I am gliding 250 metres above the slopes at a speed of almost 100kph. In one minute 45 seconds of pure exhilaration, I fly like an eagle along La Tyrolienne zip line between the Maurienne and Tarentaise valleys.
he 1,300m-long glide starts from the top of the Bouchet chair lift in Orelle. At 3,230m, this is the highest point in the entire Three Valleys region of the French Alps and home to some tasty off-piste terrain.
Previously, Orelle has been something of a secret gateway to the high-altitude Three Valleys (home to seven resorts), and is far less explored than the big-name resorts of Val Thorens, Méribel and Courchevel.
Last year’s replacement of an old lift with a €40m gondola – one of the fastest in France – has changed the face of what locals call the fourth valley.
Both skiers and pedestrians (including luggage-laden holidaymakers) can now get on a gondola in Orelle and reach Val Thorens in under 20 minutes. More importantly, they can choose budget accommodation in a little village with access to a vast ski area.
At first sight Orelle seems to consist of little more than a lift station, ski rental shop and a bar serving reasonably priced pizza and beer. In fact, it’s made up of 11 hamlets spread along the valley – tiny rustic villages like Bonvillard where old timber and stone buildings have been converted into holiday chalets and apartments, perfect for remote Savoyard getaways.
The real budget option presents itself at Residence Le Hameau des Eaux d’Orelle, an apartment complex that’s linked to the Orelle lift station via a free ski bus service.
Forget bougie or boutique, Le Hameau is designed to offer affordability. There’s a swimming pool, sauna, restaurant, bar and shop, and the overall vibe is one of simplicity. My apartment consists of a living room, small kitchen and bathroom, double bedroom and bunk beds – ideal for a family of four or four friends who don’t mind what the sleeping arrangements are.
While it feels like it could do with an end-of-season dash of TLC, weekly rates from under €500 for four people – about €18 per person per night – make it a welcome option at a time when the price of ski accommodation is going high end.
The car registrations don’t lie; guests from the UK, Italy, Switzerland and Poland have checked in and there’s a mix of families and groups of young skiers and snowboarders. The focus is clearly on skiing a lot and spending a little.
The reward for basic accommodation is access to vast ski terrain. Intermediate skiers will be happy to stay on the quieter Orelle slopes, eat lunch at Chalet Chinal Donat and enjoy an affordable après drink next to the gondola station (€3 for a glass of local wine) while more advanced skiers will want to explore the larger Three Valleys area.
For my first day on the mountain, I take the Orelle gondola up to Plan Bouchet then switch to the Orelle-Caron gondola toward Cime Caron and its panoramic views. With 80pc of its ski slopes above 1,800 metres, the Three Valleys offers skiing until the end of April and some of the best off-piste skiing in the world.
From Val Thorens, I ski on to Les Menuires where I find two major points of appeal.
Firstly, the slopes are often quieter here as most Three Valleys skiers focus on Val Thorens, Méribel and Courchevel.
Secondly, there’s a new €22m gondola up to Pointe de la Masse which features a well-designed viewing area of the surrounding peaks and blue runs all the way down the mountain for families and intermediates.
If you’re on a strict budget, picnic lunches on the slopes are a great option in sunny weather. If you decide to splash out, one place to do it is at L’Ours Blanc hotel in Les Menuires which offers chic cuisine at its terrace restaurant.
On day two, I take the lift to Val Thorens then head for the Mont Vallon sector of Méribel before skiing toward the Saulire summit between Méribel and Courchevel.
I finish the day with lunch at Il Gusto restaurant in Val Thorens, stretching the budget one more time to enjoy tasty Asian cuisine.
I remember to keep an eye on the time as one must-do when staying in Orelle is to make it back from Val Thorens before the lifts close. Otherwise, that precious budget could get blown on an expensive taxi ride home.
In recent years, Méribel, in the heart of the Three Valleys, has branded itself as elegant and eco – symbolised respectively by hotels like the four- star Savoy in the centre of town and the new Solaise Express lift which is powered by 182 double-sided solar panels.
Last winter the resort centre was busier than ever with skiers and snowboarders set free from Covid confinement.
