 Poster: A snowHead
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Hi, would appreciate some advice. Am looking to do first self book trip rather than package and looking for an economic self catered apartment in 3 valleys. We are very keen on ski in/out (or <5 min walk to lift) i.e. not getting party together to catch potentially crowded buses.
Found some in Meribel village and Courchevel 1550 but we are planning to go early to mid March and wondering if lack of snow at these heights will force us onto buses anyway. Can anyone tell me if the Lapin Piste into Meribel Village and the Golf chair (only lift up from the village) have been open in recent years in early to mid March.
Same question really about Courchevel 1550. Brigues red run and the Foret chair or Tovets/Proveres blue to Grangettes Cabin.
We will have one complete beginner with us who will likely have to take the bus for the first couple of days to ski school - hopefully the buses are frequent and quick and not packed?
BTW is there any site which shows lift and pistes open and closed historically?
Many thanks in advance for any information.
Wallport
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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@wallport, I have extensive 3V experience; you will have no issue with either of them regarding snow cover in March - they are almost always kept open until the very end of the season, late April. The bus timetables are usually published around November - they run every 20-30 minutes but you can find last year's here https://m.latania.co.uk/skibus/ The busiest ones are always the ones that meet ski school timetables but March is not peak season after the first week so shouldn't be an issue.
Of the two, C1550 is the better choice for the beginner. You won't need the bus. Grangettes is a cabin/pedestrian lift and is open until around 11.30pm. From resort level, you get in a lift (elevator) opposite the back of the bakery and then walk on to Grangettes, it's right next to it. Grangettes terminates in the same building as the lift pass office and the C1850 ski school meeting points are all outside so you can all stick together. The elevator is kind of in the middle of 1550 next to the underground car park. Check on Google Earth where your proposed accommodation is in relation to it. There's a lot nearby but some of the newer blocks are further up the hill (which is where the bus stop is) so if you want the ski-in/out feeling you should try to be near the centre.
Not sure why you're looking at Brigues and Foret to ski back - they take you to Le Praz and La Tania respectively and are not suitable for a beginner. Foret was regularly closed last year to save electricity costs. Tovets/Proveres is the way to ski back to 1550 (Proveres terminates at the top of the elevator/bottom of Grangettes) and the beginner (or all of you) can download on Grangettes from the Croisette so that way you can keep the group together if needed. Also means you can go for apres or a wander around the shops/supermarket in C1850 in the evening which can be pleasant.
In Meribel Village, the Golf chair is an old 4 man and there are ski school meeting points at both the top and (I think) the bottom for the ESF, not sure about other ski schools. That won't help the complete beginner though. They will likely have to take the ski bus and use a ski school meeting point at Meribel Chaudanne. It's quite likely they'll then be stuck with that meeting point for the rest of the week which will break the group up. Lapin is a lovely run but I wouldn't guarantee that a total beginner could ski it at the end of their first week so they may well have to also take the bus home or ask for a download on Golf.
One point regarding the beginner - if they are an adult you might find it difficult to book a complete beginner's adult group lesson in a non peak week, I would check the availability with some ski schools first. If they are any where in driving distance of a snowdome in the UK, I would very strongly recommend they do a "learn to ski in a day" type course before they go. For the sake of about £150 they will advance at least 3 days in equivalent progression on a mountain and would then be able to join an intermediate group on holiday straight away. Much better chance of them loving the sport if they can get out and about more and perhaps ski with you for some of the afternoon.
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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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This information is extremely useful. Thank you very much.
The runs are somewhat guesswork as they wont tell us the exact location until we book.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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@wallport, pleasure. I should have added that if La Tania is an option, that would be better than both C1550 or Meribel Village for the beginner. There is now a dedicated beginner's area with two magic carpet lifts at resort level in LT and wherever your apartment is, it's about a maximum 100m walk to that area. Again, snow cover is no issue in March and all the apartment blocks are pretty much ski-in/out. The Folyeres blue run back to resort is at the upper end of blue but there is also a green run back to resort level for the beginner or an easy download on the LT gondola.
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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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@wallport, agree with most of the above except that there have been one or two years in the past 20(?) when snow cover in mid-March has been sketchy to both places. Just about enough to get down, but not to give you much choice about what line to pick or where to turn. If you are unlucky with the conditions then 1550 (aka Courchevel Village) is probably the better choice. Both because of the ability to download on Grangettes, and the snow in a bad year in the Courchevel Valley probably being a bit better than in the Meribel valley.
