Meribel & Mottaret Ski Resort

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Snowy scenes from Meribel

Meribel ski resort and where to get a job

At the heart of the three valleys , Meribel is really where the British ski industry kicked off in France with Peter Lindsay investing and planning the resort from the late 1930’s .

This resort along with Mottaret hosts hundred of thousands of Brits every winter , the valley itself is very wide , open and sunny but the main problems you really get here are the queues in the bottom of either meribel or mottaret as people are trying to head up the other side .

That said a season here will offer you great skiing and a great seasonairre vibe as there are simply thousands of staff working the bars / restaurants / shops /chalets etc etc

 

Bars..where to start ?

Jacks bar in the Chaudanne area ,that kicks off a lot of peoples après ski , but will go on into the early hours .

Meribel is now famous for the Folie Douce bar which hosts a party every day from around 3pm onwardsBar job staff day off , dont miss your last lift to Courchevel though.

Resort centre

La Taverne & the Doron Pub , two of the most established institutions in meribel , hosting live music , DJ’s , raffles and madness.

La Poste .. if you have the money !! there will always be a few of the old school ski bums looking at this shaking their heads at what was once the Capricorn (just ask someone when you get there )

Barometer Bar .. always a laid back atmosphere in here .

Lodge du Village , higher up in Meribel Village , this is now a firm favourite for all seasonaires and hosts the Charity Day which moved from La Tania.

Meribel valley slopes

Depending on the time of the year , you will want to plan your day around the sun , now one wants to be skiing back in the cold shadowy runs!

But you have to head up to Mt Vallon for some brilliant wide open fast skiing , from there you can drop over into Val thorens ( and maybe head to the fourth valley !)

The Moon Park Meribel One of the big draws are the two parks : DC area 43 snow park and the Moon park … you will be spending a fair amount of time hanging around here !

 

Top Tips

The Meribel Couloir ( or Death Couloir ) has been slightly toyed with this year and you can now get your ride filmed and posted straight to facebook .. although this has taken the mystic away .

On powder days with lots of snow , head into the trees and ski down to Brides les Bains , and don’t miss out on the trees  above Raffort.

If you have a three valley pass and Meribel / Mottaret is heaving , then head up to Saulire and drop over into Courchevel 1650 and get away from it all !

 

Jobs

There is a wealth of opportunities here , every big ski company along with smaller chalet companies , you sometimes wonder if you are in France when you hear the amount of English staff !

Bar & restaurant jobs are plentiful here too.

 

The most extreme ski runs in Europe

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The Most Extreme Ski Runs in Europe

Extreme Skiing

The very best thing about working in a ski resort is that you get to hit the slopes during your time off. However if you’ve been riding for a number of years then you might find that your usual red runs just don’t seem as challenging as they used to be. But just where do you go if you want to test your ski skills to the max? We’ve rounded up a list of some of the most extreme ski runs in Europe, which should only be attempted by the very bravest among you. But remember, conditions play a big part in all of this. With fresh powder they become much simpler, but after a few days of clear skies they turn into truly terrifying ice fields. Read on to find out why only the best skiers head to these European runs.

The Champagne Run, Alpe d’Huez, FranceChampagne run Alpe Dhuez

 

This one isn’t for the fainthearted. With 2,200m to ski down from the Pic Blanc, the Champagne Run is a real test of endurance that’ll take about half an hour if you do it without stopping. You’ll go through a mix of blacks and reds and the famous Le Tunnel run, but be prepared for some heavy snow on the lower slopes. Why’s it called the Champagne Run? Because if you finish it then you definitely deserve a drink to celebrate!

The Lauberhorn-Wengen, SwitzerlandLauberhorn Wengen

The 2500m summit makes this downhill course the longest in the world, with 4.5kms to have fun on. The famous Lauberhorn race is hosted here, where pro skiers regularly reach 160km per hour! There are also a number of challenges along the course, including the Hundschopf, a scary 130-foot jump over a rock nose. The Lauberhorn-Wengen should definitely only be attempted by seasoned skiers who have spent years perfecting their skills.

