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• Resort Guide

Resort Height: 1800m

There has been some disagreement about Les Menuires in the past. The resort itself believed that some of the rather functional grey concrete architecture that once dominated it resembled a happy face and called it, “The smile of the Alps.” Reviewers disagreed and derided the resort as the ugliest in skiing. Whoever was right, that era is gradually moving behind us anyway as the worst of the old buildings have been demolished and replaced by more tasteful architecture which everyone can agree on.

This tendency towards more authentic architecture has grown over the past decade. La Sapinière, Reberty 2000,Les Hameaux des Marmottes and Les Airelles have all been inspired directly by traditional Savoyard building, integrating stone, wood and slate. Comfort has been increased as many new buildings often have swimming pools, saunas, steam rooms or beauty institutes and everyone staying in the resort will also benefit from normally ski-in, ski-out accommodation.

What there was never any disagreement about was Les Menuires’ superb location in the Three Valleys, the world’s largest linked ski area, between the old village of St Martin and Europe’s highest resort, Val Thorens in the Belleville Valley. Traffic up to the latter resort used to be a problem in Les Menuires but a new bye-pass has eased that problem, and Les Menuires has gone even further green by using renewable power for the ski lifts, snowmaking guns and trail groomers.

Beginners

Les Menuires has good beginners slopes separated from the main through flow of experienced skiers and snowboarders. The ski school offers a first ski package formula for adult beginners which includes lessons and lift passes valid for the full Les Menuires / St Martin ski area.

Intermediates

As Les Menuires is part of the biggest ski area in the world, intermediates are unlikely to run out of interesting skiing whether they stay for a week or the season. The Belleville Valley in which Les Menuires is located has 300 km of pistes, which is half that of the 3 Vallées. With slopes facing east and west, the valley allows skiers to follow the sun's trail throughout the day. Equipped with over 400 snow cannons, covering 40% of the ski area, Les Menuires guarantees snow cover from mid December to the end of April and promises satisfaction on snow quality.

The main ski areas by Les Menuires include Le Mont de la Chambre (2850m) which is directly accessible from the heart of the resort and enables the connection to Méribel and Val Thorens. La Tougnète (2430m) offers runs down to St Martin and Méribel.

Advanced

Although there are innumerable opportunities across the Three Valleys, the local slopes of La Pointe de la Masse (2800m) will attract good skiers first of all. From the top you can access several famous off piste itineraries (Lac du Lou, Col de la Fenêtre or Vallée des Encombres). The ESF ski school also organise off piste outings in the company of a guide or ski instructor, except in the French February school holidays. These trips can include glacier descents, an introduction to ski touring, and visits to lost valley or other nearby off pistes routes, whilst respecting the safety rules.

Snowboarding

For terrain park fans the Becca snowcross area has two fun zones, each for a different standard of snowboarding. The experts area has a boardercross course, whoops, a zone with four slides and rails, as well as four big airs (two reds, two blacks). The new freestyle beginners area was created for the 2007-8 season which incorporates jumps, rails and raised bends in the Becca snow cross area, so that adults and children can enjoy the same fun features as the experts, but in a less intimidating environment!

Other Activities and Facilities

On snow choices include snowmobiling, snowshoeing and 26km of cross country trails. There is a quad biking circuit located on a closed and safe circuit and accepting children from the age of six as passengers in a two seater buggy. In nearby St Martin de Belleville, Emmanuel takes passengers on dog sled outings of 30 minutes or an hour along the Doron path. Paragliding is also available.

Les Menuires has a great sports centre that opened in 2005 situated at the entrance of the resort. There are three main parts to it. The Aquaclub has a swimming pool, saunas, steam room, jacuzzi, solarium relaxation area, Turkish showers, aqua-gym, aqua-step and even ante-natal session and baby swim classes. The fitness and well-being sector offers a whole range of innovative equipment including water massaging beds featuring two cabins equipped with 35° water filled mattresses which massage from the neck down to the heels. Spajets in an individual cabin combine vibrations, massaging jets, infra-red, steam, music and lights for a maximum effect. Leisure activities and sports are offered in a third sector where 12 activities are organised for adults and children including squash, badminton, table tennis, volley ball, football and basket ball.

There are further spa facilities at Le Chalet du Capricorne and the Chalet Hotel Kaya has a spa equipped with a heated swimming pool, sauna, steam room and a fitness area. The spa has a marvellous range of options including hydro massage and other body and facial treatments.

Les Menuires has more than 80 shops, a hairdresser, laundrette, three banks and six cash tills.

Après Ski and Dining Out

There are more than 30 bars and restaurants in Les Menuires plus two night clubs, so there’s plenty of choice. Other options include evening snowmobiling, ice skating or a trip to one of the two cinemas.

Many of the bars and restaurants are located in indoor shopping malls. La Mousse and the Bruyeres Café are both recommended.

Families

Les Menuires makes a major effort for families with quality childcare, learning programmes and a host of activities and events.

The Piou-Piou village at La Croisette accepts children from three months to five years old, and offers them a whole range of activities adapted to their age, including (if applicable to the individual child), snow shoe walks, a toboggan roundabout and an orientation circuit. The well laid out buildings have a special children's restaurant, rest rooms, activity rooms, cloakrooms with boot dryers and lockers.

Special ski inclusive courses are available from age two-and-a-half. The Boules de Neige (snowballs) course, for three to five year olds for example include two hours of ski lessons, tobogganing, games in the snow and so on. Older children can join in special ski school classes.

Other attractions in the resort include Lugeland in the Preyerand quarter which welcomes young and old for fun sliding on inflated rubber rings. Free evening competitions are organized every week. There is also a safe mini-snowmobiling circuit for children aged five and older in Reberty Village. The Toboggan Castle is a real castle sculptured into the snow for fun sliding on toboggans and The Sports Centre's Fun Park has trampolines, bouncy castles, fun modules and a ball pool. It is open every day from 11.30am to 9pm.

Ski/Board Suitability Guide

Suitable for families:	[No]
Suitable for beginners:	[3]
Suitable for intermediate skiers:	[5]
Suitable for advanced skiers:	[5]
Suitable for boarders skiers:	[5]

Piste Map for Les menuires

Accommodation in Les menuires

• Aconit Apartments - 3 star,
• Alpages De Reberty - 4 star, self catering
• Chalet Reberty - 3 star, catered
• Chalets De L'adonis - 4 star, catered
• Chalets De L'adonis - 4 star, catered
• Club Neige Et Ciel - 3 star, catered
• Hameau Airelles - 4 star, self catering
• Hameau Des Airelles - 4 star, self catering
• Hameau Des Airelles - 4 star, self catering
• Hotel Kaya - 4 star, self catering
• Hotel Le Menuire - 3 star, self catering
• Latitudes Bruyeres - 3 star, half board
• Le Hameau Des Airelles - 3 star, self catering
• Le Necou Residence - 2 star, self catering
• Les Alpages De Reberty Residence - 4 star, self catering
• Les Bruyeres - 3 star, self catering
• Les Bruyeres - 4 star, half board
• Les Clarines - 4 star, half board
• Les Clarines - 4 star, half board
• Les Clarines - 4 star, half board
• Neige Et Ciel - 3 star, half board
• Neige et Ciel - 3 star, half board
• Reberty - 2 star, self catering
• Reberty - 4 star, self catering

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