PlanetSKI is Spring Skiing in Les Menuires

The resort sits at 1,850m with the skiing going up to over 2,800m.

It is snow-sure in March and into April, with the resort closing on April 17th.

One of the highest points of the ski area is La Masse, seen in the distance.

It is where we posted a video snow report at the weekend, that explains the current conditions and what to expect from Spring skiing.

 

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The ski area of Les Menuires has 160 kms of slopes on two sides of the mountains:

• 13 green runs
• 41 blue runs
• 24 red runs
• 9 black runs

The pistes are currently in excellent condition:

 

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There are also 28kms of cross-country trails and five fun areas.

Les Menuires is linked to St Martin de Belleville that sits at 1,450m.

There is full snow coverage all the way down, though it obviously gets a bit slushy in the base area at this time of the year.

More on St Martin de Belleville later.

Les Menuires and St Martin are in the mighty ski area of Les3Vallees and where, with a full area ski pass, the slopes go up to 3,200m in neighbouring Val Thorens, and there is access to Meribel and Courchevel.

There are over 600kms of slopes on offer.

One of the advantages of this time of years is it remains light much later and currently gets dark after 6pm.

Plus resorts offer a range of event and activities with the longer days and more stable weather.

Last weekend the 4th edition of ‘Completely La Masse’ was held – it has become the main Spring event of the resort with hundreds taking part.

It is a slalom race with a difference – 1,000m vertical drop and packed in are 5kms of challenges:

• Giant slalom
• Pole  forests
• Moguls
• Boarded cross
• Snake run
• Biathlon stand

It’s open to everyone with the course designed to suit all levels.

Fancy dress is encouraged.

Last weekend 400 people took part – up from the 300 last season.

Then there was a party atmosphere at the prize giving.

See here for an earlier report on PlanetsKI on the Spring attractions in Les Menuires:

• Spring events in Les Menuires

In the post we report on another late season attraction  – Yogiski, that has been taking place for a decade.

It invites people to unroll their mat and their mind, with a week of fitness and well-being at altitude.

PlanetSKI’s Katy Dartford experienced it a couple of years back:

• Yoga and skiing in Les Menuires

Les Menuires opened in 1964.

The regional government bought the land from all the local farmers in order to construct the resort.

Interestingly one farming family, The Boyes, refused to sell so the resort was built around their small farm.

It sits beyond the chairlift with the farm buildings bottom right of the image, and in the summer animals graze on what is now a snow-covered area.

A working farm in the centre of Les Menuires.

Without doubt the most striking aspect of the resort is the architecture, with much designed by Philippe Douillet.

Most people either love it or hate it.

The Brelin has 3,000 beds:

For those who like their numbers, Les Menuires has 27,000 beds in total.

The Brelin is built in the shape of a boat, and represents a vessel in the middle of a white sea.

 

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Many other buildings are also striking.

No post about Les Menuires is complete without a mention of the cuisine.

There are some fabulous mountain restaurants.

The soup of the day was delightful at Le 2800, and at €15 (£13)it was cheaper than the prices paid in Meribel and Courchevel.

If you want to ski Les3Vallees and don’t want to pay some of high prices found elsewhere, then Les Menuires is a very good option.

The restaurants in town also delivered.

Here’s dinner at La-Haut:

Les Menuires is a firm favourite with the British and us Brits make up the largest number of foreign visitors.

Next it’s the Belgians and the Dutch.

Interestingly there are more and more people coming from the USA.

Two years ago there were 1,000 across the season, while this winter that number has trebled to 3,000.

“It is a significant and somewhat surprising growth market,” said the head of the tourist office, Marlene Giaconetti, to me.

“We are on the Epic Pass offered by Vail Resorts and that attracts the Americans.

“Details of what we offer is being discovered by US skiers and we have hosted press trips for US writers so we are getting wider coverage in the USA.”

This week there are also over 400 Polish university students in town, these are just some of their coaches parked up:

 

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The resort is trying to grow foreign markets which is necessary as the number of French people skiing or snowboarding is in decline.

16 years ago 12% of the French population skied.

Now it is down to 7% and predicted to shrink further.

Next winter there are new improvements with the opening of a 4* hotel in the resort.

There is also the construction of a new €55m (£48) gondola lift from the town to the Col de La Chambre at 2,850m.

It will replace two old chair lifts, the Doron and Mont de la Chambre.

Les Menuires is very much a family resort and has been awarded the Family Plus.

The resorts welcomes babies from 3-months and children of all ages in dedicated facilities.

Mini-club ski lessons are available from the age of three, and the Piou-Piou Village offers a wide range of packages for children t discover skiing and snowboarding.

There is also tobogganing at the Boukty Camp, the fun park and the aqua park.

With Easter early this year, April 5th, many families will be out in under two weeks to enjoy the late-season experience.

Now, a personal shout out from me needs to go to Intersport.

I didn’t need to hire any of its fine selection of skis.

But I did need to get my bindings checked on one of the pairs of skis I am currently travelling with, as I hadn’t skied on my Atomic Redsters for a couple of seasons and have new boots.

Sometimes when I pop into a shop in France to ask such a favour I get a Gaelic shrug of the shoulders as it is resentfully done.

Or a simple ‘Non’.

The guys at Intersport did it without question and declined any payment.

“We put the customer first and you are a potential customer of the future,” the guy said to me as he did his stuff.

Earlier I mentioned the village of St Martin de Belleville that is linked to Les Menuires.

I have never visited the village, but I have skied on its slopes.

I dropped into town to have a look around.

It is the polar opposite of LesMenuires with old buildings and alpine charm.

Next time I really want to stay in St Martin de Belleville.

At this time of year there remains skiing down to base level.

If it has melted there is a gondola and a high-speed lift that takes you to the top of the ski area, Tougnete at 2,437m.

A perfect base for a Spring ski with some hiking options too.

I’ll be back…

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