Méribel

Méribel sits right in the middle of Les 3 Vallées, and that location is its superpower: Courchevel is one valley over, Val Thorens is a lift ride up the valley, and the whole enormous ski area is within reach in a day. Few resorts let you cover so much ground on skis.

Unlike many purpose-built French resorts, Méribel was built with strict rules on wood-and-stone chalet architecture, so it actually looks like an Alpine village. It has a long-standing British connection — it was founded by a Scot in the 1930s — and it is one of the classic chalet-holiday resorts for UK skiers.

The skiing is excellent for intermediates, with beautifully groomed runs on both sides of the valley, and there is plenty to keep strong skiers busy across the wider area. Après is lively, from slope-side bars to the clubs of Méribel Centre. It is not cheap, but it is hard to beat for a classic French Alps ski week.

Winter runs roughly from mid-December to mid-April. January is quieter and colder; February half-term is the busiest and priciest week; March brings longer days and softer snow. In July and August Méribel reopens for hiking, mountain biking and the Lac de Tueda nature reserve, with a much calmer feel.

Geneva is the usual airport, about 2 hours 15 minutes by transfer; Chambéry and Lyon are alternatives. By rail, the nearest station is Moûtiers, around 30–40 minutes away by bus or taxi. In resort, free ski buses link the villages of Méribel, Méribel-Mottaret and Méribel Village.