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HIKE IN THE HEART OF THE FRENCH ALPS

Hiking French Alps : discover our most beautiful paths

🌞🏔️ Summer season 2025 opening: July 5th – August 30th! 🚵‍♂️🌄

Discover the very essence of hiking in the French Alps with Méribel, a veritable paradise for lovers of the great outdoors and adventure!

The resort offers you a boundless playground with over 200 km of marked paths, where there’s something for everyone, whatever their level or desire.

Imagine exploring lush green valleys and discovering breathtaking panoramas. Méribel is the ideal place to experience moments of wonder in the midst of nature, where you’ll be surrounded by beauty at every step.

Among Méribel’s natural treasures, you won’t want to miss the Plan de Tueda nature reserve, a real gem in the heart of the Vanoise National Park. Let yourself be transported into an unspoilt world, where the flora and fauna unfold in all their splendour. Every moment spent in this reserve will offer you unique encounters with nature.

And to complete your adventure, Méribel is also home to 3 welcoming refuges, ready to offer you well-deserved moments of rest. Whether you choose the Saut, Christ or Traye refuge, you’ll be warmly welcomed in an authentic setting where you can relax and socialise.

Each hike takes in unique landscapes of the French Alps

HIKING BY MOUNTAIN LAKES, ALPINE GLACIERS OR IN THE FOREST

Explore the most beautiful landscapes in the French Alps when you hike in Méribel. Each step takes you into the heart of unspoilt nature, offering breathtaking views and total immersion in a unique mountain setting:

Immerse yourself in the freshness of mountain lakes, such as Lac des Fées on the way to the Saut refuge, where serenity reigns supreme.
Wind your way along the majestic ridges, offering breathtaking views of the surrounding Alpine peaks.
Let yourself be guided towards the glaciers, where you can experience the power and grandeur of these glacial formations.

Whether you’re with family, friends, as a couple or on your own, hiking in Méribel is an invitation to contemplate, discover and challenge yourself.

A walk in the unspoilt nature of the Vanoise National Park in the heart of the Alps

A national park celebrating its 60th anniversary in 2023!

Hiking in the Vanoise National Park at Méribel is an exceptional nature experience. The varied and exciting trails will delight hikers, who will have the chance to encounter a wealth of flora and fauna, and understand ecology and glaciology thanks to the mountain guides.

Hike through the Tueda nature reserve, explore Robert Perret’s cheese dairy above Lake Tueda and taste the famous Beaufort des Alpages.

Vanoise National Park staff will be sharing their expertise during themed outings on the forest, nature reserve and mountain pastures. Food lovers can take part in outings on edible and medicinal plants, with a tasting session for each plant.

Immerse yourself in the history of the valley on the “Tell me your story” outing, which will take you on a tour of emblematic sites such as the sawmill, the mill, the church and the chapels.

Nature lovers will also be able to spot marmots on a special outing.

Finally, let yourself be tempted by a unique experience with the night-time outing, where you can enjoy a meal in a chalet before returning under the stars with your headlamp.

In a nutshell: hiking in the Vanoise National Park at Méribel promises exciting discoveries and unforgettable memories for all mountain lovers.

Sites of natural beauty

Discover the most beautiful walks in the French Alps in Méribel

To guide you in your choice of hikes, the Méribel Tourist Office has compiled a wide range of hiking itineraries, classified into four levels of difficulty: green, blue, red and black. The signposted trails will allow you to venture safely through the magnificent landscapes of the Alps.

However, if you have any doubts about the difficulty of a trail, or if you’d like some personal advice, don’t hesitate to visit the Tourist Office, where our team will be happy to provide you with detailed information and sound recommendations.

Take advantage of our expertise to enjoy great hiking experiences in the Méribel mountains.

Difficulty of the routes

🟢 Green – Easy
🔵 Blue – Moderate
🔴 Red – Difficult
⚫ Black – Very difficult

Green walks, ideal for families with young children

🟢 The poetry path

Starting in Les Allues, this 2? hour loop will introduce you to 25 poems and their authors.
4.2 km and 160 m ascent.

