Les Menuires has long been dubbed the forgotten child of the giant Trois Vallées ski area. Now, a year after celebrating its 60th anniversary, it has become a mainstream player in the area, alongside Courchevel, Méribel and Val Thorens.
The resort is set at 1,850m and links directly into the 600km of piste and 156 lifts in the Trois Vallées, whose highest runs start at a heady 3,230m. While it used to attract a large number of freestylers, these days they have largely migrated up the valley to Val Thorens, leaving the resort in the care of families, who find lots to entertain them in the local ski area.
Intermediates will be happy here too: Les Menuires is a surprisingly underrated area that actually houses some of the best blue runs in the entire Trois Vallées. Underestimate it at your peril.
Stay on track with the essential facts from the resort below, and scroll down for our insider guide to a day on the pistes, expert ratings and advice. For further Les Menuires inspiration, see our guides to the resort’s best restaurants and après ski.
In this guide:
Resort guide
La Croisette is Les Menuires’ original resort centre, built as part of the Pompidou government’s Plan Neige (Snow Plan) in the 1960s. The modernist Alpine buildings might divide opinions, but are practical, with ski-in/ski-out access to the slopes. In recent years, older buildings have been revamped and reclad, and the area had a small makeover in 2024/25 too, with new colours and signage.
The modern satellites of Reberty and Le Bruyères have been wisely constructed in a much more sympathetic chalet style. They’re easier on the eye, have their own shops and restaurants, and offer largely ski-in/ski-out convenience. Compared to their more famous neighbouring resorts, they’re easier on the pocket, and home to a number of British operators too.
The majority of the French clientele is made up of families who tend to take the same apartments year on year and make their own entertainment. It’s less strong on nightlife than some of its Trois Vallées neighbours, such as Val Thorens and Méribel, but is a great base for families or anyone wanting to explore a giant ski area on a limited budget.
Lift links towards Val Thorens, Méribel and the rest of the Trois Vallées are fast and efficient, with upgrades regularly made to lift capacities. The local slopes are great for all standards, but many are south-facing and quickly lose their snow cover in hot spring sunshine. While it is not ideal for early- or late-season holidays, the resort stays open almost until the end of April, and Val Thorens, the highest resort in Europe with guaranteed snow cover from November to May, is just up the road or lift.
Piste guide
Despite its split personality when it comes to architecture, Les Menuires’ slopes remain uncompromised.
Fast lifts go from resort level towards Val Thorens, Méribel and the rest of Les Trois Vallées. In 2024/25, the Roc 2 chairlift was upgraded, creating a faster connection to Méribel, and new cabins were installed on the Preyerand lift.
The only problem is that the slopes on the Trois Vallées side of the resort are south-facing. This presents no real problem in mid-winter, but when the fierce sun of March and April rules, the snow quality suffers and the avalanche danger rises. To combat this the resort’s snowmaking facilities are regularly improved.
In 2021/22, the La Masse area had a total revamp, with a fast, 10-seater cable car replacing the old bubble lifts. It travels to the summit in eight minutes (over three times faster than before). Are-jigged slope layout also means the topmost area is suitable for most abilities.
These slopes are north- and east-facing and hold their snow well throughout the season. The lifts go up to the 2,804m summit of Pointe de La Masse, where skiers will find runs that remain uncrowded even during peak season weeks.
However, La Masse’s relative isolation means that the majority of skiers and snowboarders staying in Les Menuires tend to spend much of their time on the other side of the valley road, using the efficient lift system that connects directly with the rest of the Trois Vallées. There’s an assortment of lifts heading swiftly up to the ridge that separates the Belleville and Les Allues valleys with lovely runs to the neighbouring resort of Saint Martin de Belleville.
From the ridge above the resort it’s also easy to head down to Méribel Mottaret and on towards Courchevel. Or carry on to Val Thorens, at the head of the Belleville valley and onwards again to Orelle in the Maurienne valley, the so-called “fourth” valley of the Trois Vallées.
With so much terrain, there’s usually not enough time to explore that far – so it’s really worthwhile fully appreciating the delights of what’s on the doorstep.
Beginners
Les Menuires has two dedicated beginner areas – Bruyères and La Croisette – with wide, gentle slopes and free magic carpets for learners. Green and blue runs form more than half the local ski area, so confident beginners looking to progress will have plenty of opportunity to practice.
