A bird’s eye view of Meribel

By Skier & Snowboarder on 3rd April 2024 • ( 0 )

PHOTO: Sylvain Aymoz

Hils Everitt takes to the skies for a unique experience – paragliding on skis in the French Alps

Suddenly out of the almost silence, interrupted by the gentle whistling of the wind, came my pilot’s voice: “Are you OK; don’t feel sick?! Most people do. Just tell me when to stop if you need,” followed by a cheeky giggle.

“No, I’m fine,” I bellowed back, “it’s glorious, although just one or two more sharp turns will do!”

I was having a ball wafting above the resort wallowing in the superb views and enjoying the peace, 1,000ft up in the air. I was strapped to a lovely chap from the Ludosky company, tandem paragliding on skis and getting a bird’s eye view of the mountains.

I was even allowed to take the reins for a good five minutes. It felt incredible gliding over the glorious French resort of Meribel, in Les Trois Vallées, turning when I felt like it, taking care to avoid the power lines and chairlifts. All too soon the 20-minute flight was up, and my pilot took control again to guide us back to the empty field on the side of the benign green piste that leads back to Meribel Centre.

It’s so sedate and glorious up in the air, but as you approach land you realise you are travelling at quite a lick, and we hit the snowy field with an inglorious bump in a tangle of legs, skis and lines. “Don’t move,” was the shout as I fell with a bang on my bum. Unfortunately, the wind had caught the canopy, which subsequently dragged us through the deep, heavy snow. “Keep your skis and legs still,” came the warning shout as we were dragged another few metres. We both burst out laughing, although I was now feeling quite uncomfortable and needed to move my tangled pile of skis and legs.

“Wait a minute while I get you out and we can sort ourselves!” Although no sooner had he uttered this, the ‘chute caught the wind again and we set off through the snow once more.

PHOTO: Sylvain Aymoz

Finally, we came to a halt and I was quickly released from my harness. I managed to get my skis off while lying in the snow, still pumping with adrenaline. We were soon upright, the canopy packed away and trudging through the deep snow to the piste with an easy ski back to Meribel Centre.

These amazing flights start on a ledge, a short ski down from Ludosky’s HQ below the Saulire Express lift. If you can, take a flight, it is incredible and worth every penny. I hope you have a better touchdown than me, however. It was quite frustrating not to have achieved the perfect landing.

Once back on piste it was time to resume my ski instruction with Oxygene, an independent ski school which now operates in 15 resorts throughout the French Alps. It was started in 1992 by brothers Bertrand, Pierre and Julien de Monvallier.

Pierre de Monvallier

I had the pleasure of skiing with Pierre who has been an instructor for 40 years. He started with the Ecole de Ski Francaise (ESF) when he was 17 years old but found he was not keen on the school’s rigid instruction methods. He and his brothers decided they wanted to approach instruction in a different way, and as a result, Oxygene Ski School was born. The business has become highly successful, and all profits are invested back into it.

“I live in the mountains; it’s a great life, I don’t need lots of money!” says Pierre with a smile on his face. His school’s 200-plus instructors come from all corners of the globe.

He adds: “We adapt our ski instructors to the client, not the other way round and limit groups to 6-8 people, managing classes to cater for the least capable. The better skiers/riders have to adapt to make sure everybody enjoys the experience.”

I certainly had first-hand experience of this approach during my lesson with Pierre. I have been skiing many years, but it is the first time anyone has told me that my ski poles are too long, which is making me lean back slightly. I have been aware I am doing it but wasn’t sure why.

He also took me and the others in my class through some drills to improve stance. I am so excited for my next trip to Whistler in Canada where I will test out shorter poles – Pierre says they should be at least 10 if not 15cm shorter. My skiing could be totally revitalised!

There is also a whiff of excitement in the Meribel villages as, at the time of my visit, the French Alps are in the running to host the 2030 Winter Olympics across several regions. Meribel could be the venue for some of the women’s Alpine events, with the men’s in neighbouring Courchevel.

The village is also known for playing host to the ice hockey matches in the 1992 Albertville Winter Olympics at the amazing Meribel Ice Palace, built in 1991. I took a peek into the centre, which also offers a gym and swimming pool – it looks fantastic for an après ski workout, as well as ice skating, but, be warned, strictly no budgie smugglers allowed chaps…

Meribel is rather good at hosting major events with many World Cup downhills and slaloms held here and is a perfect location for the Olympics if the IOC awards them to the region.

Now that would be a great sight from above, drifting and swaying below a canopy high in the sky. I am booking my ticket…

PHOTO: Meribel Tourist Office

TRAVEL FACTS

Hils stayed at the four-star Hotel Alpen Ruitor (double rooms from £360) and three-star Hotel le Mottaret (double rooms from £273) in Meribel Mottaret village.
She dined at Le Rastro, La Folie Douce (pictured right) and Le 80 restaurant.
Oxygene ski school is based in Moutiers, operating in 15 French resorts. It also offers ski touring, electric mountain biking on snow, tandem skiing, snowkiting, paragliding on skis and Moon bikes. It has partnerships with Ski Hut, MoonBike and French clothing company Planks.
For the Oxygene ski school in Meribel, email meribel@oxygene.ski; call +33 (0)4 79 08 53 36.
Ludosky Paragliding. Email parapente@ludosky.com; call +33 (0)6 63 33 64 84.
To find out more about Meribel, visit meribel.net/en/