Piolet, Les Ménuires

Located at 1815 m, the ski resort of Les Menuires is part of the prestigious 3 Vallées, the world's biggest ski area: 600 km of ski slopes. 200 ski lifts linking Les Menuires and the charming village of Saint Martin de Belleville with Val Thorens, Méribel, La Tania and Courchevel. A fabulous huge ski area designed so that everyone, from beginners to experts can make the most of their skiing. Residences on the piste, shops sheltered in the shopping arcades, different quarters linked with footpaths and mechanical lifts. In Les Menuires, everything has been thought out to simplify life for young and old.

 Beginners are very well catered for and the resort is certainly amongst the cheapest in the pricey Trois Vallées. The skiing is great for all abilities, with particular mention going to La Masse, which offers advanced skiers some excellent blacks and off-piste and very rarely get crowded, unlike some corners of the Three Valleys. The resort itself is functional, no-frills French. There are some good restaurants and bars in the resort and on the slopes, but the skiing is the real reason to be here. With Méribel and the rest of the Trois Vallées on your doorstep, the variety of slopes available is superb. Access isn't bad with the TGV stop at Moutiers only 27km away and Chambéry airport a 90-minute journey.

Overall, Les Menuires provides a great range of skiing both around the resort itself and on neighbouring slopes. And for ten years, to suit this overwhelming landscape, Les Menuires has developed a high-standing accommodation programme over the past few years, with traditional chalets out of wood and stone.