Autumn in Meribel

After a long Australian winter staring at Computer screens we have managed to secure early release from desk bound work and have escaped to Meribel 5 weeks earlier than usual. Whilst there is always lots to do in the Chalet to prepare for our guests, this year we have time to stop and admire the scenery in between getting ready for Winter.

We have posted before about the many walking tracks around the area which can be enjoyed in Winter if your legs need a break from skiing, some are even "groomed" by the mini piste basher machine to make the going easy. The range of walks expand before the snow falls so we have our map at the ready to see how many we can complete.

Lac Tueda - Mottaret

The weather is currently sunny and the autumn colours against the snow capped peaks are stunning so we took the opportunity to walk to Refuge du Saut. Positioned at the base of the Glacier de Gébroulaz the Refuge can be reached from Lac Tueda in Mottaret. Achievable during winter but certainly easier at this time of year the trail is well marked and takes you from lakeside to the base of the glacier.

Aiguille Du Fruit  

Seeing the Aiguille du Fruit up close as opposed to from some distance whilst skiing is fascinating and brings a new appreciation for how hard it is to ski down by those who leave the off piste tracks in the snow during winter.  

Early snow on the peaks

Some people consider the ski lifts to be scars on the landscape but to us they represent the lifeblood of the area, without them there would not be as many visitors or as much employment in the area. Looking at ski runs and lifts before the snow arrives is interesting and allows you to see the terrain type, pitch and angle much more clearly. In some cases this is not good, the pitch on Mont Vallon, usually one of my favourite runs, is scarily steep when seen from below.

News on what is planned for the coming season in The Three Valleys will be covered in our next post - in between walking of course.

Refuge du Saut