See
🟢 Path of the Mills

This trail, which includes a 40-minute climb, takes you to the ruins of an old hemp mill.
2.8 km, 199 m ascent.

Go to
🟢 Le Plantin

From the square in Méribel-Village, set off to discover the village of Le Plantin for a one-hour return hike.
2.3km with 78m of ascent.

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🟢 La Petite Rosière

This 2-hour walk takes you through the forest to the hamlet of Petite Rosière.
4.7km with 233m of ascent.

Go to
🟢 Gondola Tougnète 1/ Le Hameau

From the top of the Tougnète ski lift, head down towards Mottaret and allow an hour for the descent.
It’s a 4.8km descent with 484m of vertical drop.

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🟢 The Animal trail

Starting from the Altiport district, this trail takes you on a journey of discovery of the mountain’s animals.
2.8km, 150m ascent.

See
🟢 Plan de Tuéda nature reserve

From the Plan Ravet car park, head towards the Tueda nature reserve and enjoy the fresh air around the lake.
Allow an hour’s walk for 1.8km.

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The blue walks, to try out with family or friends without moderation

🔵 Villarnard

A 3h30 hike with a 1h40 ascent, where you’ll be carried along by the sounds of the Doron.
8.3km with 428m of ascent.

Go to
🔵 Descent to Les Allues

From Méribel-Village, head towards Les Allues, crossing spruce groves and following the Doron at times.
2.8km with 292m of ascent and descent.

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🔵 Ascent Altiport or Morel

From the square in Méribel-Village, take a path lined with rocks and trees that climbs towards the Altiport.
It’s a 1.5-hour climb, covering 2.8km and 270m of ascent.

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🔵 Circuit of the Villages

This 10km loop offers beautiful views of the resort’s chalets and chapels.
It’s a 4-hour walk with 482m of ascent.

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🔵 Morel trail

Leaving from the Méribel-Centre Tourist Office, stroll between glades and forest for 2h30.
7.7km with 330m of ascent.

See
🔵 Pracoua/ Les Granges

Head off in the direction of Les Granges to discover the montagnettes for a 1? hour climb.
4.8km with 342m of ascent.

See
🔵 Along the river “Doron”

A refreshing walk along the banks of the Doron des Allues, ideal in summer.
2h round trip, 2.8km and 251m ascent.

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🔵 Le Plaigny/ Les Cotilles

Stroll between clearings and forests on the edge of the Méribel golf course to reach a magnificent viewpoint over the Basse-Tarentaise.
Allow 3 hours’ walking for 6.6km and 185m of ascent.

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🔵 Fontany Forest

Deep in the forest, this 3-hour hike takes you to discover a fairly dense high-altitude spruce forest.
5.4km for 265m of positive ascent.

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🔵 Botanical Trail

From the Plan Ravet car park in Mottaret, head to the Tueda nature reserve for a beautiful botanical trail.
2.8km with 120m of ascent.

Go to
🔵 Explor Games

For a fun hike with family or friends, discover the Explor Games and explore the area around Lake Tueda.
4.2km with 110m of ascent.

Discover
🔵 Path of the Creux de l’Ours

Stroll along the heights of the Tueda nature reserve and take in the magnificent views.
A 2-hour loop covering 4.5km and 225m of ascent.

See

The red trails, for access to breathtaking Alpine panoramas

🔴 Forest of Villarlurin

From the village square in Le Villard, head towards the Villarlurin forest, with its beautiful panoramic views over part of the Vanoise.
5-hour hike, 10.5km and 820m ascent.

Discover
🔴 Col de la Lune / Dos de Crêt Voland

This 5h30 loop offers views of the Bozel valley, the Col de la Vanoise and Mont Vallon.
13.3km with 888m of ascent.

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🔴 Bathers’ Trail

From Les Allues, descend to Brides-les-Bains, passing through the forest and overlooking beautiful viewpoints.
Allow 4h30 for 7.4km and 668m of ascent and descent (for the return journey).

