Ski Courchevel

Continuing on the ski lift and area improvements,  sees in Meribel the finishing of the Saulire Express ready for the coming season, (the upper gondola was replaced last season)

This summer the Saulire Express 1 will be built and the redesigning of the lower lift station with a new entrance and ramp to the front of the building. The combined 2 stages will rise 1265 m and take just 12 minutes instead of the old 20 minute journey and like Saulire 2 it will have an 8 seat gondolas, carrying 2,400 passengers an hour.

The access piste to the Chaudanne "Traversee Bourbon" is to be made wider and gentler made possible to the removal of the old Saulire pylons

In Motteret the old Plattieres 1 and 2 gondola are to be replaced by a single gondola,  it is to be erected and working by the start of this season 2012, and will be the first 10 seater gondola in the Three Valleys! (should be interesting loading this, New Year and Feb half term week)

This lift will take just 7 minutes to do the old journey that used to take 22 minutes.

The lower lift station will be in a slightly different place on the other side of the plateau, and Plattieres 3 will continue to run to the top of the mountain.

The blue Martre piste just below the Plattieres mid station arrival is to be reshaped, widening and made less steep, so making access to Motteret easier for less experienced skiers, and hopfully better snow conditions.

Of course the most important news for Meribel is the planned opening of a Folie Douce Bar !!

First there was one in Val d’Isere, then they spread over to Val Thoren, now the owners of one of the most famous bars in the Alps are opening up one in Meribel.

If you have not heard of these bars you clearly haven’t skied within 10 miles of one as they are not quiet!

The new bar will be just under the Saulire 1 lift replacing the restaurant Choucas. It is a good location but the run down is not the easiest Red piste I have skied, in particular if the conditions are not good. No doubt this is not welcome news to the owners of other bars in the area.

In Val Thorens La Folie Douce is blamed on killing the real apres in the resort, lets hope it doesn’t do this in Meribel.