“I’m at a fancy ski resort, stay in a fancy hotel and see how the other half lives” – Jillian Bolger plays Méribel
Clear sky. blazing sun. Virgin snow. And the smell of truffles.
It’s lunchtime in Méribel, the chic French resort town in Les Trois Vallées, and the buzz is electric.
Surrounded by snow-capped peaks, shade, SPF and Aperol-spritz weather on the Beefbar’s terrace, where well-heeled skiers flock to Méribel’s coolest slopeside restaurant.
The rhythmic beat of house music pulsates in the background, smartly dressed parties arrive in twos and threes on skis, stripping off the designer layers as the midday heat rises.
Snow-capped peaks and valleys stretch out before me in dazzling brilliance. A dessert cart beckons behind me, laden with the kind of quirky confections I’m more used to seeing on a fancy city break than when lacing up in rented ski gear and listening to a live DJ.
But here’s the thing. I’m in a fancy ski resort and staying in a fancy hotel where tartes fines, truffles and Kobe teppanyaki are a given.
After two previous ski vacations, one in a budget chalet, the other at an all-inclusive ClubMed experience, I suddenly see how the other half lives.
The Terrace may be a getaway for skiers far more experienced than I am, but fortunately, being able to ski the slopes isn’t a requirement for entry. Some guests come by road and follow the path out of the pretty village below.
Jillian Bolger masters the slope
Others, like you, simply stroll from their bedroom through Le Coucou, the hotel I’ll call home for the next few days, and smugly take a seat at Beefbar, one of two on-site restaurants.
I blend in with the jet set with chameleon-like camouflage, discreetly observing the style around me. Owned by Maisons Pariente, a family-run boutique hotel group, Le Coucou was built in 2019 and is one of four luxury hotels owned by Patrick Pariente – co-founder of iconic brand Naf-Naf – and his daughters.
An intense morning ski lesson can take its toll on anyone, but especially on a beginner. With about six lessons of skiing under my belt in 2019, I’m quite a fledgling (my only other winter sport experience was a snowboarding trip, which left me with a broken wrist and a longstanding fear of falling).
Despite the adrenaline rush and a good deal of enthusiasm, I’m amazed at how tired I am after a few hours on the skis. Physical exhaustion is accompanied by mental exhaustion as I use all my focus and willpower to stay upright.
“Poles back, Jillian,” calls Arnaud, my ski instructor, from the front, reminding me once again to drop my shoulders, relax my posture and follow his line in the snow.
I used to lose control and shoot over the slopes like a runaway train before unceremoniously landing with a bang. Now I’m a little more nervous and even more determined not to wipe out a second time.
Ever since Brigitte Bardot was photographed sliding down the slopes of Méribel in the 1960s, this postcard-perfect village has been on the radar of the rich and famous. Although Méribel has the look and feel of a long-established Savoyard village, it was built specifically as a ski resort in the 1930’s.
A restrictive planning policy has preserved the village’s unique alpine character and ensured that modern buildings follow the same traditional style of local stone, slate and timber chalets.
The Méribel Valley is the heart of all three valleys, its slopes are ideal for all levels, from beginners to families to advanced skiers and snowboarders.
While it still attracts high-profile celebrities – the Beckhams, George Clooney and Emma Watson are all fans – it’s much more low-key than neighboring Courchevel, but far more stylish than Val Thorens.
Luckily, you don’t have to be an A-list card-carrying member or ski elite to enjoy your winter vacation here. With weary legs, I indulge in a horse-drawn sleigh ride, complete with bells tinkling through the snowy forest landscape.
After a day on the slopes, relax in style in Le Coucou’s pool
As we round a corner, the mood suddenly shifts from a Hallmark film to a Coors Light commercial.
We disembark at Le Clos Bernard, a cool restaurant tucked away in the woods where music and conversation echo around the thick pines, wooden lounge chairs are draped with thirsty skiers holding beers and a set of skis standing upright in the snow” are parked. It’s like stumbling upon an underground party in a log cabin.
