Visiting the Eiffel Tower: Tickets, Queues & Best Viewpoints
February 11, 2026
- France
Lois Weeterings
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It’s those wide pistes, the altitude, and the feeling that you can really rack up the kilometres here that make skiing in France so appealing. Add a long lunch with great wine (yes, really) and you’ll see why a ski trip to Les Menuires quickly ends up on your list. Les Menuires is also ideal if your main goal is to ski: everything is set up to be easy, many hotels are ski-in/ski-out, you don’t need a car, and you’re in the vast Les 3 Vallées ski area in no time. In this article, I’ll take you along for a feel of Les Menuires and share practical tips on how to get there and what you can do once you arrive.
Winter sports in Les Menuires: for whom is this ski resort ideal?
The village of Les Menuires is located at 1850 meters in the French Alps and is part of Les 3 Vallées: one of the largest interconnected ski areas in the world! From the village you ski right into the area, with many accommodations being ski-in ski-out so you hardly need your car. The ski area of Les Menuires gives you access to 160 kilometers of slopes, divided into 87 runs. From Les Menuires you can go in different directions, for example to the higher located Val Thorens or the chicer Courchevel.
But why choose Les Menuires as a base for your ski holiday in France? As I experienced it, Les Menuires is a good destination not only because of its altitude, wide slopes and practical connections, it is also cozy and the village offers more than just skiing.
For groups of friends, staying in the apartments around the slopes is cozy and, as I wrote earlier, you can easily explore the whole area. But perhaps for couples and families with smaller children it is the most ideal place. Because everything is close by and adjacent to the slopes, Les Menuires offers a lot of comfort and convenience. And isn't that exactly what you are looking for when going on vacation with children? Of course, this does not take away the fact that Les Menuires is also very suitable for couples. The village offers a fine mix of active skiing days, cozy evenings out for dinner and taste the atmosphere, and that without it only revolves around après-ski.
Skiing in Les Menuires: here's how to cover the most miles in a day
In winter you come to Les Menuires mainly to ski (or snowboard, of course). And for that the village is very suitable: you are quickly on the slopes, you can easily cross through to the other ski areas of Les 3 Vallées and at the end of the day you ski back to your accommodation. Ideal!
But how do you get the most out of your day? Here are my 4 best tips:
Start on time, the first elevators go at 9 a.m., and grab altitude right away so you can catch the first descents in peace;
Choose one clear direction per day: where to go and make nice loops here to see everything of the area;
Plan your lunch just after peak time so you spend less time;
And lastly, end up near the village where your hotel is located, then by the end of the day you won't have to stress about coming back and you can do some nice runs there.
Les 3 Vallées from Les Menuires: what can you do in one day?
The village of Les Menuires is located in the middle of Les 3 Vallées, which means you can go in many directions from the village. The area is huge: about 600 kilometers, divided into 339 slopes. Besides Les Menuires, the villages of Saint-Martin-de-Belleville, Val Thorens, Méribel and Courchevel also fall under Les 3 Vallées. And because Les Menuires is so centrally located, you can discover a different part of the ski area every day of your winter sports.
What can you do in one day? That mainly depends on your company. If you are on holiday with an active group, you can make many descents at high speed and tick off many of the 339 slopes during your week of winter sports. You will probably be looking for long runs so you can have a nice tour. For this I personally find the ski resort of Val Thorens suitable, but also definitely grab the gondola from Les Menuires to the top of La Masse (2,800 meters altitude).
Want to take it a little easier? Then choose one direction per day and enjoy a longer lunch on the mountain. There are a lot of great options for this, but more on that in the next paragraph.
Want to know more about the whole area? From Les Menuires you are in middle of Les 3 Vallées and I also wrote an article about that: tips for a ski holiday in Les 3 Vallées!
Tip: discover the best winter activities in Les Menuires
What makes Les Menuires a very nice winter destination is that you can do many other fun winter activities besides skiing. For example, you can sled down the mountain (Roc'n Bob) where you have to brave 22 turns. It's really fun when you do this with a group. Want to take in all the beauty of the area? Then you can rent snowshoes and take a beautiful hike through the quiet, white landscape. There are plenty of hiking trails, both for the active and the adventurous hiker. Fancy a challenge? Then try a biathlon, where you will learn the basics of cross-country skiing as well as shooting. Great fun to do, and only then you understand how tough the biathlon players really have it at a tournament. And after a day full of activities in the cold outdoors, there is nothing better than to end the day with a wellness moment. These are the best winter activities in Les Menuires, including personal stories and tips.
Taste the atmosphere in Les Menuires: these are great bars and restaurants
When I think of France, I quickly think of the sophisticated French cuisine that I love so much: a glass of wine, a board of cheeses and charcuterie. On winter sports, French cuisine takes on something extra - Savoyard classics that will keep you warm after a day in the cold outdoors. Of course fondue and raclette pass by, but so do other local favorites like tartiflette with reblochon and croziflette. And on the slopes, you might be quicker to grab a ‘plat du jour’ or a ‘soupe à l'oignon’ or an omelet.
With more than 70 restaurants in Les Menuires, you have a lot to choose from: from traditional Savoyard restaurants to cozy bistros. My favorites? I'm happy to share them with you, of course:
For a special evening, Chez Pépé Nicolas is a winner. At this mountain farm you eat truly local food with water from its own well, milk from its own cows and herbs from its own garden;
Are you looking for an authentic restaurant? Then Le Setor is my recommendation. With a large terrace and a cozy restaurant inside, this is the place to be. And if I may give you a tip, choose the lasagna and finish with a homemade tarte tartin!
