The first bluebird powder day of this season

Méribel’s chalets and trees are newly covered in white and the resort looks like a proper ski village for the first time since the November snows.

Skiing conditions today were equally transformed. Méribel’s busier pistes had grown hard-packed over the past week, but this morning we found soft, groomed snow on every run. By the afternoon, some of this soft snow had been swept away, but these tough patches should soon disappear as more snow arrives later this week.

The pistes were beautifully quiet today too. Now the holidays are over, Méribel has entered the quietest period of the whole season. None of the pistes were busy and we never had to queue for a single lift.

Off-piste skiers had huge grins on their faces today as they made the most of the recent  powder. Be wary if you leave the marked runs, however. Rocks have been hidden by this recent snow, but they are not yet safely buried beneath a sufficient depth of snow. Please ski slowly and warily if you venture off-piste at present….

Despite general joy at the new snow, there are many very angry people in Méribel today. Inaccurate and misleading stories in Monday’s Times and Daily Mail have left business owners here furious. The Mail Online in particular is guilty of using Méribel photos, taken many weeks ago, to illustrate a story about water shortages in another part of France altogether. Worse still, the captions suggested they represent current conditions. If you have read stories of resorts being banned from using snow cannons and holidays being ruined, please be aware that none of this applies to Méribel or les 3 Vallées which has managed to open more runs than any other ski area in Europe despite a difficult start to the season. Factually inaccurate and sensationalist stories like this are risking our livelihoods and we’re not at all happy about it.

My apologies for that little rant. I feel calmer now.

I will end with more good news. Snow is forecast on Thursday, Friday and Saturday this week. More pistes have opened up in the valley, including those served by the Olympic Express chairlift.

Last minute holiday bargains abound this January. Ski instructors are kicking their heels, chalets lie unused, the pistes are empty. Now the snow has arrived, this would be a wonderful time to come to Méribel for a last-minute holiday……

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