Summer in Meribel

Midwinter in the southern hemisphere and parts of the south east of Australia certainly knew about it this week with wild weather hitting Melbourne and Sydney. Great news for the ski resorts although current visibility at Blue Cow is slightly limited.

Conditions at Blue Cow this morning

While the Australian ski resorts enjoy snowfalls of over a metre just in time for the school holidays, the summer season in Meribel officially starts on the weekend. From the 28^th June to 29^th August the Tougnete and Pas du Lac lifts will be open to whisk holidaymakers to the summits to enjoy walking, cycling or simply the amazing views. In addition to the Meripass as detailed in our last post lift tickets are available on daily, weekly or even sector basis.

You don’t have to take lifts at all if you don’t want to, there are plenty of paths for walking and trails for mountain biking that can be accessed from different points throughout the valley. From our Village of Les Allues you can access easy walks up to Meribel Village or Meribel Centre, and across the valley interesting loop trails can be taken which go through small Villages giving a real insight into life in rural France. Feeling a little more energetic? The climb to Col de la Lune from Les Allues is well worth it for the views into the Belleville Valley. The area around the Altiport and the Golf course is picture perfect at this time of year, hard to believe that beautiful green grass was covered in snow just a few months ago.

If you feel like being a bit more adventurous perhaps exploring the glaciers and more dramatic peaks of the area, group or individual tours are available for beginners and advanced hikers. The destination depends on level of walkers and the weather but can include: the Vanoise glaciers, Grande Glière, Grand Paradis, Dôme des Ecrins, Mont-Blanc, Aiguille de la Vanoise, Le Petit Arcelin. Costs start from 95€ per person. For more information contact the Mountain Guides' office:

www.guides-courchevel-meribel.com 

Walking and Mountain Bike riding maps are available form the Tourist Office, like the winter piste map they cover all three valleys giving a huge choice of routes to follow. There are also commercially available maps for the area which show an even wider range of tracks you can follow, there really is no excuse for a lazy summer holiday in Meribel.

Part of the walking map around Les Allues - plenty to keep you going for an active summer holiday

So while the southern hemisphere shivers the outlook for this week in Meribel is sunshine and 20 degrees – perfect for getting out and exploring. Enjoy.

Meripass - what is it and how to get one

Almost June and summer really is just around the corner. In our last post we mentioned the Meripass and promised more details so here it is. A bit like a Lift Pass but with many over activities included, the Meripass is a great buy for anyone lucky enough to be spending a summer holiday in Meribel. 

What doe Meripass cover?

Unlimited access for 7 days (from sunday to saturday):

• 3 Valleys lifts
• Swimming pool at Meribel Olympic Park.
• Ice-rink at Meribel Olympic Park (*).
• Tennis courts at the Golf.
• Bouncy castles at La Chaudanne.
• Practice ground at Meribel Golf Club.**

(*) Ice-rink: no skate hire included.
(**) Golf: 1 bucket / day/ pax.

Plus discounts on a range of other activities in Meribel for example 15% off tourist flights with the Aeroclub or if you prefer a more relaxing time 20% off massage at the Spa. For a full list of the discounts available see this page of the Meribel web site

How much does it cost?

As with Lift Pass prices in the winter you can secure a discount by buying 3 or more of the Meripass providing you purchase on the same transaction.

Rates
Children 5 - under 13 years old	€49
Adult	€69
Méripass "Tribu" (3 people)	€165
Adult add.	€55
Méripass "Family" (2 adults + 2 children 5 - under 18 years old)	€165
Child add.	€49

Guests of Chalet Vache Bleue receive a substantial discount on the already great price which brings the cost for the Meripass down to €29 per person. It really doesn't get much better than this for 7 days access to the summer lifts. In our next post we will give details of which lifts will be open and which amazing alpine areas they give you access to.

Time for Summer to arrive

Despite the snow which fell earlier this week as shown above the lifts have closed for the winter season and it's time to start thinking about summer activities. Chalet Vache Bleue is open throughout the inter season period as well as the summer season. This year Meribel is proud to be hosting the Mountain Bike World Cup Finals in August which promises to be a huge event with over 4,000 Athletes representing 9 Countries attending. We will post more information about the event closer to the time.

It's not all about Mountain Bikes during the summer in Meribel there are many other events planned from Flying to Fly Fishing, although of course you don't need to be attending a planned event to simply enjoy the magnificent scenery. The well marked paths and tracks throughout the area from the valley floor to the peaks should not be missed and during the main holiday period the lifts swing back into action to make the trip up a little easier on the legs.

During the summer access to the lifts and a range of other events can be achieved through the purchase of a Meripass. As Partners with Meribel Tourism we are able to off the Meripass at a reduced rate, we will include all the details in our next Post or e-mail us: chaletvachebleuemeribel@gmail.com for more details.

To mark the end of the winter season here is our favourite picture from the season which was taken in Les Allues on 6th February. The 2014/15 winter season will be upon us very soon but don't forget to take advantage of all the Alps during the summer.

What's the weather like in March?

Simple question impossible to answer. As we come to the end of March we would reasonably expect to be in Spring Skiing mode. The days are long, lifts open until late afternoon, the odd fly has been spotted and the goggle tans are developing. All of this was completely true until the end of last week when winter decided she had not quite finished yet. By Sunday we were experiencing temperatures of minus 25 in the wind and wondering if we had imagined the temperatures of 14 plus degrees and apres drinks in the sunshine only days before.

