 Poster: A snowHead
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hi - sorry for a very basic query, but we are thinking of 3v for Feb and have found a reasonable deal to Meribel Mottaret. Is there a link (bus or gondola) to get to the main resort of Meribel - and if so, is it easy/difficult and how long does it take. So far we have never managed to get out of Val T (early Dec). Mottaret looks like a good base to do the whole 3v - is this the case? 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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Think the bubbles stop pretty early in the evening (7, 7.30ish?) but buses run up to around midnight. Pretty much in the middle of the 3V, so yes, a good base from the skiing point of view.
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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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Meribel and Mottaret are connected by chair lift and bubble during the skiing day, but there is no lift link at all in the evenings.
There is a bus service (journey time about 15 minutes) but it is unreliable at the best of times and I do not know if it runs in the evenings. There are a number of taxi companies.
Mottaret itself is quite spread out. A bubble links the main part of the village with the top (Le Hammeau) but it used to close at 7.30pm (I have not stayed in Mottaret for a few years so this could have changed). After that time it is a steepish walk (about 15 minutes) or a taxi ride. There are of course restaurants and bars at both top and bottom, so it is not essential to commute in the evening.
The best thing about Mottaret is that it is at the heart of the Three Valleys lift system, with excellent quick links to Courchevel and Val Thorens and of course the fantastic Mont Vallon right behind the village.
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I think Mottaret's definitely the best place to stay for overall access to 3v's. In the morning U can get onto the best (IMO) slopes of Courchevel before the people staying in Courchevel can, yet u can also be in Val-T early enough to call first stop 'breakfast'.
The main Mottaret lift hub can get really packed... but, that tends to be around 10/11AM and 3pm when people from Courch and Val-T are all passing through to or from their day trips at the other end of the domain. If you're first lifters (give or take half an hour) then you'll be far away by the time any queues form.
The only drawback of the place I have found is the difficulty i've had tearing myself away from the Cime de Caron with enough time to get back (though never quite missed it).
There is no gondola between Meribel and Mottaret as such but there are 3 lifts up from Meribel which provide a direct descent to Mottaret. The reverse route involves a single, shallow piste called 'The Trout', a gentle 5-10 minute schuss through the trees.
Apres, the route is done by bus which runs very regularly. I'm not sure exactly how regularly but that's bound to be on the Meribel website. Mottaret is officially covered by the Meribal tourist office but there's a good unofficial site here.
The nightlife's not really Mottaret's strong point, it's more for the avid skier.
I suppose, to clarify the context between the two: if u want to go out every night partying and don't want the trip home to sober u up, stay in Meribel.
If u will only want to go out for meals or the occasional few drinks, Mottaret's great. A bit of apres drinking/ shopping in Meribel is perfectly feasible with an easy 15-20 mins bus ride home.
Who are you travelling with?
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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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Bus was working ok at Easter, one every half hour or so, someone I was with caught the last shuttle back to Mottaret not long before midnight.
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| Clive wrote: |
| There is a bus service (journey time about 15 minutes) but it is unreliable at the best of times |
I've not found it unreliable. I wasn't in Mottaret last yr but I was there 3 consecutive years before that. I definitely fit the 'Avid Skier' bracket rather than the 'Avid Drinker' one so I've not had much call to use the bus late at night. However, we've often had Chalet staff working in Mott but staying in Meri and they seem to get back and forth OK.
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I have been in Mottaret for the last two years and personally I think its a great place to stay. The buses are fine between Mottaret and Meribel and I think run up till about 11.30 ish at night. After that (return from night clubs etc) a taxi was required although some people have walked/crawled back up the Trout green run - not advised!
As for going out in Mottaret itself, there are not as many bars etc as Meribel, but there are still some crackers - Le Rastro for example and another whose name escapes me down some stairs under a takeaway place near the main lifts where a lot of the pisteurs/instructors seem to drink.
Again just to confirm the previous posts IMHO it is one of the best places to ski the 3Vs from. Prices are in general cheaper than Meribel, but you get the same, if not better, access to the other valleys as well as benefiting from being higher up than Meribel. I'm going back in Feb and can't wait as there are still parts of the 3Vs I want to explore.
As well as the official website www.merinet.com is useful for snow reports etc from guys actually in the valley.
Hope you have a great time
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thanks so much for the advice - still a bit torn between catching the early deal - and waiting till later to see where the snow is good - but will probably go for the bird in the hand..... and at least we know if the snow is not brilliant we can always do Val T yet again!!
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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 is better by far from the skiing point of view. It is 50M or so higher and that really makes a difference. It also gives superb access to all of the 3V, much better than Meribel. You can be over in Val T quite easily or to the far side of Courcheval. Vallon has already been mentioned. I've only used the bus once, but found it on time and convenient.
If skiing is your priority then Mottaret is the best. I'm too old for night life, though and thought apres ski was French for sleep!
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| Quote: |
| It is 50M or so higher |
Make that 300m higher. Meribel's at 1400, Mottaret at 1700.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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That explains a lot!
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