Cross-country Skiing in Meribel

For those who have never tried cross-country skiing...

Cross-country Skiing is often called "Nordic Skiing", and in French, it's "Ski De Fond". It holds just a fraction of the popularity of its downhill cousin — favoured more by mountain locals than by tourists. That said, cross-country skiing does offer some benefits that downhill cannot. If you've not tried it before, it's an experience similar to going for a good hike. Not exactly the white-knuckle ride that downhill can be, it's more about getting out into the great outdoors, taking it all in and exploring the places that would, otherwise, be out of reach.

With downhill skiing, there's always a constant buzz of activity; people, queues, lifts, kids — and that's even before you see any real powder. That suits some people, but it's certainly not for everyone. For those looking for a more relaxing, almost meditative, way of getting across the snow, cross-country could be just the ticket. Most cross-country tracks are also traversable by foot, so if you prefer, you can just pop on your hiking boots or snowshoes — instead of your skis.

Renting Cross-country Skis

Various ski hire shops in Meribel rent cross-country skis. If you'd like us to arrange any for you, please just let us know. Should you wish to test the waters first, you can rent them by the day. More about Ski Hire Meribel...

Lift Passes

For cross-country skiing you usually won't use a lift pass, your legs are the propulsion you need! That said, you may wish to get a pedestrian lift pass if you're looking to cross-country ski to the Courchevel Valley, and then take the ski lifts back. More about lift passes here.

Lessons

ESF Meribel offers cross-country skiing lessons. They can be quiet, so much so that booking a group lesson can sometimes become your own private tutorial! Remember to check the meeting point with your instructor. They use both of the areas (Meribel Altiport and Meribel Mottaret) for their lessons. Click here for the ESF cross-country skiing page.

It can also be worth getting at least one traditional ski lesson. Cross-country skiing may look like a gentle and easy sport, but going around corners, and slowing down on downhill sections, can be surprisingly difficult!

About the Area

Meribel Mottaret offers the smaller of the two cross-country skiing areas in the Meribel Valley. The main section here is based on the frozen lake "Lac de Tueda". The lake is completely flat, so it's the ideal place for beginners to find their feet. There is a lovely mountain restaurant on the edge of the lake, great for a hot chocolate break halfway through.

Here, you will find a beginner green route as well as a longer intermediate blue route that ventures off a little further afield.

The scenery is just stunning. On a blue sky morning, the frozen lake and towering mountains provide one of the most magical backdrops in the 3 valleys.

Exploring on Foot

If you've made your way on foot, the mountain restaurant is about a 20-minute walk from Meribel Mottaret. Remember not to tread on the grooves made for the cross-country skiers, or you'll get some disapproving looks as they pass by!

Mountain Restaurants

There are plenty of mountain restaurants in Meribel Mottaret itself. The mountain restaurant, on the edge of the lake, is the only one out on the trails.

Getting There

You can take the free bus from Meribel centre up to Meribel Mottaret. It runs every 10 to 15 minutes during the day, you can find the full details here about getting around Meribel, or just ask us of course!

The cross-country skiing tracks start at the edge of Meribel Mottaret village, on the valley side. The bus will take you through the village and drop you on the uphill side of the village (about 100m from the start of the tracks).