Méribel isn’t a village, it’s a valley. The Allues valley, in the middle of Les 3 Vallées, rises through 650m of vertical: the old main village of Les Allues at 1100m, Méribel Village and Méribel centre at around 1400m, and Méribel-Mottaret at 1750m. The free Méribus shuttle buses link them all. But a week at the foot of the pistes in Mottaret is not the same as a week in a hamlet around Les Allues. Here is what each area offers, and who it suits.
Méribel in practice
- Areas: Les Allues (1100m), Méribel Village (1400m), Méribel centre (1450m), Méribel-Mottaret (1750m).
- Ski area: 150km of pistes in the Méribel valley, at the centre of the 600km of Les 3 Vallées.
- 2026-2027 season: 5 December 2026 to 18 April 2027.
- Shuttle buses: free Méribus services, from Les Allues up to Méribel-Mottaret.
- Getting there: Moûtiers station is 18km away, about 20 minutes by road.
One valley, four ways to stay
Méribel came into being at the end of the 1930s, from a project by the commune of Les Allues that the Scotsman Peter Lindsay joined. Chalet Doron, its very first building, dates from 1938, and it was under Lindsay’s direction that development resumed after the war. Architectural principles had been laid down as early as 1936, and were later followed by the architect Christian Durupt: “wood and stone became the materials of choice”, as the tourist office puts it. You can still see it today, from one end of the valley to the other.
Mottaret opened in February 1976. At the Albertville Games in 1992, the valley hosted forty-six ice hockey matches and six women’s alpine skiing events; in 2023, the Roc de Fer piste staged the women’s races of the World Championships. In the descriptions that follow, the words in quotation marks are those of the Méribel tourist office.
Méribel centre: the heart of the valley
At 1450m, Méribel centre is “the largest village in the valley”, its “geographical heart, the engine of its entertainment and the backbone of its services”. Its chalets are “clad in pale wood and local stone, with double-pitched roofs”, from the Plateau to the Rond-Point, from Morel to the Belvédère. Above the centre, the Altiport area has its own guide: Méribel Altiport.
Everything starts from the Chaudanne plateau. The Saulire Express gondola heads towards Courchevel, as does the Rhodos gondola, via the Col de la Loze, and the Legends chairlift opens the way to Saint-Martin-de-Belleville. According to the office, the Rhodos is a “link much loved by beginners, children and ski schools”, running up to the Rond-Point and the Altiport, “tucked into the heart of Méribel centre, at an altitude of 1700m”, with its blue Lapin piste, its cross-country area and its golf course. The Parc Olympique, in the centre, brings together a 25-metre pool, a spa, a climbing wall and a bowling alley; the Les Saturnins day nursery takes children from 18 months to 3 years.
Who is it for? Those who want shops, restaurants and evening life within walking distance, and lifts heading off to every side of the valley.
Méribel-Mottaret: altitude, with the pistes on the doorstep
At 1750m, Méribel-Mottaret is “the resort’s high-altitude quarter”. The village is made up “mainly of accommodation at the foot of the pistes”, hotels, residences and apartments; its chalet-style residences are “clad in wood”, and it is “bordered by fir forests and the Tueda nature reserve”: 1100 hectares, from the Lac de Tueda to the Gébroulaz glacier, on the edge of the Vanoise National Park.
For skiing, Mottaret is all about saving time. The Pas du Lac gondola rises towards the Saulire, and the office reckons on “15 minutes to reach the Courchevel pistes”, around 20 minutes for Les Menuires and around 35 for Val Thorens. The Truite piste runs back down to Méribel centre, and the ski schools gather at the bottom of the village, between the Laitelet and the Châtelet.
Who is it for? Skiers who want to make the most of Les 3 Vallées from the first day to the last, and to put their skis on right outside the door.
AEC tip. Mottaret or the centre? If you will spend most of your days in Courchevel and Val Thorens, Mottaret saves you time every morning. If your evenings matter as much as your days, choose the centre.
Méribel Village: the Savoyard hamlet
At 1400m, Méribel Village is “the youngest of the valley’s jewels”: until the 1990s, the site had nothing but a handful of scattered sheepfolds. The office now describes it as an “adorable hamlet in the purest Savoyard tradition”, “away from the bustle of Méribel-Centre and the resort at Méribel-Mottaret”.