Intermediates
Les Menuires has some of the best intermediate runs in the entire Trois Vallées. The runs back down towards Les Menuires from the Belleville/Les Allues ridge are long and mainly gentle – ideal country for intermediates looking to get some kilometres covered. When the snow falls, vast tracts of this terrain provide outstanding powder runs.
The benign blue Bouquetin run from the summit of Pointe de La Masse allows enjoyment of the views from the top without the challenges of the more extreme adjoining descents on either side.
Experts
For experts who want a challenge, the extreme slopes from the 2,804m summit of Pointe de La Masse offer 1,000 vertical metres that test the best – it’s some of the most demanding terrain in this whole giant ski area.
Off-piste
The off-piste opportunities from the top of Point de la Masse towards St Martin de Belleville and to Val Thorens are exciting. To get the best out of them, engage the services of an experienced local guide – the avalanche risk can be high and it’s easy to lose the way.
Snowboarders
Many of the freestylers who used to come to Les Menuires have moved on to Val Thorens higher up the valley. For beginner snowboarders, the Pixel Area Fun Park has a variety of rails and kickers, while there’s also two ski/boarder cross courses and a picnic-cum-relaxation area.
Who should go?
Les Menuires is largely a ski-in/ski-out resort, in particular the satellites of Reberty and Les Bruyères. The majority of accommodation is in self-catering apartments and catered chalets, and it is a great base for families or anyone wanting to explore a giant ski area on a limited budget. The ski area in Les Menuires houses some of the best intermediate runs in the Trois Vallées, including superb options both on and off piste, with runs that remain uncrowded even during peak season weeks.
Where to stay
Dominated by a distinctive bell tower, La Croisette is the original resort centre. It has seen ongoing revamping work on its buildings and surroundings in recent years, with the intent to create a more attractive space. There are bars, restaurants and a cinema, but while there is some lively après, nightlife isn’t a strong point. The modern satellite areas of Reberty and Le Bruyères are chalet style and many of its self-catering apartments and catered chalets have the advantage of being ski-in/ski-out. This is where you’ll find a number of UK family specialists offering child-friendly, catered accommodation within reach of shops and restaurants.
How to get there
An affordable and convenient alternative to its Trois Vallées neighbours, Les Menuires is served by UK ski specialists including Crystal (crystalski.co.uk), Ski Solutions (skisolutions.com), Inghams (inghams.co.uk) and Heidi (heidi.com). Family specialist Ski Famille (skifamille.co.uk) focuses most of its family-friendly programme in Reberty and Le Bruyères, while Family Ski (familyski.co.uk) has chalets in Reberty only, with nannies and kids’ clubs. Neilson (neilson.co.uk) has a club hotel near the Preyerand lift and Erna Low (ernalow.co.uk) can arrange self-drive packages. Chambery, Lyon and Geneva are the nearest airports; Moûtiers rail station is a 40-minute transfer.
When to go
With its largely south-facing slopes, Les Menuires isn’t the best choice for early and late season skiing. However, neighbouring Val Thorens – the highest resort in Europe – is accessible by ski lift or road, and can provide a snow-sure fallback. Events in Les Menuires include a winemakers’ week (January 6-9, 2026); Les Trophées de l’Espoir (a fundraising event for cerebral palsy) on February 19, 2026; Complètement à Masse, a day of light-hearted, family-focussed slaloms and relay races on March 21, 2026 and Yogiski for mountain meditation and forest bathing (April 10-16, 2026).
Know before you go
Essential information
- British Embassy/Consulate: (00 33 1 44 51 31 00; gov.uk)
- Ambulance (samu): dial 15
- Police: dial 17
- Fire (pompiers): dial 18
- Emergency services from mobile phone: dial 112
- Tourist office: See lesmenuires.com, the website for Les Menuires tourist office, for weather reports, lift status, webcams, traffic details and local event listings. Pick up maps, leaflets and other information from the office in the centre of La Croisette or in les Bruyères.
The basics
- Currency: Euro
- Telephone code: from abroad, dial 00 33, then leave off the zero at the start of the 10-figure number.
- Time difference: +1 hour
Local laws & etiquette
- When greeting people, formal titles (Monsieur, Madame and Mademoiselle) are used much more in French than in English.
- The laws of vouvoiement (which version of “you” to use) take years to master. If in doubt – except when talking to children or animals – always use the formal vous form (second person plural) rather than the more casual tu.
- When driving, it’s compulsory to keep fluorescent bibs and a hazard triangle in the car in case of breakdown. Since 2021, it’s also compulsory to have snow chains in your car or winter tyres from the beginning of November until March.