La Marmite is also a restaurant to remember: this restaurant carries the Maîtres Restaurateurs label, which means that they mainly use local and fresh products from the region. By the way, you can also eat here in a fun setting, for example in a gondola or in an igloo. Tip: opt for the fondue here!
By the way, during the day on the slopes, Roc 7 is an ideal stop if you like a little hustle and bustle: lounge music, DJ sets from 3 a.m. and its own Maison Veuve Clicquot terrace make it a very cozy après-ski spot.
Prefer something quieter, but good food on the slopes? Then Antigel is a tasty break between runs.
For a cozy evening of local dishes, Là-Haut and Le Comptoir are both recommended!
And then one last tip for an atmospheric finish in the village: Le Capricorn with cozy beats and tasty aperol spritz.
Winter sports in Les Menuires: what does it cost?
What a ski trip to Les Menuires costs, of course, depends on when you go and how luxurious you want to make it. Most skiers book a week (Saturday to Saturday), and the best time in the mountains runs roughly from Christmas through March. In higher parts of Les 3 Vallées, such as Val Thorens, you can often ski even later into the season.
In your budget, at least take into account travel costs (car, train or fly), your accommodation (apartment or hotel), your ski pass and possibly equipment rental and ski lessons.
On top of that, of course, are the daily costs for food and drinks. You can choose to cook for yourself in your apartment, have lunch on the slopes only, or book a hotel on a half or full board basis.
View current ski pass prices here (Lesson 3 Vallées and Les Menuires - Saint-Martin-de-Belleville).
Fine ski resorts in Les Menuires
So if you are staying in Les Menuires then you are very centrally located in the Les 3 Vallées ski area. How nice! Many of the ski resorts are adjacent to the slopes, which means you can step right out of the ski room and onto the slopes in the morning and back to your door at the end of the day. If you are looking for a chalet or hotel, I would recommend definitely looking into this as well.
I slept in this time myself Hotel Alpeen, a 3-star hotel with small but comfortable rooms with mountain views. Some rooms have a balcony, others do not. Family rooms can also be booked, and downstairs you can easily store your skis (€3 per day) or even rent skis (then you pay no storage fee).
Les Menuires is a large ski village and the choice of chalets and hotels is large. Want to find a good deal? Then it can be helpful to TUI's Les Menuires offer keep an eye on, they often offer deals that include the ski pass.
This is how to reach Les Menuires in the winter months
It would be something if Europe's largest ski resort was not easily accessible, but fortunately that is not the case. And so I'm happy to explain the best way to travel to Les Menuires (or any of the other villages in Les 3 Vallées) during the winter months.
By train to Les Menuires
You may not easily think of it, but did you know that Les Menuires is surprisingly easy to reach by train? If you are traveling from The Netherlands, Belgium or England you board the Eurostar and travel to Paris Gare du Nord. Here you get on the RER to Gare du Lyon and then on the TGV to Chambéry (also about 3 hours). From here you have two options: you can take a cab to Les Menuires, which takes 1.5 hours, or change trains to Moutiers. From here there are shuttle buses to the villages during the winter months, or you can take a cab which will take you to Les Menuires in 30 minutes.
In short, in total you are about 8 hours away from Amsterdam, making the train a comfortable option to get to Europe's largest ski resort. Wondering what the prices are doing? Find the best international train tickets here.
By plane to Les Menuires
Of course, traveling by plane is also an option to consider. You can fly into Geneva, Chambéry, Lyon or Grenoble. From there, you travel further by cab, shuttle bus or rental car to Les Menuires. Flying is especially interesting if you have short time and want to travel quickly back and forth to the mountains. But it is not always the most economical option. By the way, another plus point is that during the winter months you can often check in ski gear. Curious about what airline tickets do in the winter months? Check out the offer here:
By car to Les Menuires
The car remains the standard transportation for many winter sports enthusiasts, especially if you travel with several people or carry a lot of luggage. At the same time, Les Menuires is precisely a destination where you have little to do with your car after arrival: many accommodations are ski-in ski-out and you are quickly on the slopes. Even restaurants that are a bit further away sometimes offer a shuttle if you make reservations, so you don't necessarily have to drive in the evening either.
Vacation tips France
After reading this article, you are undoubtedly in the France mood! Therefore, I would like to share with you a few more great vacation tips for France.
The best tip: travel to the French Alps in summer and use Saint-Martin-de-Belleville as a base. Instead of skis, put on your hiking boots during this time, with routes that take you past green mountain meadows, viewpoints and cozy mountain huts. In between, it's just as much fun as in winter: good food, fine terraces and wonderful wellness moments.
Prefer the French coast? Then A route along the Opal Coast a delightful alternative. Rugged cliffs, wide beaches, charming seaside towns and endless walks overlooking The Channel. And if you love villages where your camera works overtime, put the most beautiful French village of Gerberoy on your bucket list.
And finally: Paris as a city break! Always a good idea for a weekend getaway. Visit the most famous highlights, stroll along the Seine and discover culinary gems in Parisian neighborhoods.
Lois Weeterings
A dreamer and adventure seeker, always on the lookout for new experiences. But also a hard worker with a thousand ideas racing through my mind. As a personal travel consultant and travel blogger, I share my passion for faraway destinations, thrilling adventures, and winter sports. With deep knowledge of places like Namibia, Colombia, the ABC Islands, and the Middle East, I’m here to help you craft a trip you’ll never forget. Through my personal stories and expert tips, I aim to inspire you to explore the world your way. Always with my camera in hand, I’m determined to capture every magical moment and share it with you.
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