But do make an effort to find out where your accommodation is. A lot of places described as Courchevel 1550 / Village are up the hill in Brigues, which is a long walk / bus from the lifts for beginners. (More experienced can perhaps use cut throughs to the Deviation / Dou de Midi / Brigues pistes).
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Thanks both, am also checking out an option in the Hameau district of Meribel Mottaret which might be better for all needs if a little more expensive.
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I wouldn't recommend Mottaret for a beginner in March. it's a sun trapped high traffic area that gets cut up and slushy by midday, let alone mid afternoon. Beginners/intermediates hate slush bumps and you could put them off for life.
The Jardin Alpin/Bellecote/Altiport areas of C1850 and the Altiport area of Meribel (above Meribel Village) are far better learning zones for someone to progress from beginner to intermediate.
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Ha, just when I thought I had it sorted 
Are you saying this from the point of view of where the ski school will take them or for learning with the rest of the party as there could be options to take her elsewhere to learn in the rest of the day? Presumably the ski school will find some reasonable snow?
or could she hop on a bus to La Chaudanne (say) for the first few days, do ski school there and then get back either by bus or going down on a lift?
Just looking for options.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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Mottaret simply doesn't have a defined beginner's area in the way that LT, Courchevel and Meribel do. There's the Yeti Park around the bottom half of Combes but that's really for kids and is a chairlift so no good for a complete beginner. There's only really two greens, the Truit into Meribel Chaudanne and Perdrix back to Mottaret off the Tougnete 1 lift so she's going to end up doing circuits round those. The instructor could take her up Legends to the Caves area but it would depend on the speed of the group, there isn't time to get to Meribel Altiport and back at that level in a 2 hour lesson. About the only benefit of the Truit/Perdrix circuit is it takes you straight past the Hameau area so at least you can get back to the apartment easily. The real issue though is finding easy blues for her to progress to after the green circuit. Mottaret's blues are tough in spring.
In contrast, the Altiport area in Meribel is designed for learning and has options for different routes and progression onto blues around the top half of Rhodos and almost all of C1850 between the Croisette and the Saulire lift is skiable by a confident intermediate with specific learning areas (and lifts) below the Altiport and off the Jardin Alpin lift. If things go well, you could take her to C1650 later in the week, most of that is skiable for a confident intermediate too. And you can take the bus back from C1650 instead of skiing if you're staying in C1550 - I think it's 7 minutes. The snow in C1850 holds up much better than Mottaret because it's lower traffic and North facing, and the Altiport area of Meribel only gets soft in the afternoons - it's firm for morning lessons, even in spring.
| wallport wrote: |
| or could she hop on a bus to La Chaudanne (say) for the first few days, do ski school there and then get back either by bus or going down on a lift? |
She could, but what's the point of having ski-in/out accommodation if you then take a bus to ski? Sending her away on her own every morning is hardly likely to be a recipe for a successful intro to skiing IME.
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With a mixed group you always have to compromise somewhere, so some further factors to consider (or complicate!).
A complete beginner in Meribel may start in the Rond Pont area for a few days before progressing to the Altiport, so Meribel Village wouldn't be ideal. They may need to start from the Chaudanne & Rhodos bubble.
Beginners in Mottaret will start on the 'magic carpet' for a day or two before progressing to the adjacent chairlift. (But I agree that Courchevel 1550/1850 is the better area for them).
For the rest of the group, if they are fast confident skiers it doesn't really matter where they stay. But it some are slower Mottaret, being central, is better located to explore the whole 3V area.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Well, after a lot of discussion and for a variety of reasons, mostly accommodation related, we decided to book the Meribel-Mottaret apartment. We all wonder whether we have taken sufficient account of our beginner but she was in agreement with decision. Its up to us to make it work for her and for at least one of us to help and guide at all times.
Our thoughts are: Book morning lessons so snow isn't too slushy; We recall that there is, depending on there being snow, a trail which leads from Mottaret 1750 to La Chaudanne - this should open up some more possibilities; Work out the buses which we have barely used in the past; Work out options for taking lifts down the mountain when the runs are too difficult; Take her to a snow dome in the UK so its not first time on skis.
Despite not taking all of your advice everyone, I do thank you for your experienced insight. I may open up another topic as this one has somewhat drifted from the headline now.
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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Meribus is very good and timetables are reliable, which offers flexibility
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| wallport wrote: |
| We recall that there is, depending on there being snow, a trail which leads from Mottaret 1750 to La Chaudanne - this should open up some more possibilities; |
It's the green 'Truitte' (sp) run and is very gentle (to the point of irritation after a while. From there, top of the Rhodos bubble takes you to the Blanchot green- long and wide, which you can go round and round as a beginner, without getting bored.
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