Méribel Family Guide
Méribel was awarded Famille Plus status in 2013 in recognition of its commitment towards catering for families with children. In addition to a wide range of family friendly accommodation and restaurants, the resort also offers fantastic ski school and childcare facilities, plus a wide range of activities to keep kids occupied off the slopes.
In recent months the resort has improved its facilities for families further still with the introduction of new children’s play areas, a programme of entertainment for kids, and an information brochure for families visiting the resort, all of which is overseen by their new kids’ mascot, Kenotte.
Family Friendly Accommodation
Les Fermes de Méribel is an excellent choice for families travelling to Méribel. Located in the quieter setting of Méribel Village, a five minute shuttle bus ride from Méribel Centre, these spacious luxury apartments have excellent facilities and are so close to the slopes that you can ski right back to the door. Kids and adults alike will love the indoor heated pool and spa area, and there’s also a games room as well as a good selection of board games to keep everyone entertained in the evening.
Another residence that’s perfect for families is Les Crêts in Méribel-Mottaret. These spacious and well-equipped apartments are situated right by the slopes and just a few minutes walk to the funicular that takes you to the centre of Méribel, so getting everyone from A to B will be stress free. Close by and occupying another enviable ski in/ski out location are Les Sentiers du Tueda apartments, which are also ideal for families.
For those who prefer hotel accommodation, the 4-star Hotel Le Tremplin offers modern rooms in a convenient location near the slopes.
Ski School and Childcare
There are several good options for kids’ ski school and childcare in Méribel. ‘Les Saturnins’ (+33 (0)4 79 08 66 90) is a day care club run by the ESF for kids from 18 months to 3 years, and is located in the Parc Olympique opposite La Chaudanne lift station in Méribel Centre. You can book your little ones in for either full or half days, either with or without lunch, for fun and games in the snow and an introduction to skiing.
The ESF also runs ‘Les Piou Piou’ snow gardens where kids aged 3 to 5 can learn to ski in a fun and safe environment. There’s a snow garden at La Chaudanne (+33 (0)4 79 08 66 90) for those staying in Méribel Centre and another at Le Chatelet (+33 (0)4 79 00 36 66), close to Les Sentiers de Tueda and Les Crêts apartments, for those in Méribel-Mottaret.
The ESF (+33 (0) 479 08 60 31) and ESI Snow Systems (+33 (0) 4 79 00 40 22) both run ski and snowboard lessons for older kids of all abilities and have meeting points in both Méribel Centre and Méribel-Mottaret.
We always recommend our friends at New Generation who offer a full range of lessons from fully qualified English speaking instructors. They take kids from age 4 in small groups and offer a wide range of lessons to suit every availability and interest from first day beginners to teen's hitting the park! New Gen has it covered find out more and how to book with our Meribel Ski School Guide.
There are also several companies that offer nanny and babysitting services where professional child minders will look after and entertain your kids in the familiar surroundings of your own apartment. Jelly and Ice Cream (+33 (0)6 79 76 95 95), Merinannies (+44 (0)7860 925 055) and Snow Angel Nannies (+44 (0)7509 265 564) are all British-run and come highly recommended.
Families of two adults and two children (or more) under the age of 18 will also get a special deal on lift passes where the adults pay the kids’ price.
Activities for Kids
With all the activities that Méribel has to offer, both on the slopes and off, there’s no way the kids are going to get bored:
Themed Kids’ Ski Areas
There are several themed ski areas for kids, to help make their early experiences on skis even more enjoyable. One of the newest is the Inuit Village in the Altiport area of the resort, which has whoops, banked turns, a mini slalom and Inuit-themed games. In the same area is the animal-themed Moon Wild piste, which has life sized woodland animals dotted about. There’s also a mini ski and boardercross course, Le P’tit Moon, which is suitable for kids aged 6 to 12 who are of an intermediate level or above.
Sledging
If your kids have had enough of trying to stay upright on their skis and would rather slide down the slopes on their bottoms, there are several slopes throughout the resort that are set up specifically for sledging. La Chaudanne, Méribel Village and Méribel-Mottaret all have their own sledging areas with crash mats for safety, toilets and picnic areas.
Parc Olympique
The Parc Olympique is a fantastic amenity in La Chaudanne area of Méribel Centre, which is home to many of the resort’s best off-snow sports facilities. The centre was built for the 1992 Winter Olympics and has a large indoor swimming pool and spa area, Olympic size ice skating rink, and indoor climbing wall, all of which run special programmes of events for kids. There’s also a bowling alley with 6 lanes that can be adapted for kids as young as three. Rental of bowling shoes is free for kids under the age of 6.
Cinema
The cinemas in Méribel Centre and Méribel-Mottaret both screen a programme of films that are suitable for kids from the age of three.
