Meribel: Wooden Chalets, High Peaks and the Heart of the Three Valleys

The postcard heart of the largest linked ski area on Earth glows gold at blue hour. Here is how to ski it, eat in it and stay in it well.

This photo led guide walks Meribel like a friend who has actually stood there: the first gondola at La Chaudanne, Saulire and Mont Vallon, tartiflette and fondue for two, the Folie Douce afternoon party, and the documented traps, from on-piste rescue bills to unofficial pass sites.

Inside the guide:

• The famous sights and best areas: Saulire, Mont Vallon, the Altiport and the Lac de Tueda reserve

• Where to eat and drink: the Michelin starred table, the crêpe stand locals queue at and vin chaud terraces

• Where to stay zone by zone, from grand chalet hotels to quiet family bases

• Best photo spots with the golden hour at each one, plus a forest restaurant reached by sleigh

• Watch Out traps, trains and lift pass logistics, and ready itineraries for 1, 3 and 5 days

18 full-color photographs, including 7 full page panoramics: the Three Valleys from the inside.