Ski Deluxe 2011

Transfer - Approx 2 hours 45 minutes
Provisional flight times -
GATWICK
30/01/11       Gatwick to Geneva          Dep: 06:30    Arr: 09:10
06/02/11       Geneva to Gatwick          Dep: 10:20    Arr: 11:00

MANCHESTER
30/01/11       Manchester to Geneva     Dep: 08:00    Arr: 11:00
06/02/11       Geneva to Manchester     Dep: 11:40    Arr: 12:40

BIRMINGHAM
30/01/11       Birmingham to Geneva     Dep: 08:25    Arr: 11:20
06/02/11       Geneva to Birmingham     Dep: 12:20    Arr: 13:15

EDINBURGH
30/01/11       Edinburgh to Geneva        Dep: 08:20    Arr: 11:35
06/02/11       Geneva to Edinburgh        Dep: 12:20    Arr: 13:15

Our 6th consecutive year to this chalet and the price has been kept the same as 2010!

Two linked resorts in the heart of the Three Valleys, Méribel Les Allues and Méribel Mottaret make the perfect base for skiers and snowboarders wanting to explore this famous area. The Méribel villages are as pretty as they sound. Méribel Mottaret, the smaller of the two, climbs the east-facing side of the valley whilst at Méribel Les Allures, is where the Chalet Loden sits amongst timbered chalets spread across a sunny hillside above a lively centre of shops and restaurants.  

Both Méribel Mottaret at 1700m and Méribel Les Allures at 1450m are ideal for skiers who want variety: with access to more than 200 lifts serving 600km of well-kept piste you can ski all week without fear of repetition. Méribel's home slope offers both open and woodland skiing, all day sunshine, uncrowded nursery slopes, and a huge variety of pistes. In Méribel Mottaret there are easy pistes below the Plattières gondola and the higher resort is ideally placed for access to the expert's favourite corner of the Méribel valley, with long runs and great off piste on Mont Vallon. Leisurely skiers enjoy its flattering boulevard pistes while experts tackle the notorious Courchevel couloirs and Chanrossa bumps. Forest runs down to La Tania and Le Praz are inviting on days of low visibility, while sunny conditions suit expeditions to the old village of St Martin de Belleville or glacier skiing at Val Thorens, Europe's highest resort. Beyond Val Thorens, the Maurienne lift opens up excellent piste skiing and big off-piste slopes behind Cime de Caron.

For activity off the slopes, Méribel Mottaret has  its own fitness centre and a choice of bars and restaurants whilst Méribel Les Allures has an indoor pool and a magnificent ice-skating arena, easily reached from Méribel Mottaret by the free resort bus. Good nightlife is found at Méribel Les Allures with live music and restaurants to suit every taste. For dancing and a nightcap there's the famous Dick's Bar and evening snowmobiling is also popular.

For Spice Skiers who want the traditional chalet experience with a smaller intimate group we offer Mark Warners beautiful Chalet Loden in Meribel, at a fantastic discount over brochure price. This lovely home sleeps 12 and with 3 live in staff to look after your every need – it is the ideal place to be pampered in style. The first evening at the Loden kicks off with champagne and canapés by the fireside. Bedrooms are spacious and inviting, - Chalet Loden is a place to really indulge. It is perfectly located overlooking Meribel, looks gorgeous, beautifully decorated with deep rich colours and antique furniture, and is wonderfully comfortable, with immense deep sofas and thick cushions to sink into.

It also has satellite TV, DVD and CD players and a wide south facing balcony that runs the length of the living room. Downstairs is a large games room. The dining area, which leads of the living room, seats 12. Here we start the day with a full hot breakfast and fresh pastries. On returning home from the slopes the staff will have ready tea, coffee and hot chocolate and freshly baked cakes, English newspapers and as you move into the evening, they’ll serve canapés by the fire, followed by a delicious four course dinner and complimentary wine prepared by the Chalets professional chef.

The bedrooms are two doubles and four twins, so we will have between 10 and 12 Spice members. One double has en suite (first come), all have big deep beds with Egyptian cotton bed linen, fluffy towels and thick bathrobes. The bathrooms are full of Moulton Brown toiletries. Most of the rooms have big views of the mountains. All in all it’s a glorious treat.  Its rated as 4 Snowflake by Mark Warner. On First floor 2 x Doubles (1 en-suite), 1 Twin, 1 Bath & WC – on 2^nd Floor 3 Twins, 2 Baths and WCs.

Ski Hosting
The Mark Warner ski hosts know the resort inside out and will help find the best conditions and shortest lift queues. Hosting is available on 5 days during the week and is not suitable for beginners. The ski hosting facility is on a first come basis and is operated from Mark Warners' other Chalethotel in Meribel; from past experience we have found that it has been extremely difficult for members staying in the Chalet Loden to take advantage of the hosting during the week..

Spice UK Skiing Ability Scale
To help members with their selection of resort, with the assistance of one of our long standing members we have created the following Ski Ability Scale. However due to the relatively small size of this holiday we would recommend this trip for Intermediate level skiers upwards.
Level 1~3 – Meribel is not really a suitable resort for those new to skiing.
1) First time skier, totally new to the sport (Beginner)
2) Second week skier OR has had lessons at snow dome and/or dry ski slopes (Beginner Plus)
3) skied a few weeks and happy on green and blue runs (Lower Intermediate)
Level 4~10 – Meribel has plenty of red runs and is suitable for the more confident skier.
4) Skiing parallel on blues and starting to tackle reds (Intermediate)
5) Okay on reds and starting to tackle blacks (Upper Intermediate)
6) Can get down blacks, but struggles on bumps (Lower Advanced)
7) Happy on most groomed blacks and easy bumps, but finds steep bumps and off piste tricky (Advanced)
8) Can ski all bar steepest bumps and ski off poste with style except with deep powder and in poor snow conditions (Upper Advanced)
9) No problems: can ski everywhere in all manner of snow conditions (Expert)
10) Professional skier, instructor, freerider etc
Snowboarders – Wide pistes and extensive off-piste terrain make Meribel a good resort for snowboarders of all levels. There is a snowpark in Val Thorens, and for those of a speedier disposition the vast terrain of the Three Valleys to explore.

Please see the Mark Warner Booking Conditions
The Tour Operator is Mark Warner (Atol 1176), for whom we act as an agent, and their Terms and Conditions of booking apply as per their Brochure.  Your money is protected via our Trust Account, in accordance with EC Travel Regulations.