Snowvantage

Comparisons

Courchevel or Méribel?

These two are close on 6 of 9 measures. That is the honest answer: the numbers will not choose for you, so the difference below that matters to you is the one to decide on.

France

Courchevel

Immaculate piste grooming and the best beginner terrain in the Alps, wrapped in Europe's most expensive lift-served real estate. The lower villages (1550, 1650) deliver most of the skiing at a fraction of 1850's price.

Worth knowing. 1850 is priced for people who do not ask what things cost.

Choose it if

Families with young kids

About £1,750 a week from London

France

Méribel

The centre of the Trois Vallées and the heart of the British chalet trade. Superb access to the whole 600 km circuit, but the valley faces west and the lower runs suffer in warm spells.

Worth knowing. The valley faces west, so the lower runs go to slush in a warm spell.

Choose it if

Off-piste

About £1,572 a week from London

Side by side

CourchevelMéribel
Snow reliability59/10064/100
Size of the ski area600 km linked600 km linked
Top lift2738 m2952 m
Cost before travel€1825€1615
Families with young kids9/108/10
Snowboarders6/107/10
A non-skiing partner7/106/10
Budget and après2/103/10
Off-piste6/107/10

Bold marks the winner. Rows where neither is bold are close enough that the difference would not change a decision. Cost excludes travel, which depends on where you leave from.

Piste kilometres, lift counts and prices are indicative and compiled from public sources — they have not yet been checked against the resort's own figures for this season. Costs are planning estimates, not quotes. Spotted one that is wrong? Tell us.

Courchevel from your cityMéribel from your city