlimited drinks). Be careful, however, not all drinks at the hotel are included in this package! I therefore advise you to check the list (hot drinks, soft drinks, and alcohol) upon arrival and especially before enjoying them if you don’t want to have an unpleasant surprise when leaving…
Breakfast
It is a fairly classic breakfast buffet, and there is something for everyone, with sweet and savory options.
The restaurant, Café Del Mott
Since we were on full board with the all-inclusive package, we ate at the hotel restaurant for lunch and dinner. Again, it’s a buffet with a choice of starters, hot dishes, and desserts. I would just advise you not to eat too late (as we did), because the night there was fondue, for example, when we arrived, there was none left at all (you can imagine our disappointment…). When it is sunny and warm enough (which was not our case), the restaurant has a lovely terrace in front of the hotel where it must be nice to hang out.
Jacuzzi evening
We loved spending our two evenings in the hotel’s great jacuzzi with a view of the mountains and the stars, a little cocktail (between €8 and €15) in hand, it was just perfect! The jacuzzi is free for hotel guests, but if you want your quiet slot for two (there are shared hours and hours when you can be all alone), I advise you to book your time as soon as you arrive…
Transportation
To come from Paris, you have to take the train to Chambéry and then a Madame Vacances Transport shuttle picks you up at the station, which is really well thought out.
Another interesting piece of information, free shuttles circulate in Méribel (ask for the schedule brochure at the hotel), and it is very practical for getting around the resort and to the ski slopes.
Good deals
- The “snack” corner with free hot drinks and a few treats available 24/7 (always super appreciated when you get back from a ski session, you are freezing and hungry…).
- There is a ski shop right next to the hotel to rent your equipment, which is super convenient! The hotel also offers a closed storage place for ski equipment.
- The Madame Vacances website very regularly offers promos on many destinations throughout the year.
Hotel Le Mottaret Chemin du Chardon Méribel Mottaret Price: All Inclusive package for 3 days at this time about €675 per person / price starting from €455 per person for 7 nights for the start of the season in December 2017
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Skiing in the 3 Vallées area
The 3 Vallées is therefore the largest ski area in the world, as I said at the beginning of the article, and you can, with a daily pass, ski in Courchevel, La Tania, Méribel, Brides-les-Bains, Les Menuires, Val Thorens, Orelle, and St Martin de Belleville. Suffice it to say that it’s a lot of area to explore…
For our part, we were entitled to a short morning of ski lessons with a national ESF instructor (French Ski School) to get us back in the saddle a bit because the man in the hat and I hadn’t skied for over 10 years… And although the instructor told us it was like riding a bike, that you don’t forget it, I wasn’t very reassured…
Well, finally, he was half-right, half-wrong; you don’t completely forget, but the good reflexes didn’t come back right away; it was rather the bad ones that came back at a gallop. So, it was difficult to take photos in those conditions, but fortunately our photographer instructor, Philippe Lafourcade, made up for it by taking some snapshots of us while skiing (yes, it’s sickening, I wish I knew how to do that too…).
The most fun: 6 spots to take “3 Vallées Selfies” with superb panoramas.
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Lunch at La Folie Douce
I nicknamed it the “Folie Furieuse” (Crazy Madness), but well… This Folie Douce looks like a Parisian club but in a mountain chalet, by day and at the foot of the ski slopes… You clearly go to La Folie Douce to party; if you want a little peace and quiet, stay away… It’s a show every day outside from the start of lunch until the end of the afternoon, and when the slopes close, the establishment also closes its doors.
On site, there are two options: a self-service snack bar with affordable prices (dishes between €12 and €16), or the La Fruitière restaurant that we tested, with higher prices and table service.
To taste:
- As a starter, onion soups, the White and the Brown with a toasted cheese bread soldier, which is just a killer (€21) and it is honestly very hearty; it could have been my main course, I think…
- Crozetto with farm bacon carbonara style (€27), the super light dish that doesn’t weigh on your stomach at all…
- A nice tartiflette (€29) of good quality and in good quantity as well.
You can get to La Folie Douce on skis, but you can also go on foot like us, by taking the shuttle right next to the hotel (get off at La Chaudanne/Méribel Center), then take the Saulire Express I cable car and the restaurant is just below the cable car stop.
La Folie Douce Méribel Parc national de la Vanoise, 73550 Les Allues
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Himalaya by night sledding evening
The Himalaya by night sledding evening takes place once a week (Monday or Thursday evening from 5:30 PM to 7:30 PM). Wearing gloves is essential, and wearing a helmet is also highly recommended. You can also book sleds (and helmets) at the shop right next to the hotel that I mentioned above. A very fun activity to do that I highly recommend you test! The first descent is a bit difficult, but afterward, you start to understand how it works, and it’s really great.
Rates: €6 for 1 descent / €9 for 2 descents / €10 for 3 descents
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Go for a hike at Lac de Tueda
This lake, which is located just at the entrance to the Vanoise National Park, is a path very easy to access and is a beautiful walk to do on foot or on snowshoes if there is a little snow. The place is particularly beautiful and calm, it’s a real joy! Plus, it’s barely a 10-15 minute walk from the hotel…
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What to put in your suitcase for skiing?
The hassle when you go skiing and/or to the mountains is that there is always very specific equipment to bring, which, as a general rule, only serves you for that…
The perfect skier’s outfit
- A pom-pom hat, obviously (in the photos, I’m wearing a Pipolaki hat, and bizarrely, my dad recognized the brand immediately following my Instagram posts…). Well, at the same time, this hat is so pretty!!!!!
- A ski outfit: I had a Volcom outfit with a mustard Shadow insulated jacket (which was very popular) and black pants. No need to have a complete jumpsuit, and it allows you to wear something light under the jacket because during spring skiing, it can quickly get warm… Well, in terms of feeling, at least. The helmet also seems very fashionable, whereas no one wore one 10 years ago… But it’s finally very useful in snowstorm-type weather like we had in La Rosière.
- For the ski equipment, either you have your own if you are a real fan, or you do like us, little amateurs, and rent it on site…
Indispensable accessories
- Sunglasses or a tinted helmet, otherwise you risk having very sore eyes… As you can see below, I’m setting a good example, while my favorite photographer is not at all…
- Sunscreen (indispensable, otherwise with the glare, watch out for the lobster effect), especially since today we have a wide choice between brands (below Ecran and UVbio, a brand certified organic, vegan, and made in France), the texture (mousse, milk, cream, gel, spray,…), the protection factor, etc.
- Otherwise, in bulk, don’t forget to take warm and less warm clothes to be able to dress in layers and take off or add layers; we quickly get hot or cold in a very short interval, and a lip balm, because we get dehydrated quickly at altitude.
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I hope that with all this, I will have made you want to discover or rediscover Méribel and the 3 Vallées, and if you also have your own good addresses for this mountain destination, don’t hesitate to share them in the comments!
Photo credits: Nicolas Diolez and Melle Bon Plan Photos not royalty-free, photographer authorization mandatory before any use
