Meribel Les Allues resort guide - a general overview
Meribel Les Allues is the original village of the Meribel valley and very much at its heart and soul. It is situated 7km below Meribel centre, the main resort.
Meribel Les Allues has a pretty little centre with five very established restaurants all of which also have their own bars. This charming village is connected to the main lift hub of Meribel via the Olympe gondola which ascends the main valley floor in exactly 15 minutes.
Once at Chaudanne (the main lift hub of Meribel Centre) there are easy connections to the whole of the 3 Valleys ski domain. With the completion of the Saulire Express it takes a further 12 minutes to reach the Saulire summit, and the high speed 8-seater Plan de L'homme chairlift offers a fast alternative in the other direction (towards Val Thorens and St Martin de Belleville) as does the Tougnete telecabine. These days you very rarely queue at the Chaudanne due to the choice of lifts on offer.
Photos courtesy of Sylvain Aymoz - Meribel Tourist Office.
Resort stats
600km
1,300m - 3,195m
Level of skiing
- Beginners
- Intermediates
- Experts
- Snow sure
- Off-piste
- Ski area
Qualities
- Charm factor
- Non-skiers
- Nightlife
- Resort layout
- Fine dining
- Short transfer
- Resort value
Airports
- Chambery
- 2hrs
- Lyon
- 2hrs 30mins
- Geneva
- 2hrs 30mins
Pros and Cons
Pros
- A quiet, unspoilt and picturesque village
- You are not paying Meribel prices
- Majority of accommodation is close to the main gondola
- Some lovely chalets
Cons
- Nightlife is pretty much non exsistent
- Main gondola up to Three Valleys is quite slow
- Home run to village often shut due to lack of snow so need to download on the gondola
Restaurants
Meribel Les Allues Resort Restaurants
Les Allues has a handful of genuinely good local restaurants. La Tsaretta, beside the church in the old village, remains one of the best-known spots thanks to its relaxed atmosphere and friendly service.
La Croix Jean-Claude is another longstanding favourite. Expect traditional alpine dishes and a family-run atmosphere.
For something a little more refined, La Chaumière is worth the short trip and has built a strong reputation.
Meribel Les Allues Mountain Restaurants
One of the advantages of staying in Les Allues is how quickly you can access the wider Three Valleys ski area via the Olympe gondola. From there, some of Méribel’s best mountain restaurants are within easy reach.
Le Clos Bernard is one of the most atmospheric lunch spots in the valley, hidden away in the forest near the Altiport.
Le Blanchot, above Méribel Village near the Altiport, is another reliable choice with a smart chalet feel and a sunny terrace. You ski down towards Méribel Village on the Lapin piste and the restaurant appears on your left just before the tree line opens up.
For longer lunches and a livelier atmosphere, La Fruitière at La Folie Douce is a great mountain restaurant and Le Rond Point is also hard to beat for a late lunch in the sun.
Meribel Les Allues Apres Ski
There is a huge amount of apres bars to choose from in the Meribel area. One not to miss is the La Folie Douce. However if you fancy something a bit closer to your chalets, Meribel Les Allues guests can sample the local Mutzig at the La Tsaretta bar.
Meribel Les Allues Nightlife
Although most people tend to spend a relaxed evening in their ski chalets, Meribel Les Allues does offer a few choices for those wanting to sample the local nightlife. La Tsaretta is open from 5pm until 1am each night and hosts British bands and themed nights throughout the week. Beyond that, most of the restaurants and hotels have small locals’ bars that are well worth dropping into for a quieter drink.
Funicular
Cable Car
Gondola
Chair lift
Drag lift
Property