On the mountain, an exclusive new refuge presented a more serene scene.
Described as the first high-end mountain refuge in the French Alps, Refuge de la Traye was completely refurbished in 2019 by its current owner, a Monaco businessman who loves the Three Valleys ski area.
Given the Monaco connection and the refuge’s exclusivity, it was hardly a surprise to hear Prince Albert of Monaco had holidayed there with his children over Christmas. It was more of a surprise to discover how I might reach this secluded mountain retreat overlooking the Allues valley.
I had the choice of snowshoeing, skinning (hiking uphill on skis) or being driven up. Still recovering from a bout of Covid, I chose the easy option. And what a way to travel – I was driven to Allues village in a 4×4 then switched to a piste basher for a private ride up through snowy forest paths until I reached Refuge de La Traye’s secluded cluster of chalets and cottages.
As my luggage was unloaded, I was then treated to hot chocolate warmed on an outdoor fire next to the refuge’s tiny St Bernard chapel.
Next, I was shown to my private Chalet de la Traye where I promptly slipped into the fluffiest slippers in the Three Valleys and prepared for a pre-dinner wellness treatment. The chalet was classically elegant and deeply comfortable with gorgeous views and desk space in case I needed to work.
Guests who want to ski get driven to the nearest lift each day but the refuge features such a range of treatments that you may decide to forgo skiing and focus on precious days of detox, wellness and gastronomy instead.
The restaurant menu is designed by a Michelin-starred chef, with dishes such as snail ravioli and a three-cheese fondue on the dinner menu. The refuge is also home to a cinema, infinity pool, spacious spa, cheese farm and sculpture trail.
The scene feels glamorous with excellent food and a design-led interior
It is clearly designed as a mountain bolthole for busy professionals craving seclusion or corporate groups seeking exclusivity. Nightly rates are from around €1,000 in early January.
I opt for a day of skiing the Méribel area and hearing about what’s new in the resort. This winter, it will host the World Championships (February 2023). It also has a new ski touring trail, Le Roc, a new black run, L’ibex, and a new family-friendly boardercross area.
I stop for lunch in one of the most fashionable addresses on the slopes – the Maya Altitude restaurant, a sister property of La Traye.
The scene feels glamorous with excellent food and a design-led interior which both entertains and intrigues. Settling the bill is easy – just pop it on your La Traye account for payment on check-out.
Easing my way back into ski resort life, I spend a night at Hotel Le Savoy, situated 50 metres from the slopes and across the street from the Sport Boutique ski rental shop in the centre of Méribel.
Where Refuge de La Traye felt classically luxe, the Savoy offers a high-end contrast with buzzy atmosphere, stylish cocktails and fine food at Le Resto du Savoy. A perfect way to sign off on my trip.
Getting there…
- Catherine Murphy travelled to Méribel as a guest of the Méribel tourist office: meribel.net. For further accommodation info, visit refugedelatraye.com and hotel-savoy-meribel.com.
- The Three Valleys – including Val Thorens, Méribel, Courchevel, Les Menuires, Brides Les Bains, Orelle and St Martin de Belleville – officially open from December 10, 2022 to April 28, 2023.
- Catherine travelled to Orelle as a guest of the Orelle tourist office and The Three Valleys (les3vallees.com). For further info, prices for Le Hameau des Eaux, check out orelle.net.
- La Tyrolienne zip line experience costs €55 per person.
- The Three Valleys now has an online travel agency selling year-round holidays to the region. reservations.les3vallees.com.
- To access Orelle from Dublin, fly Aer Lingus to Lyon then take the train to Modane, a 10km taxi ride from the village. Also, check out blablacar.co.uk and flixbus.co.uk for cheap Three Valleys transfers.
Denial of responsibility! Planetcirculate is an automatic aggregator around the global media. All the content are available free on Internet. We have just arranged it in one platform for educational purpose only. In each content, the hyperlink to the primary source is specified. All trademarks belong to their rightful owners, all materials to their authors. If you are the owner of the content and do not want us to publish your materials on our website, please contact us by email – admin@planetcirculate.com. The content will be deleted within 24 hours.