Meribel, a brief guide to this famous corner of France

Set at the heart of the 3-Vallees skiing area, Meribel offers traditional alpine charm combined with convenient state-of-the-art skiing and one of the most extensive and effective lift systems anywhere in the alps. With an excellent range of runs there is unrivalled skiing to suit everyone.

In addition to the many runs in Meribel valley, the lift system gives easy access to the extensive runs in Courchevel, Val Thorens, Les Menuires and St Martin de Belville. For the more adventurous skier the 'Fourth Valley' beyond Val Thorens is now easily reached by the new Funitel de Fond.

Ski and boot hire

For all your ski Meribel and boot hire we recommend Slide Candy. They gave an excellent service last season and we are delighted to recommend them again. This is what they say:

"Slide Candy established themselves in 2010/2011 season as Méribel's No.1 ski rental delivery service with quality equipment, exceptional customer service, competitive pricing and fantastic value for money.  With FREE delivery before you arrive, all equipment is expertly fitted in the comfort of your chalet!

Quality Equipment
Slide Candy believes you should be skiing on the latest quality rental equipment and operates the most extensive seasonal replacement policy in town.  All Red and Black category skis are brand new for 2011/2012, and include the latest skis to suit all ability levels. The ski boot range is the newest in town too ensuring comfortable rental boots for a variety of foot shapes.

Customer service
Avoid queuing in a ski shop.  Have your equipment prepared and delivered to your chalet by Slide Candy and when you're ready, a technician will visit and check everything fits perfectly. Slide Candy staff are experienced, English speaking skiers and snowboarders and able to recommend the perfect equipment that'll help you get the most out of your snow time.  A flexible call-out service is on hand during your holiday in case you need to change some of your equipment.  At the end of your holiday, simply leave all your ski rental equipment at the chalet and Slide Candy will collect it all for you.

Booking your equipment
Booking your equipment online couldn't be made easier with a refreshingly simple, secure and easy to navigate booking system.  If you know exactly what you want you can specify the make, model and size, or if like most of us, you're unsure which skis to choose, simply allow the Slide Candy team to select suitable equipment for you.  Slide Candy stock top brands Head, Salomon, K2, Volkl, Scott, Nordica and Atomic.

Private servicing
If you have your own equipment, Slide Candy also offers private servicing and will pick up your skis or snowboards and have them delivered ready for first lifts the following day. 
Please see www.slidecandy.com/priceguide.php  for servicing costs.

Pay less and ski the best!
Book in advance and SAVE €€€'s and time by pre-booking online at www.slidecandy.com"

Ski School

There is a good choice of Ski Schools in Meribel.

We particularly recommend New Generation, the specialist British ski school based in both Meribel and Courchevel. Here you can learn from fully qualified and highly motivated coaches in your own language. There is a choice of courses and clinics as well as private coaching.

The French school Magic in Motion is also highly regarded and has English speaking instructors, small class sizes and caters for children and adults.

There is a well established school of the ‘Ecole de Ski Francaise’ (ESF) which can provide instruction in a wide range of languages.

It is advisable to pre-book and during the peak weeks, New Year and mid-February, it is essential. We can make the arrangements for you, subject to availability.

Off-piste skiing

For the competent off-piste skier, interested in exploring away from the main skiing areas, the Bureau des Guides has an active programme each week and details will be available in the chalets.

Premier Service

Cooltip Mountain Holidays is a family company providing high quality catered holidays in Meribel. We own our chalet appartment and this gives us a long term commitment to the resort. As a family we have been sking in Meribel for many years. We know the area well and are committed to providing you with the quality of holiday we ourselves would expect. Our personal service is designed to accommodate your particular needs, so for more information or if you have any special requests, simply phone us and ask to speak to Hugh.

Further Information from Merinet.com

You will find a wealth of further information about Meribel in the definitive guide to Meribel at Merinet.com (http://www.merinet.com)