Easter 2024 - where to set up base in 3 valleys?

A snowHead

Now that the kids are competent skiers, we are broadening our ski horizons. We spent a week in Tignes in April 2022 and kids loved it. This year is GCSEs so we've had to go Feb half term and lower. But 2024 opens up for another Easter trip.

I learned to ski in Val Thorens way back in the late 90's but suppose a lot has changed! Quite keen to go back and certainly take the kids to ski in the highest resort in Europe.

But the question is where to base ourselves? Initially I thought VT itself but wonder if that's not the best option. We're competent intermediates so will want to put in some mileage and fun, prefer ski/in out (in reality.....never actually had this so really mean walk to nearest piste <100m) and would want snow where we are staying if suggestions are a village lower down (even though the kids are early teens.....they still want to build their back door 'igloo' after skiing!!!!). We also self cater and drive. Apres not necessary.

Thanks!

A snowHead

@kettonskimum, I would say either VT or even les menuires as it has free parking, would be the better option for an easter trip, if you want to be relatively close to ski in/out.

you will know it will be relatively snow sure, majority of the accommodation in both resorts are close to the slopes.
fairly straightforward to get around the rest of the 3v's

Meribel itself, has limited ski in/out, though mottaret has a lot more and is obviously higher so will keep the snow a lot longer

like you i learnt to ski in VT, but in the early 90's, and have been back to the 3v's several times including working a few seasons in meribel.

I am off to VT this easter with my daughters and a friend and his sons, after spending the last few trips in les menuires.
self drive and cater for us as well

TBH apres is probably not that important to me and my mate, well partying anyway, but the kids are mainly all late teens so will be more on their radar Very Happy

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

Personally I prefer Les Menuires.

I have stayed in Val T once - partly I guess because I ask myself why I need or want to be further up the valley.

Bit further to drive, more hassle to park (or park for free I guess), bit more altitude which never helps with sleep, bad weather and purely subjective vibe factors!

I've never stayed in the Meribel valley. Just tend to pass through it a lot of the time as apart from Mont Vallon I think the other two have better skiing. I like La Tania and Le Praz but they along with St Martin probably won't have the snow to play in.

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Thanks all - sounds like either VT or LM then - assuming you drive through/past LM to get to VT which might help us to focus on LM as it's a long drive (and kids aren't the with windy roads or lots of hairpins).

@terrygasson, take it your last few trips to LM were at Easter and you were happy?

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

@kettonskimum, you do drive through Les Men but I wouldn't over emphasise it, Val T is 10 minutes / 9km further.

Been Les Men at Easter in 2019 and in 2022. No issues either time - all be it typical late season conditions.

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@kettonskimum, no, my last trips to LM were either feb half term or at Christmas.

very happy with LM, and yes, you do have to drive through LM (and st martin) to get to VT.

as someone who had previously just skied through it to get to La Masse from Meribel, and to be honest was quite dismissive about the resort (well, its architecture anyway). I was pleasantly surprised how convenient it was to stay there, especially with kids, as mentioned it is generally ski in/out, or at least reasonably close to the slopes. it has a nice, covered shopping centre with plenty of choices of shops for groceries, ski shops etc and plenty of free parking.
we normally stay in the preyarand district, which has a free pedestrian lift up to the main croisette area that runs from around 8am until 11pm.

TBH was only going to VT this easter because i have not stayed there (though skied there several times) for over 25 years and just wanted to re-visit after all this time. and it just happened that when i was looking for a large apartment for us all, i found a 4 bedroom apartment that can sleep up to 10 persons for 1500 euros for the week, that is just a few feet away from the slopes.

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Meribel Mottaret

After all it is free

There is obviously the argument the higher the better towards the end of the season. But we have stayed in Les Menuires at Easter and it worked well. I think it is a better centre than Meribel/Mottaret (more options in that valley, and easier access over the ridge than from Val Thorens) and certainly better than the affordable options in the Courcheval valley once the temperature rises.

Of course if Courcheval 1800 is a realistic option for you it would be lovely.

@kettonskimum, VT every time for me - I've done Easter there many times. Truly ski in ski. Lots of great mileage for intermediates. And you still have the option of skiing LM or into the rest of the 3 Vallees if the conditions allow.

And that's probably the key bit for us - Easter can be warm, so would rather stay high in VT and have the option of skiing lower - than stay lower and have to journey to the better slopes everyday if the conditions are warmer than expected.

We also always drive and self cater.

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Anywhere but Meribel. I once did a very cheap mid week early December trip to Meribel when easyjet started flying from Gatwick. In a nice little chalet, where we were taken by the chalet minibus, and delivered to the lifts in the chalet minibus the following morning. I wasn't paying attention and, come time to go home, had only the vaguest idea where the chalet was. Still, I knew the name, and it's only a small place, innit? I had a vague idea of direction. Fortunately my ski boots were v comfortable because I must have walked miles. I thought I could just ask. Asked lots of (non French speaking for the most part) dipsy chalet staff, but they'd only just started, hadn't they, and knew nothing! Eventually I spotted a cosy group round a table in a chalet and decided to knock and ask, thinking I was in the right area. Turned out to be my chalet, approached from the other side (through the jardin) just sitting round with a drink wondering whether to raise the alarm for me (I'd gone on my own). And more recently, after nice time skiing, descending down to the Meribel Rond Point was awful - slushy snow, loads of people who couldn't ski, going to fast, all over the shop. I'm sure Meribel has some really good points, but they've passed me by.

