Menuires: 7 original ways to enjoy the mountains in winter

Let's head for the Alps, direction Les Menuires for a little week of disconnection mountain. The opportunity to fill up Sensations, Living through experiences that are out of the ordinary, but also enjoying the atmosphere of the resort after the slopes close.

Coming to Menuires, I did not expect to find a small authentic mountain village, but rather a large resort that has the infrastructure to accommodate numerous visitors at every season. And yet, I realized that it was mainly a human-sized station, A lively, dynamic city that values culture and Local heritage and offers a range of experiences to live through! Because, yes, there’s more than just the skiing and the snowboard. Hiking on skis or sleds, cross-country skiing, snowmobiling, sleeping in a shelter, sledding on a track, relaxing in a pool & spa area, paragliding, and many more! Well, in short, there is truly something for every taste, whether as a family, as a couple, or with friends! I present here the best experiences of my life stay in Menuires.

Racket walk

We start with one sledding walk from 2:30 pm from the charming little village of Beranger. We were a small group of 5 people, accompanied by Michel, Our guide from the ESF. Once we had collected our pairs of skis in Menuires, we took a minibus to the village of Beranger, located a few kilometers from the resort, the starting point of this beautiful hike in the middle of nature. You don’t need to be in excellent physical condition; I assure you that the activity is accessible to everyone. The hike is punctuated by numerous stops for admire the landscapes covered in snow and also listened to the comments of Michel, a true expert of the region, his heritage, Its culture and ancient traditions. I highly recommend this activity to really get your eyes wide open, to be in harmony with nature and to better understand the history of the valley!

Price Starting from 33€ / person (half day)

Skiing and hiking

Another first for me! The skiing and hiking is a new activity that is becoming increasingly popular. It is an alternative to snowshoeing, alpine skiing and cross-country skiing. Before the start, I rented the appropriate equipment at a specialized shop, and I am now ready to go 2.30 hours of cross-country skiing Until the refuge at Lake Lou, accompanied by Nicolas, my guide from the ESF. Cross-country skis are slightly different from conventional skis. They are lighter, there are different attachments that can be adjusted according to the slope angle; a seal (synthetic) is attached under the ski tips when ascending and removed when descending. I started from the «Croisette», the central square of the resort of Les Menuires, and then went towards the Bruyères, Passing through the pond. The scenery is stunning; there is almost no effort required… But that was just before starting the ascent in a sled through the powder snow to the refuge… Basically, the last half hour was tedious, but the The landscapes are magnificent, Especially at the end of the day!

 

Sleeping in a shelter

After these 2.30 hours of hiking and skiing, I have finally arrived at the The refuge of Lou, Recently renovated to accommodate many visitors. Naturally, when I thought of a mountain refuge, I imagined the place and the scenes from the film « The bronzés are doing some skiing«…And that wasn’t a problem at all, because other customers didn’t fail to bring out their cult favorites! This haven isn’t outdated; on the contrary, there’s a main room nicely decorated with several large tables for lunch or dinner and upstairs there are large rooms that each contain 4 to 6 beds. Of course the atmosphere is very pleasant. friendly And I was warmly welcomed by Alexandrine, the manager, accompanied by her two beautiful female wolves: Laïanka and Kaïlyne.

Practical information The price is 59€ per person in half board. You need to bring your own sheets and towel; the manager of the refuge gives you tokens for the shower (max 5 minutes of hot water), for lunch you can choose from the à la carte menu and for dinner there is a vegetarian menu (delicious). At the end of the dinner, let yourself be tempted by a small glass of genepi! The breakfast is just as delicious with a nice selection of organic products and homemade specialties. I only regret the somewhat sterile side of the refuge, as it was recently renovated…

The next morning, we returned to the Les Menuires resort in just 10 minutes… And let’s not forget that we made the ascent in just 2 hours and 30 minutes the day before! In any case, I have a beautiful memory of that night in the refuge and I recommend everyone to spend a night there.

