Les Menuires

The Belleville valley’s Olympic resort

Les Menuires sits in the Belleville valley of Les Trois Vallées, between Saint-Martin-de-Belleville and Val Thorens, in the Savoie département. Founded in 1964, it is owned and operated by Compagnie des Alpes and hosted the men’s slalom at the 1992 Winter Olympics.

Local numbers and the bigger picture

On its own, Les Menuires has 39 lifts and 62 trails, with a spread from beginner slopes to advanced runs. But the resort is connected to the whole of Les Trois Vallées, which Wikipedia calls the largest skiable area in the world; that is what the headline 600 km and 166 lifts describe. The distinction matters for choosing a pass and for setting expectations: the local sector is a substantial resort in its own right, and the linked area is another order of magnitude.

Altitude and terrain

The lifts in our data run from 1,815 m to 3,230 m. A base above 1,800 m is high for a resort base, and the top is more than 1,000 m above the 2,200 m line at which altitude starts to guarantee snow, so the site’s snow-sure rating is well founded across the December-to-April season. One of the highest runs is on the Pointe de la Masse.

No easy, intermediate and expert breakdown is published in our data, but Wikipedia records both beginner and advanced slopes locally, and 166 lifts across the linked area, a fleet the site tags as modern, mean the terrain is always reachable. The resort also offers a range of activities beyond skiing.

A purpose-built resort with plenty to eat

Founded in 1964, Les Menuires is a purpose-built station of its era rather than a historic village. Wikipedia counts 48 restaurants, which for a resort of 62 trails is a generous ratio, and a sign of a place that takes its evenings seriously even without an après-ski tag on this site. Saint-Martin-de-Belleville and Val Thorens, the neighbours on either side, are on the same Trois Vallées pass, so the Belleville valley alone offers three distinct resorts before the links to the other valleys are counted.

Who it suits

Skiers who want the biggest linked area on the planet from a high, snow-reliable base, and who put terrain and convenience ahead of village charm. The local sector alone is enough for a short break; the full Trois Vallées pass is the reason to stay a week.

Practical

Chambéry (CMF) is the nearest airport, roughly 62 km away as the crow flies. The season runs from December to April. Lift and pass details are on the resort’s official website.