Behind the scenes in Méribel: preparations for winter

November 04, 2025

November is here. The first snowflakes are falling on Méribel. Anticipation is growing.

December 6th is approaching, and with it, the long-awaited opening of the ski area. But behind the scenes, Méribel is already buzzing with activity. For several weeks, teams of workers have been labouring to prepare for your arrival. Little by little, the preparations are accelerating for one purpose: to make your stay as comfortable, enjoyable, and unforgettable as possible.

We take you behind the scenes in Méribel, where the magic of winter begins in autumn.

Behind the scenes of the ski area

This summer, the Service des Pistes, which has nearly sixty employees, began its preparations for the coming winter season. The machinery was inspected, maintained, and repaired, and the infrastructure was thoroughly checked to guarantee the safety of the ski area.

Then, in autumn, work on the ground began.

The ski patrollers are installing safety padding, protective nets and directional signs that will soon be used by skiers. It’s physical, precise, and demanding work, often carried out under the first snowfalls of November. Meanwhile, weather permitting, the snow cannons begin operating. The goal is to create a stable snow base before the heavier snowfalls. Once this layer is formed, piste bashers take over and begin sculpting the snowpack and shape the future runs.

But the preparation doesn’t stop there. Before opening day, the ski patrollers undergo training: first aid, high-altitude rescue, avalanche prevention and more. These are full-scale exercises which maintain team cohesion and responsiveness.

Behind the scenes in the mountain restaurants

From September onwards, the mountain restaurants come alive. Behind the scenes, the preparation begins in the kitchens: planning, anticipating and organising, so that everything is ready before the first snowfalls. Large orders of dry goods, equipment, furniture and consumables are delivered while the access routes remain open. Once the slopes are snow-covered, fresh produce is transported each morning by piste basher before the slopes open. These demanding logistics require careful planning, coordination and constant adjustment.

Autumn also marks the recruitment season. Personnel are gradually recruited to form teams of seasonal staff. In some establishments, up to sixty-five people may be required to cater to holidaymakers. Those chosen must be ready to work by the start of the season. Meanwhile, managers ensure that everything is ready for opening day, without any last-minute problems.

This is a major, behind-the-scenes effort to ensure the season gets off to a great start. All this is because in Méribel we understand good food is one of the great pleasures of a ski holiday. 🍽️

Méribel’s Mountain Restaurants

Behind the scenes in the hotels

Long before snow covers the roofs, Méribel’s hotels are also busy. A small team remains on-site during the off-season to ensure continuity: monitoring renovations, placing orders with suppliers, creating work rotas etc. As with the restaurants, autumn is the time for recruitment. The staff must be ready because as the opening day approaches, the pace intensifies. Room inspections, equipment testing, stock adjustments, coordination between departments—everything must be checked. Opening day isn’t the start of the work, but the culmination of months of meticulous preparation.

Behind the scenes in the shops

In rental shops, work began as soon as summer ended: checking and replacing equipment, maintaining supplies, managing inventory, recruiting staff and organising work rotas. For all businesses, autumn is a period of adjustment: anticipating and adapting stock, preparing for peak periods, and forecasting the impact of the weather on customer needs. Managers also plan for additional staff for key periods of the winter; school holidays, busy weekends and peak weeks.

Now you understand the preparations that take place before winter in Méribel. This preparation is essential, requiring meticulous coordination and planning to ensure the resort is fully operational on opening day. Meanwhile, Méribel Tourism is also working to prepare a full and varied programme of activities and events so we can put on the best possible welcome for our visitors. Like an orchestra, individuals are working in perfect harmony, all driven by the same goal: to offer you the best possible experience, so every moment spent in Méribel will remain etched in your memory.

We look forward seeing you this winter and sharing special moments with you.

Come to Méribel