Brides les Bains is a quiet spa town in the pretty valley below Méribel, and is connected to the ski area of the Three Valleys by gondola. The gondola up to Mèribel takes a while and accesses a couple of villages, les Allues and le Raffort, part way up which allows for some decent off-piste runs when conditions permit. It is possible to ski all the way down to Brides when the snow is exceptional but regrettably that is rare, so most people hop back on the gondola either in Meribel or enjoy the off-piste runs down to either of the two villages and then continue by lift from there. Before it became a ski base it was, and still is, a thermal spa town and as such has much to offer. As well as the spa centre, there are several good value hotels and chalets, shops, restaurants, a casino and a couple of bars – although evenings are generally quiet because it only has a few bars to choses form it does mean that you all end up getting know each other quite quickly so in fact has quite a social feel. Indeed it has a big following of snow lovers who value a cheaper resort, a proper town feel and easy access as the snow rarely blocks the roads at this height. I like Brides-les-Bains, it quirky, different and very French and makes an unusual and interesting ski base from which you can enjoy the enormous state of the art ski area of the Three Valleys at a much better price. It is also a great summer location for all mountain enthusiasts and offers a lot of different activities during the winter as well. Because of this it can make a slightly more interesting base for non-skiers who can make use of the thermal spa treatments which can be booked as week courses or as individual treatments – relax and enjoy!
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