Ski in Les Menuires

Ski Les Menuires - Ski Resort and Snow Summary

Les Menuires (The Three Valleys), France (1850m to 3200m)

Purpose-built altitude resort cursed by much disclaimed architecture but nicknamed 'The smile of the French Alps' by its owners. Well positioned on the Trois Vallées and livelier than many similar ski stations.

Sponsored Links	Les Menuires Ski Facts Expert Skiers Intermediate Skiers Beginners Snowboarding Snow Apres-ski    7 Black Runs (12km)    26 Red Runs (50km)    33 Blue Runs (89km)    5 Green Runs (9km) 160km Downhill Pistes 28km Cross Country Trails 40 Ski Lifts 1350m Max Vertical 3200m Highest Lift 1850m Lowest Piste 1850m Resort Altitude
Les Menuires in brief Les Menuires Ski Resort is:- Excellent for Expert Skiers. Excellent for Intermediate Skiers. Very good for Beginners. Very good for Snowboarding.	Full Page Map of Les Menuires

The French ski resort of Les Menuires is part of the Three Valleys Ski Area with access to 600km of downhill skiing, with 502 individual pistes, served by 200 ski lifts. In addition to the skiing in Les Menuires itself (160km of pisted ski runs), the appropriate ski Lift Pass will allow you to ski or snowboard in the other Three Valleys ski resorts of Courchevel, La Tania, Méribel, Saint Martin de Belleville and Val Thorens.

The ski resort itself is above 1500m, so skiing or boarding back to the resort is usually possible. With pistes above 2500 metres, skiing and snowboarding is assured throughout the season.

Snowmaking :- Les Menuires is able to augment natural snow, on 65km of ski runs, with 418 Snow Cannons.

Ski Lift Capacity :- The 40 Ski Lifts of Les Menuires are able to uplift 50,000 skiers / snowboarders per hour.

There are three airports within two hours drive, so ski weekends, snowboard breaks and short ski holidays to Les Menuires are perfectly feasible.

Skiing in Les Menuires

Les Menuires skiing radiates out in all directions from the resort and it's a tough choice to decide which way to head first thing in the morning. It may depend of course on which lift ticket option you've taken: there are at least five if you include the beginner's pass.

The St Martin and les Menuires pass opens up 160km (100 miles) of trails served by more than 33 modern lifts and costs about 30% less per week than the 3 Vallées ticket. For a bigger area and access to the altitude slopes the Belleville Valley only pass still offers more skiing than most resorts in the world, 300km (187 miles) of trails between Saint Martin all the way up to Val Thorens, served by more than 60 modern lifts. However it's only about 5% cheaper than the 3 Vallées pass (600km/350 miles of trails).

Les Menuires own skiing in the Belleville Valley is at one end of the Trois Vallées with lifts linking directly and quickly to the skiing of Meribel or over le Mont de la Chambre to Val Thorens or back down to Saint Martin de Belleville on long pistes. The resort is perhaps best known for its 'own' ski area somewhat away from the various 3 Vallées routes - Le Pointe de la Masse, where north facing slopes offer some of the circuits most challenging skiing, notably the off piste run down to the Lac de Lou.

Both Les Menuires and Saint Martin de Belleville offer a snow guarantee which enables skiers to reserve their holidays with the promise of satisfaction or your money back.

The Ecole de ski Français (ESF) at Les Menuires has done more than most European resorts to make a special effort for adult beginners, following the North American model of creating a 'beginners village' - an enclosed area of around 5000 square metres near the Preyerand area especially reserved for new skiers and designed to suit their needs. Beginners also have 6 free ski lifts around the resort alone and a special very low cost beginner's pass giving access to a reduced circuit of 11 key lifts throughout les Menuires. The Ecole de Ski Français (ESF) employs nearly 200 instructors in the resort who offer lessons for groups or private individuals in regular skiing, snowboarding, competition skiing and the new sport of skwal.

Snow shoe outings are guided by ski school instructors. For experts one day and half day off-piste tours of the Three Vallées are available and the Company of Guides, which is attached to the ski school, in the winter offers additional off piste courses and tuition, ski tours and glacier treks. The ESF has an international section especially set up to deal with foreign guests.

Snowboarding in Les Menuires

Les Menuires is highly rated by Snowboarders and there is a Snow Park.

Les Menuires Aprés Ski

Les Menuires is somewhat off the beaten track for après ski hedonists, but there are plenty of choices if you are not desperate for a wild time every night! The most popular establishments include le challenge, le naine, with the Leeberty disco the main late night spot.

Sledging and a quad bike or buggy circuit, snowmobiling and the cinemas are all available in the evening. The resort's sports centre is also available to 9pm with saunas, jacuzzi and Turkish bath.

New attraction in Les Menuires : Roc 'n' bob

At the top 0f the Roc des 3 Manches gondola, children and adults alike will enjoy the new tobogganing slope. 4km long with 450m of ascent and 22 bends, this slope offers a thrill at the heart of the Les Menuires!

Les Menuires Snow Reports by e-mail

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Also of interest for Les Menuires, France

Airport Transfer Chambery to Les Menuires Get Quote

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Les Menuires Ski Chalets from £271 per week

Les Menuires Ski Holidays from £389 per person