Beginner to bona fide ski addict – my first ski trip (Meribel Ski Resort)

Meribel Ski Resort

So, I didn’t become a ski addict without trying! Many moons ago, well not actually that many, I was persuaded to go on my first ski holiday by some of my “expert” ski friends. Having been joined by one other beginner at least I wasn’t going to be the only ski numpty around! All I could hope for was that he would be just as bad as me!

My first ski holiday was in Meribel, and back in the day when we were a bit poorer than we are now we crammed into an apartment with bunks opposite the oven, a bed in the lounge and bunks in the hallway. Sounds terrible, but the Meribel apartment was a bargainous £80 each, or somewhere around that, so we could hardly complain. Plus I could drink all night and ski all day in my younger days so how much space the apartment had paled into insignificance!

Meribel ski resort is perhaps the most English I have personally been to but quite a good entry for a beginner because at least everyone can understand you! The lift system is vast as Meribel Ski resort is part of the 3 Valleys, but as a beginner I purchased a local Meribel Ski pass and not the whole 3 valleys pass.  My expert friends, took the opportunity to ski all over the 3 valleys. 

Myself, and the other beginner, took the plunge and set off on our first ski lesson, which was spent doing the usual trudge up and down the nursery slope. In this time I decided that I hated skiing, far too much effort and not enough rewards. However once we’d graduated up onto the main slopes of Meribel though I soon changed my mind. Being a relatively (my friends would say extremely) competitive person, I soon began to enjoy the challenges of skiing and the delights every time I improved!

One of the good things about Meribel ski resort is that many of the lifts are bubbles, which are pretty easy as a beginner, as it’s pretty difficult to fall off one. The level of skiing in Meribel ski resort is also perfect for beginners as there is a nice range of slopes to progress onto as you go through your first week.

By the end of the week I was a definite lover of skiing and was raring to go again. As the years went by, the obsession grew and now I’m definitely a must ski 2 or 3 times a year gal, a bone fide ski addict!