At the center of the widely popular Three Valleys (Les Trois Vallées) is Meribel, the world’s largest fully integrated ski area. The Meribel-Center is a massive chalet-esque resort with a merry but splendid village vibe. Just above the valley are Meribel-Mottaret, which is more compact, almost entirely ski-in, ski-out, and more purpose-built.

The resort has an extensive, varied slope that best fits advanced and intermediates skiers. From Meribel, accessing the Three Valleys is not difficult. Additionally, Meribel has ultra-convenient ski-in ski-out accommodation to the delight of visitors. While the resort is expensive, it certainly worth it.

Here is What You Need to Know About Expenses in Meribel:

Ski Pass Prices in Meribel

Family Pass 2 Parents 2 Children min 6 Day- 3 Vallées (256 euros per head)

In Les 3 Vallées ski area, you can ski for 6 straight days. It does not matter if you are decent, average, or a beginner skier; this pass gives you a pass up to 6 days or longer. With the pass, you get to save more than a skier who purchases a single day pass ski. In the case that you are skiing with other people, you can gain from the special reduced rate group passes when a 6-day (or longer pass) is purchased like the Tribu Pass, Duo Pass, or Family Pass.

A Duo Pass is given when two skiers buy together with a pass at the same ski area for the same dates. Tribu Pass involves the purchase by three or more skiers for the same dates and ski areas. Family Pass is explained as two parents with two or more children (5-17 years and over), and all family members ski for child prices.

Solo Pass (1 skier) 3 Vallées Skipass (41 euros)

In the case that you are staying for an entire week and plant to ski every day, do not forget that six 1-day passes are more pricey than one 6-day pass. The 6-day pass gives you access to ski at your own pace and join associates in mountain restaurants and be more flexible without hassle. Free ski passes (under 5 years or 75 and over) are just available from the official lift offices. Do not forget that all free passes require a recent photograph and an ID with date of birth.

>>Also Read: Where To Go Skiing in France?

Where to Stay

Meribel is mainly a chalet resort with many chalets available than any other alpine destination. Do not forget that some of the chalets are slightly a hike from the shops, lifts, and après-ski. Therefore, make sure that your chalet offers a shuttle service to take you to lifts every morning and bring you back.

Meribel is divided into 4 major sections. Each section has its merits and demerits and will suit a special type of holiday. So just before embarking on your search, be sure about what you want from the trip, and select the spot that best fits your needs.

For affordable apartments and serious skiing, Mottaret is the place to be. Lower Meribel Center is for beginners and parties, Upper Meribel Centre is for sybarites, followers of the Rond-Point and beginners, and Meribel Village is where to lodge for a village atmosphere and cost-effective chalets.

You should expect to pay between 100 and 1.000 euros per night depending on the type of accommodation and the number of people you are traveling with.

Food and Drink Cost in Meribel

The village may not have Michelin-starred dining establishments like Courchevel. Still, it has a wide variety of places to eat. With choices ranging from French and English to Asian and Mexican, try to avoid the regular cheese/fondue overload prevalent in France and discover something affordable. There are also many mountain restaurants for the skier who loves to eat, and Rond Point and Altipot have the best food on the local slopes.

Meribel’s après ski scene is a nice blend of brisk bars and more laidback hangouts. While the party goes on around the resort’s center, the relatively remote villages like Mottaret offer tranquility. Several of the bars are owned by Brits, and there are several options for live sports, happy hours, music, and other exciting attractions. For food, you should budget for around 30 and 60 euros per day per person, depending on what and where you eat, if you are visiting Meribel on vacation.

Restaurants 

In Meribel, restaurants differ from plain pasta and pizza places through fine dining hotel restaurants with all things between them. A nice restaurant is the Pizzeria at the Refuge that offers brilliant fillet steaks and big pizzas.