The dramatic drop in temperature brought snow, lots of it. Even down at Village level the early Primroses were hidden by snow and the alarm clock was beaten by the snow plough off to do his snow clearing. The Pistes are fresh and in beautiful condition so it seems a shame that there are so few people here to enjoy it. When Easter falls late, March is usually a quiet period. There are no school holidays and the idea of "Spring Skiing" can raise concerns around the quality and quantity of snow. 

So is it risky to book a snow holiday for March? Our experience would say not at all. The Three Valleys area is high and benefits from a mostly northerly aspect which keeps the snow in good condition. Piste grooming in the area is amongst the best in the world which ensures the conditions are the best possible. The efficient lift system can get you up high quickly and even if spring snow appears at the bottom of the area down lifting using Gondolas at the end of the day is always an option.

We have been in the area many times during March and a quick check through our Photos confirmed that it always snows during the month. So as many people start to think about their snow holiday for next season don't forget about March as a possibility. As an added incentive next March from the 18th to 22nd March the 2015 Alpine Skiing World Cup Finals will take place in Meribel. This is not just a "first" for Meribel but also a "first" for France. What better excuse do you need?

To show off our lovely conditions here are a few pictures taken over the last 7 days.

Enjoying the sun before the weekend

Lovely afternoon sunlight on the way home

The Altiport area plunged back into Winter

The sun did try but the snow clouds won in the end

Yellow is the new Black in The Three Valleys

Across The Three Valleys ski area there are Green, Blue, Red and Black marked Pistes or runs. The frequency with which they are groomed/bashed at night by the Piste Machines varies within each resort area but as a rough guide Green runs will be groomed every night, most Blue runs will be groomed, a lower % of Red runs will be groomed and an even lower % of Black runs will be groomed.

When Pistes are groomed the unevenness of the surface is reduced and moguls are flattened leaving a corduroy surface which we commonly refer to as Hero Snow. It is predictable and in most cases a very different experience than skiing or riding Off Piste where no slope preparation is carried out and obstacles such as rocks and sudden drops in terrain exist.

Over the past few years we have seen an increase in the number of people wanting to explore Off Piste. This is partly driven by the availability of equipment which enables people to  participate in the experience without a huge outlay in terms of money and time to learn new skills. This has led to some problems, the weather this season has given us an unstable snow pack and avalanches have been frequent some sadly fatal. A local guide commented on one of the problems with this increased interest in Off Piste areas being people have "equipment beyond their capability". 

One of the problems is how do you learn how to ski or ride Off Piste conditions without actually going Off Piste and endangering your life and that of others. This year the Les Menuires area of The Three valleys have taken steps to address this. On the Piste Map there are now Liberty Ride Pistes which are marked in yellow:

These are marked pistes which have had obstacles such a rocks removed but no grooming is carried out. The condition of the snow is therefore what you will find Off Piste providing a safe area in which to experience these very different snow conditions. Piste markers are used and the areas are patrolled.

Liberty Ride Piste marker

Three Liberty Ride areas have been introduced and no doubt more will follow. They can be found on la Masse: access via la Masse 2 gondola, on Ariondaz near Saint Martin: access via the Saint Martin 2 chairlift, and pylônes: access via the Sunny Express chairlift. This is a great innovation by the area so before you venture Off Piste for the first time practice your skills in one of these areas.

Flags - not just for Australian beaches

Spending half our lives in Australia we are well used to looking at Flags for information, they are the way Surf Lifesaving Patrols warn of conditions and where is safe to swim at the beach. A similar system operates in the Three Valleys at the points where you can move from one valley to the next. Years ago it was necessary to seek out the blackboard of information at the top of the lift stations and although these still exist the flag system is simple, easy to spot even from a distance and easily understood whatever your language you understand. 

Over the last two weeks we have had a couple of days of high winds including one day last week which managed to knock over the large festive snowman which marks the entrance to Les Allues and numerous large signs around the resort. On very windy days you don't really need to be told it is windy but it frequently happens that the wind increases during the day which can lead to lifts being closed and ultimately you can be stranded in the wrong valley. 

The flags are positioned where you transition from one valley to another and look like this:

This is of course the favourite flag - Green for all good, links are open and no problems anticipated. This is followed by Amber which signifies that crossing over to a Valley other than the one you are staying in is "not advised":

This is probably the toughest one because lifts will still be open and you may be tempted to cross to another Valley but be warned the weather can change very quickly and taxi fares home are expensive. 

The final stage is the red flag - which I don't have a picture of - which signifies the links are closed. This can cause confusion for some people as Pistes leading to the next valley will be open however you will not be able to get back to the top as the lifts will be closed.

The flag system is not the only way the lift companies keep slope users informed there are still the blackboards and message boards as you get on and off lifts. If in doubt don't be afraid to ask advice from either the lift operators or the Piste Patrol in the huts located throughout the area. It is in their best interests to keep you safe, they are friendly, approachable and have the best knowledge of the area.

Finally the weather here in Meribel is a little grey and snowy today but we are promised a return to sunny days for tomorrow followed by a light fall of snow on Friday to freshen up the Pistes. Perfect really and to end this post a picture taken on Monday which really was the most perfect day to be enjoying the snow in Meribel