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Classic mountain charm
Stunning views
Hidden gemClassic mountain charmStunning viewsHidden gemClassic mountain charmStunning viewsHidden gemClassic mountain charmStunning viewsHidden gemLes Allues is the historic heart of the Méribel Valley, nestled at 1,100 metres (3,608 ft) and surrounded by traditional Savoyard chalets, winding lanes, and a year-round local community. This charming village offers a peaceful base with quick access to the world-class skiing of the Three Valleys via the Olympe gondola. Whether you're here for snow filled adventures or a quiet alpine escape, Les Allues delivers timeless character, great value, and convenient links to everything Méribel has to offer.
Les Allues is the historic heart of the Méribel Valley, nestled at 1,100 metres (3,608 ft) and surrounded by traditional Savoyard chalets, winding lanes, and a year-round local community. This charming village offers a peaceful base with quick access to the world-class skiing of the Three Valleys via the Olympe gondola. Whether you're here for snow filled adventures or a quiet alpine escape, Les Allues delivers timeless character, great value, and convenient links to everything Méribel has to offer.
Skiing and snowboarding from Les Allues puts you into the Méribel valley system, which is consistently rated as one of the best ski areas in the world. The Olympe gondola from the village delivers you into the heart of the action, from where you can head up towards the Saulire summit at 2,738m, or cross over to Courchevel or the Col de la Loze towards Val Thorens and the Belleville valley.
The experience of skiing in this area is one of endless possibilities. Méribel's own slopes are heavily forested and north-facing. Pistes here hold snow well and provide atmospheric skiing through the trees, and the variety across the Three Valleys is simply staggering. Every morning you can choose a different direction and discover new runs, mountain restaurants, and views.
Beginners starting from Les Allues can access the gentle slopes around the Altiport area in Méribel, which has dedicated nursery terrain and easy lifts. Its learning zone is sheltered and well-separated from faster traffic.
The Three Valleys' scale can feel overwhelming at first, but staying within the Méribel valley keeps things manageable. Plus, the blue runs here are among the best in the network for learners. As your confidence builds, the long blue runs through the forest between Méribel and Mottaret are excellent for progression, with wide, well-groomed, and wonderfully scenic terrain.
WeSki insider tip: The Blanchot and Lapin blue runs from mid-mountain back towards Méribel are perfect for confident beginners. They wind through the pine forest and feel like proper alpine skiing without any intimidating steeps.
Intermediates have the entire Three Valleys at their feet, and it's as good as it sounds. The red runs on the Méribel side are varied and well-maintained, from sweeping descents off the Saulire to quieter, more technical runs through the forest. From there, you can cross into Courchevel for immaculately groomed wide pistes, or head to Val Thorens for high-altitude, above-treeline skiing.
A full day exploring from Courchevel to Val Thorens and back is one of the greatest ski experiences in the Alps, and Les Allues sits perfectly in the middle of it all.
WeSki insider tip: On a clear day, ski from Les Allues all the way to Val Thorens and back. It's a full-day adventure, covering around 30km through three distinct valleys with completely different characters.
From Les Allues, advanced skiers have extraordinary terrain throughout the Three Valleys. Steep couloirs off the Saulire and Mont du Vallon are examples of some serious undertakings, with sustained steeps and variable snow that demand experience. The blacks in the Courchevel valley and the mogul fields below Mont de la Chambre provide further challenges.
Off-piste opportunities is where the Three Valleys really excels at expert level. Terrain between valleys, the bowls above La Masse, and backcountry around Val Thorens all provide world-class freeride opportunities. A guide is essential for the best routes.
WeSki insider tip: The north-facing couloirs off the Saulire hold powder for days after a storm. Hire a guide from one of the Méribel schools and you'll access terrain that makes the Three Valleys' reputation for expert skiing fully justified.
Boarders benefit from the sheer variety of terrain and the ability to ride different valleys each day, and the wide pistes throughout the Three Valleys make for excellent carving. For those who want freestyling experience, Méribel valley has a terrain park at the Plattieres area with features for various levels. The DC Area 43 park near Méribel-Mottaret is also a good option for freestyle riders.
The Three Valleys is one of the greatest off-piste areas in Europe. From Méribel, the terrain off Saulire, Mont du Vallon, and the Col de Chanrossa provides steep, sustained freeride lines. North-facing aspects hold powder well, and the interconnected nature of the valleys means you can tour between areas. With a guide, you can access remote terrain that feels a world away from the groomed pistes.
Multiple ski schools operate in the Méribel valley, with several offering pickup from Les Allues. English-speaking instruction is widely available (Méribel has a strong British connection and many instructors are bilingual). Group and private lessons cover all levels, with specialist options including off-piste clinics and children's programmes.
The Méribel area has terrain parks at Plattieres and the DC Area 43 zone, with features ranging from beginner boxes to advanced kickers and rails. Parks here are maintained throughout the season and accessible from the main Méribel lift system.
Les Allues is an excellent family base in the Three Valleys. The village's quiet atmosphere makes it feel manageable, and the 15-minute Olympe gondola ride to La Chaudanne in Méribel Centre puts ski schools, childcare, and the full lift system within easy reach.
For families with young children, the Les Saturnins nursery and Piou Piou snow kindergarten are both based at the Olympic Centre at La Chaudanne, combining indoor play with supervised time on the snow. Older children and teenagers will thrive with the Three Valleys' enormous terrain to explore. Gentle runs around Altiport are ideal, with themed trails like the Piste des Inuits (a mini snowpark with banked turns and slalom gates) and Moon Wild (a forest trail with life-size animal models to spot). More advanced young skiers can progress between the Three Valleys in a day, and the DC Area 43 snowpark offers freestyle features.
