Les Menuires - village

The village was founded in 1964 in an era when purpose-built resorts were all the rage. It is this era that gave us resorts like Flaine and Les Arcs.

Accommodation types

Much of the accommodation in the Croisette and Bruyeres areas of Les Menuires is in apartment blocks on a self-catering basis and with easy access to the slopes.

The older buildings have been joined in recent years by a growing number of upmarket residences with larger apartment sizes, such as Les Clarines (00 33 450 33 10 96) in the Preyerand area of the resort and Les Alpages de Reberty (00 33 479 01 35 35) in the hamlet of Reberty 2000.

Reberty generally has a distinct character, with modern chalets in place of the apartment blocks, making it a popular choice with families.

Ski/snowboard equipment hire

ESF guide and slalom legend Pierre Laslaz has a number of ski rental stores dotted around Les Menuires, including Ski Passion in Reberty (00 33 47 901 05 40), Ski Center in Airelles (00 33 47 909 70 44) and Bruyères Sports in, naturally, Bruyères (00 33 47 900 17 68).

Non-ski activities

Les Menuires has an excellent and huge sports and well-being centre that is open from 9.30am to 9pm. As well as a swimming pool, saunas and solariums, there are facilities for squash, badminton, table tennis, volleyball and basketball as well as a children’s soft play centre.

There is also a heated outdoor swimming pool open in the afternoon and evening every day except for Saturday. 

Roc’n Bob is a 3.5km long sledging slope at the top of the Roc des 3 Marches cable car. A ride down costs €10 if you have a six-day ski pass.

In Reberty 2000, kids aged between 6 and 12 can try out snow scooters on a safe circuit.

Les Menuires also has opportunities to try snow-shoeing and quad biking. Les Bruyères has its own cinema.

Childcare

The ESF (00 33 479 00 61 43) has two Club Piou-Piou, in the Bruyères and the Croisette areas of Les Menuires. These are aimed at children age 31 months to 6 years old and focus on non-skiing activities, such as playing in the snow, snow-shoeing and sledging.

The nursery is inside the Croisette Piou-Piou club at the Croisette and is open to children aged from 3 to 30 months. Both the Clubs and the nursery are open from 9am-12.15pm and from 2pm-5.15pm.

Six days of morning and afternoon sessions costs €209 in Club Piou-Piou and €215 in the nursery.

You need to reserve at least three weeks in advance and, if they are under 20 months, you need a health certificate stating that the child can be looked after in a nursery environment and at an altitude of more than 1,800 metres.