Lying to the east of Lyon and Grenoble in the Trois Vallees (Three Valleys) ski region, one of the world’s largest ski areas, Les Menuires offers extensive skiing for all skill levels as well as challenging off-piste trails. An uncrowded resort with easy access from the village and reasonable rates makes Les Menuires an attractive ski destination. There is also summer skiing on the nearby Val Thorens Glacier.
Located at 1,850m above sea level, Les Menuires village is a modern, purpose-built resort with ski-in/ski-out accessibility. Despite its modernity, traditional stone and wood chalets are slowly being introduced to give the village a more authentic flavour. Facilities at the resort are first rate and there are over 100 shops.
Les Menuires boasts 27,000 beds in a variety of hotels, apartments and chalets in both affordable and expensive luxury establishments. Après-ski activities are numerous and there are dozens of restaurants and bars, as well as two discos, creating a lively atmosphere. There is also an arts hall where classical, jazz and blues concerts are regularly staged. Nurseries and a ski kindergarten are also on hand.
Sixty-two pistes run over 160kms of varied terrain, with an emphasis on the intermediate and advanced skier and snowboarder. Les Menuires’ longest run is 3.5kms. There are 42 lifts, including six cable cars, one gondola, 16 chairlifts (including a six-pack), 16 draglifts and three moving carpets, with a total capacity for 56,000 people per hour.
For alternative skiing you can head for one of the nearby resorts, including the famed Courchevel, in the Trois Vallees region where there are an additional 440kms of pistes and 132kms of cross-country tracks. Away from the slopes, the Sanctuary of Notre Dame de la Vie is a top baroque attraction, and Brides-les-Bain is noted for its spas.
The ski season at Les Menuires runs from mid-December to late April, and the best deals are to be had before the Christmas holidays and towards the end of the season. The most practical way to get to Les Menuires is to fly to Geneva and take a train to Moutiers, from where buses and taxis go to the resort.
