|
| Beginners |
***** |
| Easy |
**** |
|
Intermediates |
**** |
| Advanced |
*** |
| Expert |
* |
| Non-skiers |
*** |
| Apres
ski |
** |
| Snowboarding |
*** |
| Village
height: |
1450m/1850m |
| Top
Lift : |
2725m |
| Marked
runs: |
85kms |
| Longest
run: |
3km |
| Slopes
face: |
W,
E & N |
| Snowmaking: |
30
cannons |
| Glacier: |
no |
| Lifts: |
26 |
| Cable
cars : |
1 |
| Gondola:
|
2 |
| Chair
lifts: |
8 |
| Drag
lifts: |
15 |
| Other |
1 |
| Lift
Pass: |
Orcieres
Merlette |
| Photo
needed: |
Yes |
| Extension
areas: |
no |
| Ski
bus: |
No |
| Mountain
restaurants: |
2 |
| Kindergarten:
|
yes |
| Creche: |
Yes |
|
Transfer time: |
4½
hrs from Turin
13hrs from Calais |
|
|
|
|
|
OUR
SUMMARY
A great choice by coach. Notably friendly, purpose
built, for skiers with doorstep skiing.
This third generation, purpose-built resort
has all the virtues and all the vices of the typical
French modern resort which values convenience ahead
of aesthetics.
The skiing is tremendous for beginners to good intermediates
but experts should look elsewhere. Novices have
a large, user-friendly nursery area in the village,
which is south facing and therefore sunny but slightly
vulnerable. However, if the snow is patchy, the
gondola goes to a high, snow-sure plateau. Tentative
intermediates have some lovely blues, and go-for-it
types have some long, fast, sweeping runs and plenty
of miles. It's all joined up with predictable efficiency
and the rugged, unspoiled mountain scenery of Gap
makes up for the brutalities of the village architecture.
All-in-all, this pleasant, well run ski resort is
a great choice for schools.
The ski village is called Merlette and the old,
original village below, is called Orcieres. Equity
groups stay in the VVF holiday village right next
to the lifts and pistes. Merlette has many ski resort
amusements including swimming pool and skating rink
and for a little more French feel, you can make
an excursion using your coach. This resort works
well by coach but it offers doorstep skiing so we
can also offer it by air if you don't mind a 41/2hr
transfer from Turin. |
|
|