Grand Couloir, Courchevel, FranceGrand Couloir Courchevel

Courchevel might be best known for its stunning luxury ski chalets, but it also hosts one of the trickiest ski runs in Europe. To get to the Grand Couloir you need to follow a narrow gutter formed by the passage of other skiers, which makes it extremely difficult to get through. There are also big drops either side, and the entry to Grand Couloir is around 35 degrees, so you need to be prepared!

Harakiri-Mayrhofen, AustriaExtreme Ski harakiri mayerhofen

This Austrian slope has an average incline of 78%, making it the steepest in the country. It’s only 150m long, but many a skier has ended up falling over the finish line after a number of high impact tumbles. If you make it to the end you’ll be cheered by a cheering section of ski fans, and you’ll have the bumps and bruises to prove it!

La Chavanette, Avoriaz, FranceExtreme Ski La Chavanette Avoriaz

This famous piste stands on the Swiss-French border close to Avoriaz and includes a 331m vertical drop. It starts with a 50m narrow pass, before leading on to two rocky outcrops which are 10m apart. La Chavanette is also referred to as a Swiss Wall, which should tell you everything you need to know about its difficulty!

If you’re looking to work in a ski resort and you’re after something a bit more exciting then try one of these destinations, we’re sure the thrillseekers amongst you will definitely agree!

Val Thorens, Les Menuires & St Martin

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Val Thorens Valley

Val Thorens ski resortPart  of the three valleys (along with Meribel & Courchevel), these resorts all stretch along one valley from 1300m to 3200m. At the higher end of the valley you have the purpose built resorts of Val Thorens / Les Menuires and Reberty and lower down is the old village of St Martin de Belville .

As you may imagine the purpose built resorts that sprang up in the 1960/70’s can look just a tad ugly , but wow do they serve a purpose. Skiing to the door is what these resorts are all about and if you want to click your skis/board on at the front door of the apartments then these resorts are for you .St Martin lower down the valley retains its true Savoyard style and furthermore has a village atmosphere too.

The whole area can feel quite treeless and bare , so in bad weather you might want to pop over into the Meribel valley ( just don’t get stuck there !)

Slopes

Several must ski areas are the Cime de Caron at 3200m where you can drop over into the fouth valley or back into Val Thorens . La Masse is a great area to ski ,it mostly faces north east as a result the snow is always in good condition. Once you have skied here then head down to St Martin and have a spot of late lunch in the sunshine .

If you are looking for an easy step into powder then the powder fields just in between the pistes on the runs down to St Martin can be a great way of building confidence .

New this year (2016/17) the old Jerusalem run has been down graded to a blue run.

 

Top Tips

Pierre Lory from the top of the Col chair into the Maurienne Valley can be superb in the right conditions  plus  La Masse to Lac du Lou & La Masse down Vallée des Encombres  all great in the right weather. You should be mindful about the wather up here though as it is wide open and offers no shelter , so plan ahead.

val thorens tour to pralognan

val thorens tour to pralognan

If you are up to it and can go with someone who knows their way ( or a guide ) then from the Vanoise glacier you can drop down eventually to Pralognan La Vanoise. Be prepared for a hefty taxi back or bribe someone to drive round to pick you up ( good 90 minute drive).

 

 

 

Jobs

Not quite so many opportunities here as there are a lot of apartments and Dutch ski companies here , that said there are still the usual big tour operators and a handful of chalet operators .

 

Bars

Val Thorens:

Le Saloon is massive for après ski and the party will be in full swing until the early hours

Frog & Roastbeef is a bit of a classic and always a good meeting point

Grotte du Yeti is wild if you like your europop dutch style

La Folie Douce is an institution , if you have see this in Val D’Isere then you know what to expect , if not then either take a couple of stubbies and watch from the slopes or take your platinum credit card  and hit the champagne bar !

 

Les Menuires / Reberty:

Challenge bar is great for live music at Apres Ski and fills up quickly

Crazy Bar does what it says on the tin , guaranteed party at Apres ski

Skilt , Good sized terrace for some Apres action and gets busy with brits looking for sport later.