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You are here: Meribel France > Ski+Snow > Ski & Board Guide > Where to Ski > Beginners Areas

Beginner Skiing in Meribel
Learn to Ski

also see Meribel Ski Area : Where to Ski & Board
 

Beginner Ski Areas in Meribel

Meribel is a great place to learn how to ski or to improve from beginner to intermediate. With a variety of nursery slopes and green runs you will find Meribel a comfortable and easy-going resort to learn to ski or board.

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Meribel has two designated beginner ski areas with free lifts which allow you to learn and progress in a comfortable beginner environment. These are located in the centre of Meribel Mottaret and at the Altiport area of Meribel. In addition, several of Meribel's ski schools have their own private beginner lifts and easy mini-slopes. There are also special beginner lift passes, called "mini-pass", giving access to the chairlifts and slopes suitable for those just starting off. 

Once you have mastered the beginner slopes and want to venture higher up the mountain then there are 4 green runs that start off higher up, and all of them come straight back down into the resort. These green runs are gentle and perfect for beginners who have built up enough confidence to go up the mountain and who want to try something different. Meribel has made efforts in recent years to further improve the ski area for beginners. These include a extra green runs at the Altiport area; a new green run starting at the mid-station of Saulire Express; an upgrade to the free beginner Doron lift in Mottaret centre (now a magic carpet) and the improved blue Martre run coming back into Mottaret. 

For children there are plenty of beignner friendly areas for them to have some fun on and learn some new skiing techniques. Smallest of all, is a mini-boardercross with banked turns called P’tit Moon at the Rond Point, for 7-12 year olds. To get there, take the Rhodos 1 gondola then then Cotes draglift. This is very quiet and safe for kids. The Chemin des Ecoliers is a longer and steeper bordercross for families near the DC Area 43 snowpark above Mottaret. This is more popular with adults, so be prepared to be overtaken by slightly out-of-control grown-ups. The main Méribel MoonPark has a brilliant series of whoops suitable for children located by the entrance. Look for for this by the start of the Grive blue run. If you enter your mobile number at the console at the start  you will be filmed going down the whoops. Children will love the Moon Wild, a themed piste with life-sized animal models hidden in the woods and a quiz about the forest animals. This starts on the right hand side, near the bottom of the Blanchot piste.

If you want to challenge yourself there are 28 blue runs in Meribel, some of which are harder than others so it is best to do these with more experienced skiers or with someone who knows there way around the pistes, but again they provide a great challenge for a beginner. 

Route 1 – Meribel Valley Blues Cruise

It’s your first day back on snow, you don’t want to ski anything too steep, and you want to ski in the sun all day.

Starting in Méribel 1450 take the PLAN DE L’HOMME chairlift and then warm up down the Caves piste, heading for the base of the OLYMPIC chairlift. From the top of the Olympic take the Grand Duc to the CHERFERIE up to the ridge between the Méribel and the Belleville Valleys. Turn back towards Méribel and come down Choucas to the CAVES draglift. From here you can ski down Grive to the TOUGNETE 2. If you want to include a red run you can drop down into the Belleville Valley at this point and take the Pramint piste down to ST MARTIN 2, which will bring you back up to the ridge at Tougnete. If not, stay on the blue Crêtes pistes at the top of the TOUGNETE 2 - at which point it is probably time for lunch!

Lunch: Restaurant Les Crêtes. Small, owner-run restaurant at the top of the TOUGNETE drag lift. Cosy atmosphere and excellent local food. Booking advised, as it is very popular. No credit cards accepted. Lunch served 12h00-15h30. Tel +33 (0)4 79 08 56 50.

From Restaurant Les Crêtes you can access Faon, Perdrix and then Furet before taking the long PAS DU LAC 1 & 2 lifts up to the Saulire. There is then a tiny bit of red run before getting back onto the blue pistes of Biche and then Marmotte. The ADRET will take you up the meet the Geai, Blanchot (green) and Lapin pistes where you will find yourself down in Méribel Village. From here you can hop on the GOLF then ALTIPORT lifts before taking the Rhodos (green) and Doron runs back to Méribel 1450.