Ski holidays are about having fun on the mountains at any level. Merinannies will try their best to make your holiday easy for you so here are some useful tips.

Activities 
Outdoor activities will include walks and talks, trips on the gondola (with permission) to see the mountain, building snowmen, hide and seek, treasure hunt, safe sledging, snowball fights and more.

Indoor activities will include crafts and play, drawing, colouring, model making, singing and dancing and music making, role play, treasure box, weather charts, letters and card writing to friends and relatives, storytime, relaxing with a DVD and more.

Lunch and snacks
These can be prepared following the parents instructions and with the regulations for the use of the chalet kitchen. For babies it is advisable to have bought your milk powder from the UK as some brands cannot be found in some resorts. Nappies can be bought at any ski resort so you do not need to bring these. You can however advise your nanny to buy these for you before you arrive.
 
If you wish to enjoy a meal or go out for an apres ski drink we can provide evening entertainment too. We can take the children ice skating, bowling, swimming , a stroll in town etc or just play indoors. Most resorts offer these facilities but we can also advise you on this.

Arrival
Normally your nanny will arrive the evening before to discuss with you all requirements and keep all the details in a diary which she will share with you verbally each day. She/he will keep a record of care needs, meetings with you, ski lesson times and pick ups etc.

If your child takes any medication during the holiday, you will need to sign a form for the nanny to administer this. Any other health and special needs you will discuss with your nanny directly.

Diseases
We will not accept to look after a child who is suffering from an infectious disease. However, this excludes normal colds and cough.

Behaviour
We  try to encourage and promote positive behaviour and any unacceptable or dangerous behaviour will not be tolerated and will be discussed with you immediately.

What to bring
There are supermarkets to provide almost everything you will need and we can arrange shopping for you too.

Toys are normally kept in chalets and so are books and dvds but we do advise you to bring your child's favourites eg a blanket, book, beaker as they can be very conformting in a strange environment. Before you go please do check with your chalet manager to find out what facilities they have to accommodate children and babies, especially if you need highchairs, cots, buggies.

Essentials to bring are:- Indoor and outdoor shoes and or slippers, waterproof jackets for play outside, boots, warm hats, gloves, scarf, sunscreen, sunglasses (even for babies) or goggles and calpol, although there are other versions of this in resorts.

If you have any futher questions that we have not covered here please do contact us and we will be more than happy to advise.

Meribel is the prettiest resort in the Three Valleys, built in the traditional chalet style and being at the centre of the Three Valleys is the ideal place to explore this vast ski area. From the beautiful tree-lined and gentle slopes of Altiport to stunning views from the top of Mont Vallon, at nearly 3000m there is something for everyone. The Meribel Valley itself has a vertical drop of around 1400m and there are two snowparks and varied off-piste in the valley to keep you entertained!

Click on Map for a larger image

For Non-Skiers
For non-skiers Meribel has a number of other activities. The Olympic Centre boasts swimming, ice-skating and bowling and some hotels provide spa facilities, or you can book a pampering session in the comfort of your own accommodation.  There is also a pedestrian lift pass, giving you access to some of the restaurants and viewpoints on Meribel’s peaks.

Apres-Ski
Meribel is lively when skiing has finished, with apre-ski carrying on into the early hours! The on-the-piste "Le Rond Point" has frequent live bands, as does the Lodge du Village in Meribel Village. There are a number of good bars and restaurants as well as the famous "Dicks Tea Bar" nightclub.

Getting There
Meribel is approx 1.5hrs from Chambery Airport and 2hrs from Geneva, Genoble and Lyon airports. Moutiers train station (approx 20mins drive at the bottom of the mountain) is served by Eurostar direct from the UK and also the French train network. Self-drive is quite simple, with motorways nearly all the way from Calais, normally a 10-12hr drive.

Accommodation
There are a number of UK companies providing accommodation from self-catered apartments to luxury fully-catered chalets as well as a number of French hotels.

View detailed snow forecast for Méribel at:
snow-forecast.com

For more information on Meribel, you can also visit:
www.merinet.com
www.meribel.net