Off the slopes, the Parc Olympique in Méribel Centre has a 25-metre swimming pool, children's pool with a slide, ice rink, climbing wall, and bowling. The Mission Black Forest toboggan run is a 3.4km descent, and free, fenced sledging areas are ideal for younger kids. Snowshoeing through the pine forest, fat biking around frozen Lac de Tuéda, and ski-joëring all offer ways to fill a non-skiing day. Back in Les Allues, restaurants serve proper Savoyard cooking at prices gentler than Méribel Centre, and the accommodation tends towards spacious chalets and family-run hotels well suited to groups.
Les Allues and the wider Méribel valley have a good range of activities for rest days and non-skiers. The valley's investment in leisure infrastructure means there's plenty to do beyond the slopes, from wellness facilities to cultural excursions.
Beyond the pistes, the Méribel valley provides a range of winter activities:
The Méribel valley and Les Allues village have plenty to fill rest days and moments when you want a break from mountain adventures:
Dining in Les Allues is an authentic Savoyard experience. Its village restaurants focus on local mountain cuisine, with dishes like raclette, tartiflette, fondue, and beautifully prepared meat and cheese dishes that incorporate ingredients from the surrounding valleys. The atmosphere is warm and unhurried here, and the food quality is consistently high.
WeSki insider tip: Try Beaufort cheese, also known as the 'prince of Gruyères,' made in the Beaufortain valley nearby. Ask for it aged, served simply with good bread and a glass of Mondeuse wine from Savoie. It's extraordinary.
Après-ski in Les Allues is low-key and village-oriented. The hamlet's bars are cosy and friendly, filling up with a sociable crowd as the lifts close. This isn't the place for a party scene, but it's where you'll enjoy a vin chaud or a Savoyard beer by a fire, sharing stories from the day. The atmosphere is relaxed, warm, and authentically French.
For more lively après-ski, Méribel Centre is a short gondola ride away and has a well-established bar scene with a strong international presence. Between the two, you can easily mix quiet village evenings with livelier nights out. Après-ski spots to know:
Accommodation in Les Allues is made up of predominantly traditional chalets, apartments, and a handful of family-run hotels. Many chalets are traditional Savoyard buildings with character and charm, and this self-catering option tends to be more popular with groups. The village's lower altitude means properties tend to be more spacious and better value than equivalent options in Méribel Centre.
Within Les Allues itself, the Olympe gondola provides the link to the ski area, so proximity to the gondola station may be a key factor when choosing accommodation. Most of the village is within a short walk or shuttle ride away from the lift.
The Three Valleys ski pass covers the entire 600km network, including Méribel, Courchevel, Val Thorens, Les Menuires, and all connecting lifts. It's one of the world's great ski passes, giving you access to a vast and varied ski area from a single ticket. A Méribel-only pass is also available if you prefer to stay within the valley.
Check for family and multi-day pass options when booking your Les Allues ski holiday package through WeSki to find the best fit for your trip.
Equipment hire shops are located in Les Allues village and more extensively in Méribel Centre. Booking in advance is recommended during peak weeks.
WeSki partners with SkiSet shops in the Méribel area, letting you add equipment to your package, secure your booking in advance, and collect on arrival. Browse Les Allues ski deals to build your perfect trip.
Within Les Allues, everything is walkable. The Olympe gondola connects Les Allues to the Méribel ski area, and a shuttle bus runs between the village and the gondola station. For reaching Méribel Centre and its facilities, the gondola and bus network are efficient throughout the day.
In the evening, buses run later services connecting the village to Méribel Centre for dining and nightlife. Taxis are available but should be booked ahead.
The nearest airports are Chambéry (around 100km), Lyon (around 180km), Grenoble (about 175km), and Geneva (around 200km). The drive follows the A43 motorway into the Tarentaise valley before climbing to Méribel and Les Allues. Moûtiers train station in the valley below is served by direct Eurostar connections from London during the ski season, with a bus transfer up to the resort taking around 30 minutes.
WeSki offers car rentals from the airport as well as private transfers to Les Allues. Add them to your Les Allues ski holiday package for seamless door-to-door travel.
Les Allues is the traditional village at the base of the Méribel valley, sitting lower at around 1,100m. Méribel Centre is the main purpose-built station higher up. Les Allues has more authentic Savoyard character, quieter atmosphere, and better-value accommodation, while Méribel Centre has more restaurants, bars, and direct ski-in/ski-out access.
Not from the village itself, but the Olympe gondola at the edge of the village connects you into the Méribel ski area in minutes. From there, you have full access to the Three Valleys network.
Very much so. The quieter village atmosphere, traditional character, and spacious chalet accommodation suit families well. The gondola gets you into the ski area quickly, and the children's facilities in Méribel are excellent.
The Three Valleys covers 600km of interconnected pistes across Méribel, Courchevel, Val Thorens, Les Menuires, and surrounding resorts, making it the largest linked ski area in the world. From Les Allues, you can access all of it.
Generally, yes. Accommodation in Les Allues tends to be better value than equivalent options in Méribel Centre, and the village restaurants are competitively priced. You'll still need a Three Valleys ski pass, which is the same price regardless of where you're based.
Moûtiers station in the valley below has direct Eurostar connections from London during the ski season. From Moûtiers, a bus transfer takes around 30 minutes to reach Les Allues and Méribel.
Alpe d'Huez | Avoriaz | Chamonix | Courchevel | Flaine | La Clusaz | La Plagne | La Rosière | Les Arcs | Les Deux Alpes | Les Gets | Les Menuires | Méribel | Morzine | Sainte-Foy-Tarentaise | Serre Chevalier | Tignes | Val d'Isère | Val Thorens
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