As for a luxury night out, a good option is Chez Kiki. It is an old restaurant where Monsieur Kiki prepares the steaks in the restaurant on an open grill. From his entrecote, the maestro sure knows his fillet but bear in mind that every side is charged as extra, which could be expensive. If you are a vegetarian, you might have to skip here.

The Den offers something different, which serves a tasty tapas-style blend menu. It has a bar that usually serves live music, making it a great place to visit with friends on a night out, aptly located atop Dick’s Tea bar. This place assures a good night out with some delectable treats.

Meribel’s Mountain Restaurants

In Meribel on the mountain, eating out is nothing sort of special. It boasts everything from the finest bakery in the 3 Valleys in Meribel Village (situated beneath the Lapin piste and offering excellent pizza slices, cheese, coffee, bread, and ham) the pleasant Adray Telebar and Le Blanchot. For the most cracking views, go to Le Roc on top of Col de Loze. They have an amazing menu and a quite nice Vin Chaud available until after the lifts no longer operate. Halt here and absorb the view before skiing down the plain pistes back into the village.

Bars and Clubs 

In Meribel, the bar scene may not be as flashy as the likes of Verbier and Val d’Isère, but it has several to offer. In the center, establishments like the Pub, the Barometer, and Jack’s bar attend to the younger crowds. For a more amped-up cocktail, go to Le Poste that you will find in the center (try their champagne Mojitos), or for a laidback drink session, 50:50 is the place to visit.

On most nights, many of the bars have live music; the Rondpoint has live music daily in the evening. Head to the Lodge du Village if Meribel Center is not your thing. It is well known in the Meribel Village among visitors and locals. It offers a sun terrace, live music on most nights, and other attractive features.

Eating and Drinking on a Budget

For budget travelers, avoiding hotel restaurants and bars is the first way to spend less because they cost a fortune. Jacks, the Lodge du Village, and the Pub are great for a cheaper pint; however, the further away from the village center, the less you pay on items. In Les Allues, La Tsaretta serves a good value drink with a pizza and for less than 15 euros. Down the hill, you will have to go 15 minutes on the bus to reach there. The Taverne, the Refuge, Evolution Zig Zag in Mottaret.

Where to Party in Meribel

Also known as Le Rond-Point, the Ronni on top of Meribel Center at the Rond Point des Pistes is a place not to miss. It offers a nice up-for-it ambiance, a 4-5 pm happy hour, and live bands. On a good night, by 6 pm, visitors can crowd surfing. Le Poste de Secours is an alternative and one of the town’s smartest bars with a Mojito Happy Hour and a great cocktail menu. Another important spot is Jack’s Bar, close to the Chaudanne lift nexus.

At the mid-station of La Saulire, check out La Folie Douce for some early après-ski with dancing on the terrace. Do not forget to drop in Le Rastro at Meribel Mottaret and Le Zig Zag. There is Downtown too that has a new look. At the Meribel, the village is Le Lodge du Village that is a vibrant spot with live music and crowd surfing at affordable prices.

As far as prices for alcohol prices are concerned, you should expect to pay around 6 euros for a glass of beer and around 8 euros for a glass of hard liquor.

Tips on Meribel

The staff in lifts and bars are friendly, and the off-piste is unmatched. The ski passes are costly, but visitors will get a good value for their money. The mountain workers work tirelessly to keep the pistes in good shape for visitors. Meribel’s resort is fantastic for a walk and a short window-shopping at trendy stores (they are expensive) with several cool gears.

Is Meribel Expensive? – Summary

Yes, Meribel is expensive. Actually, it is the fifth most expensive resort in the French Alps. However, it is worth it. 

Meribel is a lively, charming ski resort with incredible skiing. It has many bars and restaurants, and you will have a lot of fun in the après ski bars, much to your satisfaction. For strict piste-bashers, only a few places can compare to Meribel with unending runs in different directions and easy access to other resorts. If you are looking for new challenges, the resort has enough genuine masses and blacks of off-piste. Non-skiers will have much to see and do too.