The Golf chairlift goes up to the Altiport and its “fun, beginner-friendly” ski areas, and you come back down on the blue Lapin piste. Méribel centre is 2km away, served by a free shuttle bus, in the evening too.
Who is it for? Families new to skiing and anyone who prefers the calm of a hamlet, with the centre a few minutes away by shuttle bus.
Les Allues and the hamlets: the authentic side of the valley
“Set at an altitude of 1100 metres, the village of Les Allues is the valley’s administrative centre”, notes the office, which calls it a “precious place for lovers of authenticity, peace, culture, gentle walks and big skiing”. Around it, hamlets such as Le Raffort, Le Cruet, Le Villard and Le Plantin make up the rest of the valley; this is “the area where the people who live and work here all year round are found”.
Skiing starts at the Olympe gondola, 500m from the village centre, which reaches the Chaudanne in a few minutes. Built for the 1992 Games and completely renovated in 2021, it also stops at Le Raffort, and starts lower down at Brides-les-Bains, from where the office puts Les 3 Vallées 22 minutes away. It does not run all season, however: in 2025-2026, it operated from 13 December to 10 April. A free shuttle bus links Les Allues with Méribel centre, 5km away.
Who is it for? Those who want a real village, in peace and quiet, and don’t mind taking the gondola or the shuttle bus every morning.
Méribel’s areas at a glance
| Area | Altitude | What the tourist office says | Access to the ski area | Who it suits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Méribel-Mottaret | 1750m | “the resort’s high-altitude quarter” | Pas du Lac to the Saulire | Skiing Les 3 Vallées |
| Méribel centre | 1450m | “the engine of its entertainment” | Chaudanne: Saulire Express, Rhodos, Legends | Evening life and services |
| Méribel Village | 1400m | “away from the bustle” | Golf chairlift | Peace and quiet, beginners |
| Les Allues | 1100m | “the valley’s administrative centre” | Olympe gondola | Traditional village |
Where to stay
All our chalets and apartments in the valley are gathered together in our Méribel rentals, and our selection of ski-in ski-out chalets in Méribel brings together the ones you leave and return to on skis. To compare Méribel with its neighbours, our guide Which resort to choose in Les 3 Vallées sets out the options; before you book, our guide to renting a luxury chalet answers the practical questions. To fill the week, skiing or not, see our guide What to do in Méribel in winter.
The simplest thing is to write to us: tell us your dates and the size of your party, and our agents will put together a selection for you, area by area.
All that remains is to choose between the first turn of the morning at the foot of Mottaret and the evening light on the wooden roofs of the centre.
Frequently asked questions
Méribel-Mottaret or Méribel centre: which is better?
Méribel-Mottaret, at 1750m, is the high-altitude area, with accommodation at the foot of the pistes and the Pas du Lac gondola up to the Saulire. Méribel centre, at 1450m, is the hub of evening life and services, with the Chaudanne lifts towards Courchevel and Saint-Martin-de-Belleville.
What altitude is Méribel?
It depends on the area: 1100m at Les Allues, 1400m at Méribel Village, 1450m at Méribel centre and 1750m at Méribel-Mottaret. The Altiport, in the heart of Méribel centre, is at 1700m.
How do you get around between the different areas of Méribel?
The Méribus shuttle buses are free, from Les Allues up to Méribel-Mottaret. The Olympe gondola links Brides-les-Bains, Les Allues and Le Raffort with the Chaudanne, and a free shuttle bus connects Méribel Village with the centre, in the evening too.
How long does it take to get from Méribel-Mottaret to Courchevel or Val Thorens?
According to the tourist office, 15 minutes to reach the Courchevel pistes, around 20 minutes for Les Menuires and around 35 minutes for Val Thorens.
Is Méribel Village well connected to the pistes?
Yes. The Golf chairlift goes up to the Altiport and its beginner areas, and you come back down on the blue Lapin piste. Méribel centre is 2km away, served by a free shuttle bus.
When does Méribel open this winter?
From 5 December 2026 to 18 April 2027. The Olympe gondola, from Brides-les-Bains and Les Allues, has a shorter season: in 2025-2026, it ran from 13 December to 10 April.
Is Méribel good for beginners and children?
Yes. Seven lifts are free for beginners at the bottom of Méribel and Mottaret, the Rhodos takes ski schools up to the Rond-Point and the Altiport, and the Les Saturnins day nursery takes children from 18 months to 3 years.
