 Poster: A snowHead
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I just watched a YouTube resort video which said that LM had the largest individual ski area in 3V, which I was shocked to read.
I did two seasons in Courchevel and don't think I once visited Les Menuires, knowingly anyway.
Can people describe what a trip there might look like? How well connected is it? Would you need to start early and get an early lift home or can you ski back down?
Is it well connected by transport so that your could have an evening in one of the other resorts and still get home without a taxi?
Thanks
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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To be honest, I am not sure many people think in terms of a Les Menuires ski area*. The local skiing is part of the large Val Thorens valley which I am sure you will have visited, and it is well connected for ski access to the other valleys. Obviously from the far end of Courchevel you would need to think about the timing to cross two ridges, but once you have reached the top from the Meribel side you can ski on home without any more lifts.
I don't think any of the three valleys are connected to each other by public transport at night, you would have to pay a very expensive taxi fare.
[*It may be there is a local area pass for beginners, so that may be what your video talked about].
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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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I don't understand this obsession with staying in one resort but wanting nights out in others. If it is driven by any arbitrage on accommodation costs that will be soon undone by probably a return taxi trip.
Les Men can be skied back down to from the VT/Meribel ridge as long as it is open into April even though it can be soupy later in the season. Also accessible from the Plan De L'eau bottom of VT via Cumin, though that tends to fail life support earlier.
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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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@Ryunis, In your two seasons did you never look at a piste map? The Les Menuires section of it covers a large area, including La Masse.
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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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@Ryunis, i have stayed in LM a few times recently, and was impressed in how well connected it is to other resorts, and in general most of the accommodation is ski-in/ski-out.
our last two trips were to VT, and it also has lots of ski in/out accomodation
in the croisette area there is a large (underground) shopping precinct, so if the weather is pants, you are sheltered from it.
am not sure if the (non skier) buses that link VT/LM and St Martin operate of an evening, as i never had a reason to use them, i would say that VT has better nightlife than LM, so if you were that way inclined you would probably need to get a taxi, but there are a few bars and nightclubs in LM anyway.
i must admit i was also surprised that after spending a couple of seasons in courch, you had not knowingly ventured over to LM.
when i did seasons in meribel, we would be over to LM at least a couple of times a week, even if was just to get to la masse. obviously, i know meribel is only one "hill" over compared to courcheval, but it was really straightforward, we would somedays head over to courcheval then head over to LM, or do the opposite, with lots of time to spare.
also, i think you would have known if you had been to LM or not, as it must rank as one of the ugliest resorts in the alps 
but fortunately it is also one of the cheapest to stay in the 3v's
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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No shuttle buses run between the resorts in the Belleville valley in the evening. Though there may be paid for services that have come up from Moutiers, I doubt they are at time for the party crowd.
After years of looking v grotty and tired the Croisette building in Les Men is FINALLY getting a facelift, so things are getting smarter.
In terms of getting places..dead easy. I’m not sure what you mean by “Would you need to start early and get an early lift home or can you ski back down?”. It’s almost totally a ski in ski out resort.
Check the piste map…you will see at least 4 marked links over from the Meribel Valley. If you’re a good skier, you can get to Courchevel 1650 in less than 1hr 30 mins from the middle of Les Menuires. I’m not sure I’d say the valley is the biggest area of the 3V, but if you add in Orelle, it may be. People rave about La Masse, but the new Masse gondola has encouraged huge queues first thing in the morning.
Big plus..there’s loads of accessible off piste, especially above St Martin. For the more adventurous, but essential to go with a guide, west side of the valley off piste from the top of La Masse is full of possibilities.
Last edited by You'll need to Register first of course. on Sat 3-08-24 23:25; edited 1 time in total
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| Dave of the Marmottes wrote: |
I don't understand this obsession with staying in one resort but wanting nights out in others. If it is driven by any arbitrage on accommodation costs that will be soon undone by probably a return taxi trip.
Les Men can be skied back down to from the VT/Meribel ridge as long as it is open into April even though it can be soupy later in the season. Also accessible from the Plan De L'eau bottom of VT via Cumin, though that tends to fail life support earlier. |
Well, that's the point of wanting to know if it is connected by bus. So as to avoid expensive taxis..
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| rjs wrote: |
| @Ryunis, In your two seasons did you never look at a piste map? The Les Menuires section of it covers a large area, including La Masse. |
I don't understand the point of your question. We were only given Courchevel lift passes and upgraded maybe a dozen times during the season.
