Les Menuires Ski Resort, France

Overview of Les Menuires

Les Menuires offers a fantastic base for a week exploring the world’s largest ski area, the 600km of skiable runs in the Three Valleys. With a foundation of purpose-built accommodation, more recent developments have led to more picturesque and traditional mountain architecture in the 8 micro-villages of Les Menuires.

Unlike many little sister resorts, Les Menuires is a veritable Cinderella with features that many skiers look for – ski-in/ski-out accommodation, high altitude (1850m) and connected to a huge ski area. It certainly shouldn’t be overlooked as a potential for your next ski holiday, especially if you’re self-catering.

Keep reading to learn more about this resort and why to go on a Les Menuires ski holiday.

3 Things We Love About Les Menuires

1. High resort base at 1850m, making it very snow-sure
2. Easy access to the massive 600km Trois Vallees/3 Valley ski area
3. Mostly ski-in/ski-out accommodation

Learn more about Les Trois Vallées ski area

Skiing and Snowboarding in Les Menuires

Les Menuires enjoys a fortunate position in the heart of the Three Valleys, below Val Thorens. This means guests are situated on the side of the Three Valleys with the highest runs, and the best guarantee of great snow all season long. Skiing is easily accessible, with plenty of ski-in/ski-out accommodation in the resort. It is a great area for beginners, with a good selection of easy green and blue runs nearby. More advanced skiers have the whole of the Three Valleys to explore, meaning all levels of skiing and snowboarding abilities are well catered for in Les Menuires.

Lift Passes in Les Menuires

A local lift pass will get you skiing access for all the ski lifts in the Les Menuires and St Martin de Belleville areas only. This is around 160km of slopes. Although this limited range might be suitable for novices or a family with small children, for a week’s skiing it’s well worth upgrading to the full area pass which covers the entire 3 Valleys. Even if you only want to explore the extent of the Belleville valley and up to Val Thorens, the upgrade fee is probably worth it.

Activities in Les Menuires

Les Menuires has its own Leisure Centre which features a gym, table tennis plus basketball, badminton and squash courts. There’s an indoor ‘fun park’ for children with trampolines, obstacles and bridges, plus a swimming pool with saunas and Jacuzzis as well as a full service spa.

In addition, you can get involved in these other non-skiing activities:

• Walking
• Snowshoeing
• Tobogganing
• Cross-country skiing
• Bowling
• Paragliding
• Dog-sledding
• Snowmobiling

Après Ski in Les Menuires

Nightlife in Les Menuires is more reserved than in neighbouring resorts, but there is a solid après scene for those who go looking.

• La Mousse – A regular happy hour and a recent facelift has given this popular bar a new lease of life. Free WiFi and a great location help too. A great starting-sport for an evening out in Les Menuires.
• Le Challenge – Situated next to the slopes so ideal for an afternoon livener. There is live music most evenings and it's open until 2am.

Places to eat in Les Menuires

Dining in Les Menuires can vary from pizza takeaways in the centre of La Croisette to more gastronomic options in Reberty.

L’Etoile – A slope-side restaurant with large sunny terrace serving an extensive menu of traditional and modern French mountain cuisine with a Savaoyarde theme, including a much-hyped Savoie-burger.

La Fromagerie – Oozing with cheese specialities such as fondue and raclette, this is the place to go for a cheese fix! They have an extensive menu of variants on the theme and also a range of delicious home-made desserts.

La Marmite – More on the fine-dining end of the spectrum but a restaurant full of character offering the fun experience of dining in a private ex-gondola cabin! Steaks and burgers are among their specialities, with a reassuringly rustic and unpretentious presentation.

Family Features

Winner of the World Snow Awards’ Best Family Resort in 2015, Les Menuires is well set up to provide all the amenities and service you may need on your family ski holiday.

• Piou-Piou kids’ clubs
• Leisure centre with swimming pool and kid’s indoor fun park
• Toboggan run
• Family lift passes