Share this
Once the snow melts and the edelweiss start to bloom, the French alpine resort of Méribel transforms itself into a haven for summer sports.
It’s for its skiing that Méribel is best known. Just before World War II, this pretty resort first opened up for winter sports, originally spearheaded by a Scotsman called Major Peter Lindsay. Nowadays it’s part of the Les Trois Vallées, a vast ski region in the Tarentaise Valley.
However, like many ski resorts, it’s doing its utmost to attract outdoor sports enthusiasts all year round, luring in hikers, mountain bikers, trail runners, climbers, paragliders and families with kids in tow. At its highest, Méribel reaches almost 3,000 metres above sea level, guaranteeing plenty of incline and decline, depending on what you prefer.
This summer, there’s a new initiative designed to get Méribel visitors as active as possible, called the Pass Explorateur (Explorer Pass). Aimed particularly at families, it offers unlimited access to the lifts and discounts on activities such as treasure hunts, golf initiations, guided walks and visits to heritage sites. A three-day pass costs €69, a six-day pass €99.
Cycling
Road biking, mountain biking, gravel biking…Méribel caters for cyclists in lycra, baggies and everything in between.
For roadies, a climb up to the top of Col de la Loze, at 2,300 metres above sea level, is a firm favourite. But it’s mountain biking that is best catered for here, with all disciplines on offer. From July 4th to August 30th, you can use the ski lifts to bring yourself and your bike to the top of the resort’s bike park, where you’ll find ten downhill trails, seven enduro trails, two cross-country circuits, four dedicated e-bike circuits, and a pump track. There are facilities for every level from beginner to advanced.
Hiking
Méribel sits within the Vanoise National Park where, just like in skiing, hiking trails are classified green, blue, red and black, according to their level of difficulty. The easiest, just under 3kms long, is called the Sentier des Moulins, while the most demanding is a nine-hour tour of the lakes – over 20kms long, with nearly 1300 metres of ascent and descent. Hikers can even stay the night in a mountain refuge called Refuge du Saut, at 2,130 metres. There are guided hikes available through the Pass Explorateur.
Mountain running
Provided you have the lungs for it, many of Méribel’s hiking trails can be used for mountain running. If you’re really competitive you might enter the Méribel Trail ultramarathon race from August 7th to 9th 2026. Distances range from a kids’ 500-metre race right up to the most demanding 42-km race, with more than 3,000 metres of ascent and descent.
“Runners will tackle rocky climbs, traverse lush alpine meadows and navigate panoramic ridgelines, making it one of the most scenic yet demanding races in the Alps,” say the organisers.
Other activities
For an all-round active experience, head to Méribel’s Olympic Park where you can use the climbing wall, the swimming pools, the gym and the wellness area.
Méribel golf course celebrates its 60th anniversary this year. With 18 holes, reaching as high as 1,700 metres above sea level, it’s one of the highest in France.
Much more demanding is a climbing sport called via ferrata. Named after the Italian expression for ‘iron way’, it involves scrambling and climbing up steep rock faces and along perilous ledges, using steel cables, rungs and ladders fixed firmly into the rock, normally with epoxy resin.
Only the most basic equipment is needed – a helmet, gloves, a harness around your midriff, and carabiners to clip and unclip your harness to the steel cable as you climb. “Mountaineering for wimps,” is how some experienced climbers describe it. Still, you can experience all the gut-clenching adrenalin of mountaineering in the safe knowledge that, as long as you stay clipped in, you’re not going to die.
Méribel’s via ferrata route, the Dent de Burgin, traverses the valley and rises to a maximum height of 2,700 metres. One of the highest in France – and certainly not for beginners – it is accessed from the Pas du Lac gondola lift.
Perhaps the most dramatic of all the sports on offer is paragliding. Flying in tandem with an instructor, you’ll get to soar high above the Tarentaise Valley with, if you’re lucky, eagles swooping nearby. Beginners are welcome, although the instructor might offer you a few acrobatic stunts if you’re brave enough.
Summer events in Méribel
Over the summer of 2026 the resort is staging multiple events:
Méribel Golf Cup (5–8 July)
Méribel Hybrid Games (10–12 July) – a mixture of Hyrox, CrossFit and running.
Surprenant Féstival (15–17 July) – music and arts.
Col de la Loze Challenge (19 July) – road cycling for all abilities.
Zen Altitude (21–23 July) – yoga, hiking and wellness.
French Enduro MTB Cup (24–26 July)
FISE District Méribel (28–30 July) – freestyle BMX riding.
Astronomy Festival (5–6 August)
Méribel Trail (7–9 August) – courses ranging from a kids’ 500 metres up to 42kms.
Circus Festival (10–12 August)
March 24, 2026