The off piste around Courchevel is excellent and if you know the good spots there's little interest in cruising pistes to the other side of the 3V, especially when you have work to get back to. Thanks for your useful input though
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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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There are no shuttle buses linking Les Menuires to St Martin or Val Thorens, but there ARE linking the (5?) different areas of Les Menuires itself. Of less interest when skiing but possibly very useful if you are thinking of staying there. From say Bruyeres or Reberty you can easily get to/from the Croisette (where the main shopping area, medical centre, possibly nightlife etc is) by bus. (La Bettex might be more isolated?).
I suspect 'largest ski area' might reflect acreage covered by the resort boundaries. There may be a similar number of runs to other parts of 3V, but spread over a larger area, meaning there is more scope for off-piste.
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@Ryunis,
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We were only given Courchevel lift passes and upgraded maybe a dozen times during the season
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it makes more sense now that you only had a courch pass, why you don't think you visited LM, its a shame whoever you worked for (am assuming it was a company who gave you your lift pass) did not give you a 3v pass. i dont think i met anyone who worked in meribel when i was there who did not get a 3v pass, i socialised and skied with lots of people from different companies, but i assume there must have been some!!!
but, as you say, courchevel has a fantastic range of on and off piste to keep you occupied
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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| Ryunis wrote: |
| Dave of the Marmottes wrote: |
I don't understand this obsession with staying in one resort but wanting nights out in others. If it is driven by any arbitrage on accommodation costs that will be soon undone by probably a return taxi trip.
Les Men can be skied back down to from the VT/Meribel ridge as long as it is open into April even though it can be soupy later in the season. Also accessible from the Plan De L'eau bottom of VT via Cumin, though that tends to fail life support earlier. |
Well, that's the point of wanting to know if it is connected by bus. So as to avoid expensive taxis.. |
There are bars in Les Menuires, they sell beer. Is this some seasonnaire thing where you are too cool to drink in the same resort (or look at a piste map)?
You could get on a Les Menuires bus, do a circuit, then pretend you were somewhere else.
Last edited by snowHeads are a friendly bunch. on Sat 3-08-24 22:37; edited 1 time in total
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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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| rjs wrote: |
There are bars in Les Menuires, they sell beer. I this some seasonnaire thing where you are too cool to drink in the same resort (or look at a piste map)?
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Quite. And I'm not sure why people ( this is the second thread in as many weeks) think VT is some hotspot for nightlife. I mean once a year there are some boundaries pushed on the annual Annex Cards v Humanity gross out but it's not exactly Faliraki x San Antonio for banging toons, fit birdz/blokez and fishbowls.
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You know it makes sense.
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| Dave of the Marmottes wrote: |
| rjs wrote: |
There are bars in Les Menuires, they sell beer. I this some seasonnaire thing where you are too cool to drink in the same resort (or look at a piste map)?
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Quite. And I'm not sure why people ( this is the second thread in as many weeks) think VT is some hotspot for nightlife. I mean once a year there are some boundaries pushed on the annual Annex Cards v Humanity gross out but it's not exactly Faliraki x San Antonio for banging toons, fit birdz/blokez and fishbowls. |
Wow that's a bit prickly and makes some false and baseless assumptions about my post. Why are you so eager to be judgemental and critical?
The reason I'm interested in connectivity is because I like to go to gigs and good ones are often rotated across many bars and resorts. I also like to eat out and better connectivity gives better access to restaurants. I don't know why I'm even explaining this to you. So what if someone asked the same question because they wanted to go to clubs on bigger resorts? Whats that got to do with you, why does it bother you and why do you think anyone is interested in your negative opinion?
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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Fair enough ( I was of course being hyperbolic for comic effect) but why not just stay in the resort which has more bands and restaurants in the first place?
I'm not trying to be judgemental just having been to VT it's not a place I'd identify for a great music scene beyond the Folie and party afternoons at the Knife and Fork/360 and they are basically daytime things.
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Poster: A snowHead
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@Dave of the Marmottes, I was under the same impression re:ValTho folks falling asleep rather early as in the other French ski resorts till this April when I was compelled to take with me a much younger generation.
It appears Le Malaysia night club doesn't open before 23:00 and there's a queue.
Winter café is famous for staying open till 2 AM and they also deliver burgers etc. for munchies
Some small pubs with loud music stay open past midnight as well.
Too old for that sh_t, the laid back atmosphere at the EOSB suits me just fine.
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