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So I've found a couple of appartments - one in the Croisette area and one in Bruyeres of Les M (literally next to the Bruyeres lift). Any views/thoughts?

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@kettonskimum,

Personally, (we have been going to the 3Vs every year since 1998) I would stay in VT.

The additional 400 meters or so of altitude can make quite a bit of difference at that time of year. @Handy Turnip's point above is excellent.

I have never endeared myself to Les Menuires as I think the way the lifts fan out (and the high density of these lifts) scars the landscape. You're effectively skiing the same slope and orientation on different, mundane runs.

The lift system in VT is excellent and you'll have 1 hour or so to play around before the crowds invariably converge from the other 3 valleys.

I've stayed in VT twice at Easter. I don't think the driving time is much of an issue really, as other have said it's only ten minutes, the parking cost was a bit over eighty. I found LM to be cheaper for eating on the mountain, i found VT one of the more expensive places I've been.

The first time I went, I picked VT because it meant my son was at ski school there which was more convenient as I could ski in VT, if you're in LM and you're constrained by Ski school hours it might limit your options a little.

There was snow in LM both Easters I went but conditions were, inevitably, better in VT, especially in the afternoon. I too would avoid Meribel village at Easter just because of the altitude.

I know LM has a reputation for being ugly but surely no-one goes to the 3Vs for the architecture...

My feeling is it depends how important the budget is, LM is cheaper to stay and to eat (in my experience) but at Easter being in VT gives you better snow options.

You know it makes sense.

Of the areas in LM you mentioned, I'd lean towards the Bruyeres lift option. That puts you in a good location for accessing the whole area

Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:

just to be different, base yourselves in Courchevel, (La tania keeps the costs down) mostly north facing so tends to be better snow than the Meribel area, loads of skiing there inc some decent off piste and still can have great days out up to VT or Mount Vallon

A snowHead

A snowHead

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

VT is a tiny further distance. You pay for parking but the flipside is a VT only pass may be significantly cheaper than a 3V pass. Plus better skiing usually at higher altitude. Usually by the EOSB bottom of Plan de L'eau is getting distinctly mushy.

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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

Maybe I was too harsh on LM ... La Masse and everything off Boismint and Plan de L'Eau is ace.

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We tend to budget around £4k for the 4 of us to include accommodation, lift passes, tunnel/fuel/tolls, couple of evening meals out, equipment hire for 3 (no lessons).

Prefer accommodation to be close to slopes but no less than 36 square meters.

In Feb half term we kept costs down by being based in Morillon Les Esserts (1100m) with access to the Grand Massif.

Obviously accommodation prices will be cheaper at Easter but the trade off is higher lift pass costs. But some of the VT accommodation I've seen is way smaller (for the same price). And would be nice to avoid having to pay for parking.

We wouldn't be on first lifts - don't usually get out until 10am which helps if temperatures make for a freeze/thaw cycle.

I guess I thought that if we were near the Bruyeres lift then we could get into VT quite quickly?

I also have car sick kids who hate hairpins........

Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...

After all it is free

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@kettonskimum, take a look at lantani, to avoid hairpins & save a ton of money! don't be concerned by it's height, it's a quick gondola up and I don't think the home run has closed at Easter previously...

https://www.latania.co.uk/resort/accomm.htm

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As above, La Tania is a good base there with nice atmosphere and places to stay.

It's a lovely home run too in returning to the village with a nice wide gently cascading piste down through the forest. Gondola out to reach connection straight from village, just has a nice feel about it.

Well worth consideration.

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We stay in St Martin de B below Les M and VT. It is surprisingly quick to get up to VT if you like. And while it’s low, you can download from the gondola for the last run if you like. Last year only the bottom was unpleasantly slushy. And it was way, way better than the state of Méribel as noted above. It depends if you want more of a village feel than the purpose built Les M thing (not knocking it as happy with either at the right time!) lovely restaurants too.

You know it makes sense.

@kettonskimum, obviously you need to work out what you want, but on re-reading your original post it still feels to me that VT fits the bill.

VT was the resort you stated wanted to go back to, it will be more ski in/ski out than LM due to less snow meltage, and for the same reason building a back door igloo might not be as possible in LM.

Obviously it comes down to weather and conditions, and the likelihood is that you'll be fine in LM and have a great time. But our VT trip last year (1st April) was very warm, and who knows what things will be like below 2000m this year.

That said, Easter is earlier next year I believe, so if their hols are last week of March rather than first week of April, then that gives you a further safety net.

I'm sure you'll have a fantastic time whatever you choose.

Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:

A snowHead

I think you will be fine with either choices, having stayed at both LM and VT. However now we tend to go to VT at Easter, the drive beyond LM to VT is negligible with only a couple of bends and we tend to need only the VT ski pass and extend it to 3V on specific days if conditions are good at Easter. The car parking is around 90 euros for the week, pre-bookable, secure and covered (depending on your choice), so saves peace of mind and stress if (like me) you have Sunday-Sunday accommodation. Enjoy!

A snowHead

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

@kettonskimum, Ah, yeah forgot it's for 2024. And yes, too early. Prices don't change much after the French School HT hols (from mid-March).

For that time of the year there is no rush even for Easter or French school hols - there just isn't the same demand.

Help!!

Easter 2024 - where to set up base in 3 valleys?

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