See
🔴 Grand Lac via Chandon

This route, signposted in red, will delight you with its panoramic views over the Méribel valley, Mont Blanc and the cime Caron.
A 5-hour hike covering 11.4km and 989m of ascent.

Go to
🔴 Crêtes trail

At the top of the Tougnète 2 chairlift, head towards the crests and overlook the Belleville valley.
14.6km with 399m of ascent and 1686m of descent.

See
🔴 Tougnète lifts and descent

At the top of the Tougnète chairlift, head down towards Méribel-Mottaret or Méribel-Centre for a 2h30 descent.
7.4km with 984m of vertical drop.

Discover
🔴 Col de la Loze

Discover the mythical mountain pass with this 4-hour loop starting from the Altiport.
8.6km with 620m of ascent and descent.

See
🔴 Creux Loup

Starting from the Altiport, set off on a 4-hour hike to visit the villages between two forest sections.
9.3km with 984m of ascent and 388m of descent.

Discover
🔴 Pas du Lac gondola / Col du Fruit / Bois des Ramées

This 4-hour loop offers exceptional views of the nature reserve and Lake of Tueda.
8.8km and 1,211m of ascent.

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🔴 Bois des Ramées / Refuge du Saut

This 4h30 hike in the heart of the Vanoise National Park and Tueda nature reserve will take you from lake to refuge.
13.9km with 525m of ascent and descent.

Discover
🔴 Pas du Lac gondola – Saulire descent

Make the most of the orientation table at La Saulire before descending to blueberry and juniper moorland.
A 3-hour descent covering 7.9km and 1,003m of ascent.

Go to

The black trails, for the more sporty

⚫ Tougnète gondola / Lac de la Chambre

This very difficult 8-hour hike (4 hours of which are uphill) offers exceptional panoramic views.
17.2km with 683m of ascent and 1410m of descent.

Discover
⚫ Tour of the Lakes

Starting from Mottaret, take a tour of the resort’s mountain lakes and discover some sublime scenery.
Allow 9 hours’ walking, 20.3km and 1,288m of ascent and descent.

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Hiking in the French Alps supervised by professionals

Other themed trails to discover in

If you want to enjoy hiking in the Alps with complete peace of mind, there’s nothing like being accompanied by experienced professionals.

Whether you’re a seasoned hiker, a keen walker or simply a curious stroller, hiring a mountain guide will ensure your safety and comfort throughout your explorations.

Local guides know the trails, panoramic views and breathtaking landscapes of the Alps inside out. Their expertise will enable you to discover exceptional itineraries, adapted to your level and expectations. They will also share with you anecdotes about the fauna, flora and history of the region.

To help you choose which hikes to take, the Méribel Tourist Office has published a comprehensive hiking guide (on sale at the Tourist Office), containing the best recommendations for planning your hikes and exploring part of the Alps with complete confidence.

All hiking ideas

Walking with your dog in Méribel

The XXL playground that Méribel offers is ideal for dogs to roam.

Between easy itineraries for a little health walk and steep paths for dogs who are used to hiking, you can choose where you want to go.

Be careful: some places are forbidden to dogs like the Vanoise National Park.

Bring your dog to Méribel

Between two hikes, there's time for trail running and via ferrata

BROADEN YOUR HORIZONS WITH OUR OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES

As well as hiking, Méribel also offers a wide range of outdoor activities for thrill-seekers. Trail running enthusiasts will be delighted with more than 150 km of waymarked trails, crossing varied landscapes between forests, lakes and peaks.

The resort has 9 trail routes to suit all levels, offering mountainous, technical, aerial and wild routes.

For lovers of climbing and vertical adventure, don’t miss the Via Ferrata de la Dent du Burgin, the highest Via Ferrata in the French Alps. Nestling at an altitude of 2700 metres, this Via Ferrata offers splendid panoramic views and thrilling sensations. The route takes place entirely on the ridge of the Dent du Burgin, offering vertiginous and impressive passages.