Doing snowmobiling

At the end of the day, fill up your tank Sensations by snowmobile accompanied by a guide, for an hour of hiking to the top of the slopes. After about fifteen minutes of training in snowmobile driving and a presentation of the Safety rules I’ve gone out to the slopes! The sensations are great, driving is very easy, but I recommend you sign up for the first session at 17:00 to take advantage of it. sunset. I left at night around 7pm and the temperatures were freezing! Remember to bring thick gloves and a balaclava to avoid freezing on your snowmobile. The advantage of doing the night walk is the magnificent spectacle at the top of the slopes: a clear view of the celestial vault and its billions of stars 🙂 If you’re a fan of speed and thrills, the guide even includes moments when you can really let off steam on the straight stretches, in safe areas.

Price : 100€ / snowmobile (2 people on it)

Having a party at the top of the slopes

Yes, it’s possible, you don’t have to wait until nightfall to party! After an intense morning skiing, I settled down at the Chalet du Sunny Located on the David Douillet runway to enjoy a tartiflette. Anyway, once you start getting a tartiflette for lunch, you know that the afternoon will be much more relaxed 😀 From 3pm until the slopes close, a DJ It lights up the terrace and makes all the customers dance! « Put your hands up »!

Enjoy the activities and events of the Les Menuires resort

Once the trails close at 16:30, the day is not over; quite the opposite! Before or after enjoying the best specialties of the region in the apartment or at the restaurant, you can enjoy the many activities available in the area. animations from the station. Of course, every Thursday there is the traditional downhill in torchlight that the station renamed it Thursday Lightin Show, A new generation of animation, featuring first the descent of the Lightin Riders (skiers equipped with luminous outfits), then the descent of the students from the ESF, and finally a magnificent Fireworks which illuminates the station with a thousand colors.

But also, throughout the season there are many events not to be missed, such as the women's raid. Pop In The City, The Frozen Festival for electro fans or the Silence Winter Party. Find the list of Events on the Menuires website

After a good day of activity in Menuires, you can take a glass of mulled wine at the bar/restaurant The Store Located right in the heart of the resort on the Croisette, the atmosphere is great. Then, I recommend going for a drink at HO36, a trendy and cozy new-generation hotel, a kind of mix between a hotel, a guest house and a youth hostel! Anyway, the food is very good, the sleep is good, the evenings are lively and The decor is awesome !

Here is the list of restaurants which I was able to test and which I highly recommend:

• A heart-warming moment for the « There Above » (access via telephone from Preyerand) 04 79 01 04 76
• « The Store » 04 79 00 19 81
• « The Village » (Adret gallery) 04 79 41 20 19

Admire Mont Blanc from the Massif peak

Nothing like going to the top of the the tip of the Mass to enjoy a spectacular 360° view of the mountains and in particular Mont Blanc Luck! That day there was one sea of clouds, a fairly common but really impressive to be seen!

I advise you to absolutely participate in the First Tracks, Translate «the first descents»! Every Wednesday, the participants meet at 8:00 AM at the foot of the Massé (cable car) to enjoy the groomed slopes before they open to the public, but also to have a breakfast at the top of the slopes with a superb view. 2 descents are planned.

Practical information Purchase and booking at the ticket offices of the cable cars. Registration before 12pm on Tuesday. Price: 15€ per person (you must already have your pass). Don’t forget your camera!

Ski down the slopes in ski or snowboard!

Oh and by the way, I have to tell you a little bit about the classics… The station of Menuires is located in the 3 Vallées, one of the greatest skiable areas in the world with more than 600km of slopes and 160 ski lifts! I was really surprised by the quality of the organization, the slopes, and the infrastructure… For example, at the arrival of the ski lifts or cable cars at the top of the slopes, there is a small office where you can buy a ticket. the tourism office where you can ask for information to get directions / join a particular route, etc… There are also routes reserved for beginners, others more advanced. amusing For those who want to get started with Border Cross. Not to mention the snow park, the sledding track, and many more… Find it here entertainment areas

Find it here the ski piste plan of Menuires

Find it here the rates of the packages for Menuires or for the 3 Vallées area.

Here are two Best Of videos to immerse you even more in the atmosphere of this stay in Menuires!

Article produced in collaboration with the Menuires tourism office.
The content of this article only reflects my opinion; I maintain complete freedom in my statements and my recommendations are always objective.