Les Menuires

The 3 Vallées are billed as The World’s Largest Ski Area, and we’re not about to disagree. Neither will you; unless you’re in for the season, there’s little danger of skiing it all out – but you can have a whole lot of fun trying.

The local Les Menuires/Saint-Martin lift-pass offers plenty of varied terrain, but since the whole point of skiing here is to have access to the whole Three Valleys area, you’ll probably regret not going for the full lift-pass.

That said, skiing in this sector is not without its own rewards. You’ll find the gentler terrain on the side of the valley which borders Méribel, along with some long runs over towards Saint Martin de Belleville (the Red/Blue-graded Jérusalem being a particular favourite). There’s also a good-sized Fun Park beside the Sunny Express chairlift.

Across the valley things are a little steeper below the Pointe de la Masse (2804m), although apart from a couple of Blacks there’s nothing to intimidate most intermediates and is now much more beginner friendly with more blue pistes accessible from the top. The ascent is now a lot faster with a new high-speed gondola taking skiers and pedestrians to the summit in just 8 minutes. There's also a completely restyled top station with the restaurant 2800 and an exterior snack bar on a large sunny terrace with panoramic views. Also good to know that three old lifts have been dismantled, sold and recycled.

You’ll make worthwhile savings on accommodation and dining out by choosing to base yourself here in Les Menuires, rather than in Méribel or Courchevel – and you get to share exactly the same vast ski area. True, there was a time not so long ago when the high-rise image of the developments around La Croisette, Brelin and Preyerand was something of a handicap, but recent years the Les Bruyères and Reberty areas have softened things with a more traditional, Savoyard chalet feel.

This more authentic mountain vibe has since spread to La Sapinière, Reberty 2000, Les Balcons des Bruyères, Les Hameaux des Marmottes and Les Airelles. Result: Les Menuires is now a nice place to be, and has some very stylish services, too.

Skiing from this side of the Trois Vallées will suit those looking for worthwhile savings, without the need to commute to and from the ski area; it’s all right there on your doorstep. What you won’t find, though, are sheltered, tree-lined pistes, but this might not be an issue for you.

We’d say that it’s a logical choice for keen skiers who want speedy access to Val Thorens (but in a less exposed setting) or families and mixed-ability groups who value the range of facilities, which include a large Fun Park. And those who just can’t leave their social network (or business) connectivity behind will appreciate the multiple (payable) WiFi zones around the resort areas.

Voted Best Family Resort 2015 by the Word Snow Awards, Les Menuires certainly went down well with our guest writer Paddy Daly and his young family who stayed in a catered chalet at Reberty. Read the Discover Les Menuires feature.

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