Get On The Mountain! Les Menuires For Powderhounds

Les Menuires may not have the reputation for advanced skiing that, say, Chamonix has, but, lying at the heart of the world’s biggest ski area, there are plenty of thrills to be had if you know where to look.The best thing is that the resort has access to the same vast 600km of runs in the Three Valleys that its more famous (and more expensive) neighbours have, but at much more affordable prices.

Set just below Val Thorens, at 1850m, the resort has almost guaranteed snow throughout the season, with a fantastic ski-in, ski-out layout that makes getting back to your accommodation at the end of the day a breeze. So if you’re looking for excellent value and world-class pistes, skiing in Les Menuirescould definitely be for you.

Back to Black

There is some great advancedskiing in Les Menuires,including the excellent black and challenging red runs on La Masse. You might want to work your way up to Dame Blanche, a long, steep black with stunning views out over the valley, via the shorter Lac Noir and Masse. These pistes are usually ungroomed, so get ready for some serious moguls. Other good black runs include the Rocher Noir and Fred Covili.When you’re ready to go further afield, try the black runs on the way over to Méribel. You canget your legs burning on the Ecureuil and Chevreuilbefore challenging yourself on the famous Face.

Off The Beaten Track

Those looking for some good off pisteskiing in Les Menuireswill discover some great itineraries, again in the steeper La Masse area. It forms the spine of the Pointe de la Masse, which offers the most exhilarating off piste conditions and, depending which side you approach it from, some very differentchallenges. To the east you can go from the top of the Pointe down the Vallon du Lou, and to the west from the Vallée des Encombres down into Le Chatelard. Another route down from La Masse takes you into Le Bettex, below Les Menuires - although, make sure you aim for the bridge at the bottom or you won’t make it across the river.

Freestyle Fun

If you’ve worn yourself out with all that hard core skiing and boarding you could always head to the snowpark at the top of the Sunny chairlift and try your hand at a bit of competitive boardercross. The park has been recently upgraded with HO5Park taking over its design and management.As a result there are now some great red kickers and rails to try your tricks on.

Boarders who really want to challenge themselves could try their hand (and legs) at the steep black runs of the La Masse area (see above), but look out for the Masse draglift, as it’s extremely tricky on a board.

If you’ve skied all the extreme resorts and you’re looking for something new this year,I hope I’ve illustrated that this fantastic resort has plenty to offer the advanced winter sports practitioner. From challenging runs to adrenalin pumping off piste trails, skiing inLes Menuires has a lot to offer.

Belinda Smythson works for Ski Amis, a specialist ski travel agency and booking service that has been helping avid skiers craft their perfect winter holiday for over a quarter of a century. If you're looking for the best ski chalet accommodation inthe Three Valleys, Paradiski, Espace Killy or Chamonix Valley, and tips on skiing in Les Menuires or anywhere else in the region, Ski Amis is the go-to company for winter sports fans searching for the experience of a lifetime.