 Poster: A snowHead
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When/where
Travelling down for U.K. half term, the flexiplus ticket at the tunnel made up for the delays on the M25. We drive through the night with just sporadic stops for a snooze, so crossing the tunnel at 8pm meant arriving at the resort at 8am. We have an Audi (Quattro) with summer tyres, but even with the scare stories of driving without 'winters' we easily got up the mountain as the daylight dawned. I also didn’t bother with the CritAir sticker, and I didn’t see any other cars had either. The journey home gives a good indication of total travel time. Leave the resort at 7am (as daylight dawns) and the tunnel was reached at 4pm. Our scheduled crossing was at 8pm(non flexible) so for the cost of another ticket we crossed immediately and were home (near Oxford) by 7pm. If there is space, then 2 normal price tickets works out cheaper, and just as quick, as 1 flexiplus ticket.
The chalet
We stayed at the chalet Noemi run by powder white. Great mix of people, food excellent unlimited wine of a decent enough quality, and the hosts were convivial.
The chalet is between two bus stops (line B & C) on the Argentlla road to the Altiport.
We did walk to Méribel centre a couple of times, but with a bus every 15mins there isn’t a pressing need to walk it. The building is actually called Chalet Rocher but Noemi is on the 4th floor (using a lift).
The Resort.
Méribel is not the cheapest village to go and eat out either at the bottom of the lifts nor up the mountain. A typical meal (burger/pizza) and beer would cost €20 per head. If cost is an issue then there are cheaper resorts to choose. The village of Méribel is mainly strung out along a Main Street that has the tourist office at the peak, and the achaudenne lifts at the bottom (on the road to Méribel Mottaret). Car parking in the resort isn’t as described on many websites. I couldn’t find a free outdoor car park, so parked indoors a the Nivaeu 2, which is underneath the Hotel Savoy. €80 for 7 days.
Bars/Restaurants
La Taverne: standard Savoyarde pub that is completely British, good food at the downstairs restaurant, bands in the evening upstairs, and big screens showing the rugby/football.
Barometer: like a British gastro-pub in menu and decor
Le Tremplin: open for continental breakfast, which is handy if you arrive at 8am on transfer day!
L'Abreuvoir: more upmarket restaurant and bar that is tucked away behind a little hut opposite La Taverne. An oasis of calm.
Jacks Bar: more traditional apres bar that shows sports on their screens in a smallish too with low ceilings.
Le Farcon (La Tania): looks really nice from the outside, and is located at the bottom of the lifts, but don't be fooled. This place is up market and you’re unlikely to get a table without having first changed into designer gear and a reservation (even if they aren’t full). Best not to turn up hot and sweaty from skiing with ski boots and helmets! Still, it is the first restaurant I’ve ever been turned away from in my life, so it has provided a bar-room tale that I will dine out on for a few years. According to their website, their menu isn’t even that expensive, so I put it down to pure snobbery.
Lessons
My wife had 5x 2hr group lessons with NewGen between 11:30 - 1:30. This timing works really well, since many other people are at lunch and the slopes are quieter.
I had a private 2hr lesson with Oxygene, my first lesson for over 10 years.
Both instructors were really good and I would happily recommend either company if you’re looking for lessons in the 3V.
The skiing
We had 2 bluesky days, 2 snowy days, 2 cloudy days, and 1 rainy day. Even with all of that variability we managed to explore each of the villages in the 3V area. A big bonus for my wife is that you can get around the whole area on Blue runs. It is worth checking the lift notices, because if they close the links between the valleys you might find yourself a long way from home! The pistes were pretty quiet for a U.K. half term (combined with the Savoyarde region) so the only queues we experienced were if you were trying to leave Méribel Centre at the same time as the ski schools (9:30, 11:30, 1:30).
The verdict
My first visit there, and I would happily return to Méribel.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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| Quote: |
Le Farcon (La Tania): looks really nice from the outside, and is located at the bottom of the lifts, but don't be fooled. This place is up market and you’re unlikely to get a table without having first changed into designer gear and a reservation (even if they aren’t full). Best not to turn up hot and sweaty from skiing with ski boots and helmets! Still, it is the first restaurant I’ve ever been turned away from in my life ... I put it down to pure snobbery.
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Was this lunch or dinner?
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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| jamescollings wrote: |
| Le Farcon (La Tania): looks really nice from the outside, and is located at the bottom of the lifts, but don't be fooled. This place is up market and you’re unlikely to get a table without having first changed into designer gear and a reservation (even if they aren’t full). Best not to turn up hot and sweaty from skiing with ski boots and helmets! Still, it is the first restaurant I’ve ever been turned away from in my life, so it has provided a bar-room tale that I will dine out on for a few years. According to their website, their menu isn’t even that expensive, so I put it down to pure snobbery. |
Not really surprised. Are there any Michelin-starred restaurants that welcome ski boots and helmets? 
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@jamescollings, nice TR.
Not sure the driving without winters are scare stories as such. It's just luck of the draw. Did you have chains?
How much was the cost of the 2nd tunnel ticket for the way back. Once we were 4 hours early we were asked for over £100 iirc. I didn't pay on principle. I now go for more aggressive times and taking a punt on being late.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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| jamescollings wrote: |
Le Farcon (La Tania): looks really nice from the outside, and is located at the bottom of the lifts, but don't be fooled. This place is up market and you’re unlikely to get a table without having first changed into designer gear and a reservation (even if they aren’t full). Best not to turn up hot and sweaty from skiing with ski boots and helmets! Still, it is the first restaurant I’ve ever been turned away from in my life, so it has provided a bar-room tale that I will dine out on for a few years. According to their website, their menu isn’t even that expensive, so I put it down to pure snobbery. |
Interesting. Although I've never had lunch there, I thought the lunchtime menu was aimed at skiers rather than locals. However I wonder if it's only in Spring? They have a terrace outside that when I was there 3 weeks ago, had no tables on it. I'm fairly sure that in Spring, it does have tables outside. So maybe outside is for people in ski gear and inside is for normal clothing? Pity because the lunchtime menu this year looks excellent for €42.
I can vouch for not needing a reservation if it's quiet, though. I've twice wandered over in an evening and walked straight in for dinner without a booking. Both the service and the food is excellent but the family that owns it can be a little prickly if you don't use a few French niceties. They also own the Chrome bar, are ESF instructors and the son (who is the Farcon chef) works behind the bar sometimes. I got told I could drink elsewhere once for questioning the happy hour beer price!
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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I can safely say I will never be darkening the door of Le Farcon!
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| ecureuil wrote: |
| jamescollings wrote: |
| Le Farcon (La Tania): looks really nice from the outside, and is located at the bottom of the lifts, but don't be fooled. This place is up market and you’re unlikely to get a table without having first changed into designer gear and a reservation (even if they aren’t full). Best not to turn up hot and sweaty from skiing with ski boots and helmets! Still, it is the first restaurant I’ve ever been turned away from in my life, so it has provided a bar-room tale that I will dine out on for a few years. According to their website, their menu isn’t even that expensive, so I put it down to pure snobbery. |
Not really surprised. Are there any Michelin-starred restaurants that welcome ski boots and helmets? |
FFS it is a ski resort?
WTF are they thinking about?
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