I cook like a local and eat tartiflette, the hearty Savoyard classic made with potatoes, melty Reblochon cheese, bacon, onions and cream. Arnaud, who has failed in his vocation as a representative of the Tourist Office, joins us and explains that all is not as it seems at this mountain festival.
“We call it traditional, but it wasn’t invented until the 1980s,” he says. “The Reblochon makers were looking for a way to boost cheese sales, so they came up with this recipe. People think Tartiflette is part of the region’s heritage, but it’s actually quite a modern marketing ploy.”
Modern or not, it’s damn tasty and the perfect fuel to stomp around the slopes. The next morning we head to the outskirts of the village for a snowshoe expedition that turns out to be less Grizzly Adams than I expected.
Sleek plastic devices buckle neatly onto my hiking boots, their prongs gripping the virgin snow. It takes a little practice to navigate fresh currents as I sink knee deep, leaving monster-sized footprints in my wake.
Far more reserved are the lone deer tracks we spot in the woods, suggesting that this quiet spot that was once farmland has been recently visited. As we trudge through the trees with a satisfying crunch underfoot, we’re occasionally overtaken by cross-country skiers—all slim body suits, lean limbs, and lightning-fast movements. I watch their efforts uphill as they lean low and move like skaters, using poles to glide at high speeds.
Honestly, this all looks like very hard work and I’m in more of a sybaritic mood as I’ve totally embraced Méribel’s jet set vibes. Afternoon tea at Le Coucou tempts with pretty pastries, hot chocolate and fresh crepes in the bijou bar.
Jillian Bolger sees how the other half lives in Meribel
Afterwards, a dip in the heated outdoor pool promises after a dreamy deep-tissue massage at Tata Harper Spa. There’s something deliciously decadent about lounging around in a heated outdoor pool surrounded by snow.
Hot and cold, smug and cozy, I could stay here all day, but there’s something special I’ve saved.
I sneak down the corridor to my door, which opens to reveal much more than just a room. Behind a standard bedroom door lies Chalet Eleonore, one of two incredible private chalets that make up Hôtel Le Coucou.
With its traditional chocolate box exterior, my glamorous abode is spread over four floors, with four large bedrooms, countless entertaining areas, a huge terrace overlooking the slopes, and the kind of retro alpine decor that feels bold, exciting, and super chic.
After that, I slip into the chalet’s private pool downstairs, followed by a solo session in the sauna and steam room. Chalet Eleonore also has its own boot room and private access to the slopes, which I’m guessing is what celebs prefer.
To me? I love too much the charming staff in the hotel’s large ski room, who choose the perfect boots, skis and poles for our lessons, store everything on our return and help with all sorts of advice.
At the end of my stay I had three falls, but I also fell in love with Méribel and the idea of mastering skiing.
Ludo at the Le Coucou ski shop takes my gear back after my last run and asks for my room number so he can return my stuff.
“Oh, I don’t have a room number. I’m in the castle,” I answer cheerfully. Chateau. Chalet. Easy to confuse when high on life and superstar fantasies.
get there
- Jillian Bolger was a guest at the Hôtel Le Coucou in Méribel. Overnight rates at the Hôtel Le Coucou’s Chalet Eglantine and Chalet Eleonore start at €8,500 B&B. Overnight rates at HOtel Le Coucou start at €450 for a Deluxe Room B&B. lecoucouméribel.com
- Aer Lingus and Swiss fly from Dublin to Geneva. Méribel is about a two-hour drive from Geneva Airport.
- Ski equipment can be rented at Hôtel Le Coucou at daily rates.
- L’école du Ski offers private group ski lessons for up to six people from €430 per day. esf-uk.co.uk
- A one-day Méribel Valley ski pass costs €53 and is more suitable for beginners; A three valley ski pass costs €63. skipass-Méribel.com/en
https://www.independent.ie/life/travel/ski/im-in-a-swanky-ski-resort-staying-at-a-swanky-hotel-seeing-how-the-other-half-lives-jillian-bolger-does-meribel-41488100.html “I’m at a fancy ski resort, stay in a fancy hotel and see how the other half lives” – Jillian Bolger plays Méribel