Avalanche
Industry News
The Châtelet Chairlift at Méribel—part of the Les 3 Vallèes network—will be closed for the rest of the 2025-26 season.
The Châtelet is a six-person high speed detachabel chairlift that takes skiers from the base station at 2,052 meters (6,732 feet) to the top at 2,411 meters (7,710 feet) in just under six minutes. Unfortunately, the base station was hit by an avalanche triggered during controlled avalanche work. The avalanche destroyed important lift infrastructure, which will make operations impossible for the remainder of the season. Resort guests are advised to use the Plattières gondola from Mottaret instead.
The resort advises that Meteo France has issued a high avalanche warning (Level 4 out of 5) for Wednesday, February 18, due to persistent unstable snowpack conditions across the resort. While the weather is expected to calm down during the day, the resort warns that strong winds have left the snow cover highly reactive, with new snowfall expected to return on Wednesday evening and continue into Thursday. An avalanche control plan (PIDA) is scheduled at dawn, meaning skiers should anticipate delays to lift openings during mitigation work. Several sectors will remain closed all day, including the 3 Valleys links, Roc de Fer, Mont Vallon, and the Tuéda Reserve. The resort is urging guests to remain strictly on groomed and open runs, stay updated on safety announcements, and respect all posted signage as hazardous conditions continue in the upper mountain.
Like many other regions in the Alps, Méribel has experienced significant snowfall over the past few days. 175 centimeters (69 inches) of snow fell in the last five days, and more is forecast for the coming days. Avalanche deaths have been spiking, surpassing the 10-year annual average mid-season. Visitors are urged to stay on groomed runs and to follow the instructions of resort staff.
