Good snow everywhere & the majority of the ski area is open

Some runs have the odd stone poking through and the steeper pistes can become scraped with the passage of skis, but generally we have good snow on piste still. Where the pistes are worn, it’s worth venturing just off the sides, where you can often find beautiful, chalky snow that’s nicer and easier to ski than the groomed run itself.

What has changed is the weather: our long period of perfectly blue skies has come to an end and the south-east wind has been blowing hard for the past couple of days. As you may know, a S-E wind in this part of the Alps creates a Foehn effect – a thick roll of cloud forms on the summits to the southeast and there is a noticeable rise in temperature along with a dry, strongly gusting wind.

Local knowledge comes in handy in these conditions because a Foehn wind affects parts of les 3 Vallées much more than others. Val Thorens is the most affected, and generally worth avoiding as some of the top lifts are liable to close and the visibility will often be very poor. Further down the same valley, Les Menuires is usually less affected and St Martin is often in full sunshine and entirely sheltered. Similarly, in the Méribel valley, the top (ie Mont Vallon end) of the valley is often in cloud and buffeted by strong winds, whereas the bottom of the valley is enjoying sunny and calm weather. In the Courchevel valley, la Tania and 1850/1550/lePraz are generally sheltered too.

Of course, if the wind really strengthens, it’s best to remain in your own valley to avoid the risk of becoming stranded if the links close. Signs are posted at the main lifts if this is likely.

I’m glad to report that Pic Bleu, one of my favourite Méribel runs, has finally opened. This blue run descends from Col de la Loze towards Méribel Altiport. I love this piste for its gorgeous views and winding route through the forests and to my mind it’s the best route from Courchevel to the Méribel valley.

Pic Blue now has even more to recommend it as it has recently been ‘themed’ as a fun area for children. The areas is now called “le Dragon de l’Altai”* with life-size dragons along the piste for children to find. It’s also one of the best places to picnic in Méribel – there are now lots of benches and groovy hammock-style loungers along the run in especially scenic spots, and near the bottom on the right there is a brand new picnic hut surrounded by trees. This is a beautiful, calm area where you can eat your sandwiches in peace and calm, with nothing but the sound of birds singing, feeling a million miles away from bustling pistes. Whether you are skiing with the family, want to dine al fresco or just want somewhere to chill out, this area is well worth checking out.

*Wikipedia tells me the Altai Mountains are a mountain range in Central and East Asia, where Russia, China, Mongolia, and Kazakhstan meet. As far as I know, there are no dragons living there...