Le Grand Froid in Meribel

Indeed, the snow is good at the moment, and there is still a vast deal of it. There was a light dusting of snow yesterday and the snow depths are currently a fantastic 315cm at the top of the runs and impressive 85cm at the very bottom. Overall, the snow quality is good, with just some harder areas developing on busy and steep runs.

Should you find yourself on the slopes during a bitterly cold spell, here are my top tips for keeping warm.

1) Eat lots; stay hydrated.

2) Always wear a hat or helmet – the cliché about losing heat through your head is true. A balaclava worn under a helmet is the best of all.

3) Wear good base layers. I’m addicted to merino wool which doesn’t itch. Icebreaker and Smart Wool are two makes to look out for. Merino is expensive but worth it because it’s wonderfully warm and lasts for years and years.

4) Wear mitten rather than gloves. Use inner gloves, preferably made from merino wool which is warmer than silk.

5) Cold feet often result from too-tight boots reducing circulation. Buy or rent boots which don’t constrict your feet, and if you have poor circulation, consider getting electric boot warmers or heated socks.

6) Check your companions’ noses and cheeks regularly for the first signs of frostnip and ask them to do the same for you. The danger sign is skin which has turned yellow, white or red. If this happens, go indoors immediately and allow the skin to warm up without rubbing it.

7) Make frequent stops for hot drinks and high-calorie snacks, especially if you are skiing with children who lose heat faster than adults. Forget the diet – you need energy to keep warm.

8) Don’t even think of going to Val Thorens on cold days: this high and exposed valley is the coldest in the 3 Valleys. Try to stay low instead, where the air temperature is higher.

9) Take bubble lifts rather than chairlifts. Fast, high chairlifts to avoid in cold weather include Méribel’s Cote Brune early in the morning and Courchevel’s Suisse and Dou des Lanches in the late afternoon. All of these will sap your will to live quite quickly

10) If you must take a chairlift, sit next to someone you fancy so you have a good excuse to snuggle up to them. This won’t make you any warmer, but it will take your mind off the cold.

Today I have been in perhaps the most beautiful part of the Méribel Valley, the Plan de Tuéda Nature Reserve above Mottaret. If you have never visited this area, I suggest you make the time to come for a walk around the lake here. This stunning head of the valley is home to a protected Arolla pine forests, with a backdrop of high and rocky mountains and I’m sorry that today’s photo don’t do it justice.

The Nature Reserve is home to various winter walking paths and two places to stop for lunch or coffee. Here also are cross-country skiing runs (blue and green) or for the less energetic, you can take a horse-drawn sleigh ride around the lake. The free visitor centre has displays and shows films about the flora and fauna of the mountains.

Keen ski tourers, take note! A special snowshoe / ski touring track called le Sentier du Vallon has recently opened in the Tueda Reserve allowing you to walk uphill safely away from the downhill ski runs. This starts on the relatively easy blue cross country trail, then goes up a short, steep ungroomed section, then follows groomed and gentle paths to either la Sitelle or le Plan des Mains Restaurant where you can re-join the ski runs. I tried it out today and found it well signposted and clearly marked all along with purple poles. The walk though such stunning scenery was well worth the effort, and was also a good way of keeping warm on a very cold day.