Méribel Alpina

What Méribel Alpina does

Méribel Alpina is a French ski domain operator incorporated as a Société par actions simplifiée (SAS), headquartered in Méribel, Savoie, and a 100% subsidiary of Compagnie des Alpes (itself a subsidiary of Caisse des Dépôts et Consignations). Founded in 1955 by Peter Lindsay, the company operates the Méribel ski resort — 150 km of pistes, 72 runs (8 green, 27 blue, 28 red, 9 black), 26 ski lifts, and a 253-hectare domain — positioned at the heart of 3 Vallées, the world's largest linked ski area with 600 km of pistes across 7 resorts. The company runs under a Delegation of Public Service (DSP) concession with the Commune des Allues extended through 2034, with a separate DSP for Brides-les-Bains also valid through 2034.

The company's product portfolio centers on ski passes (Vallée de Méribel and 3 Vallées day, multi-day, season, family, and beginner variants), complemented by a growing summer activity layer (Pass Explorateur with 30+ activities, VTT and pedestrian passes) and equipment rental under the Méribel Alpina Outdoor sub-brand. Distribution is hybrid: a self-serve e-commerce platform (skipass-meribel.com) with mobile delivery, QR codes, and a 3 Vallées mobile app, alongside 4 physical points of sale, 24/7 vending machines, Click&Collect service, and partner pickup across accommodations and tourism offices. Underlying operational technology includes a hands-free badge access control system (deployed 2006), the Saulire Express cable car, 38 snow guns with 2 retention dams for snowmaking reliability, and payment integrations with Adyen, Alma, and Klarna.

The revenue model is primarily transaction-based, monetized through unit-priced ski passes differentiated by season period (early, peak, end), customer category (adult, child, veteran, disabled), and duration, with ancillary revenue from insurance commissions (Carré Neige), equipment rental, and premium experiences (First Track, themed pistes, sledging). Customers are highly fragmented — individual tourists, families, beginners, season pass holders, and persons with disabilities form the B2C base, with a smaller B2B channel serving ski clubs, associations, and tourism professionals. The company has 230 employees and holds sustainability credentials including 2 Flocon Vert certifications, a 92/100 gender equality index, and a 10-year carbon sequestration partnership with the Office National des Forêts aligned to a 2050 net-zero goal.

Name

Méribel Alpina

Legal name

Méribel Alpina

Website

https://skipass-meribel.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1955

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Méribel Alpina operates the Méribel ski domain (150 km of pistes, 26 lifts) within the 3 Vallées in France, selling ski passes, summer activities, and equipment rental to individual tourists, families, beginners, and season pass holders under a public service concession valid through 2034.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Ski Resort Operations

NAICS

Skiing Facilities (71392)

akta.pro primary industry

Ski Areas & Lift Operations (Independent Mountains) (THAAAJAB)

akta.pro secondary industry

Nordic & Cross-Country Centers (XC Skiing, Biathlon, Snowshoe Trails) (THAAAJAE)

Keywords

• Ski resort operations
• Ski lift services
• Winter mountain activities
• Summer mountain activities
• Alpine tourism services

Headquarters

HQ city

Méribel

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices6 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Ski Passes (Forfaits): Core revenue from selling ski passes for Vallée de Méribel and 3 Vallées domains. Multiple products including day passes, multi-day passes, 4-hour passes, season passes, family passes, beginner passes (Mini Pass), and pedestrian passes. Pricing varies by season period (early, peak, end of season) and customer category (adult, child, veteran, disabled).
2. Summer Activities (VTT, Hiking, Mountain Experiences): Revenue from summer mountain activities including VTT (mountain biking) passes, pedestrian passes, and rental services (VTT-AE, scooters). Pass Explorateur provides access to 30+ activities for a bundled experience.
3. Insurance (Carré Neige): Commission revenue from offering Carré Neige insurance during ski pass purchase, covering accident, injury, and trip interruption protection
4. Equipment Rental (Méribel Alpina Outdoor): Rental of VTT-AE (electric mountain bikes) and descent scooters from Méribel Alpina Outdoor location at La Chaudanne

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels8 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Méribel Alpina operates the Méribel ski domain within the 3 Vallées, the world's largest linked ski area, selling ski passes, season passes, and summer activity passes (VTT, pedestrian, Pass Explorateur). The company also offers equipment rental (electric mountain bikes and scooters) through Méribel Alpina Outdoor, distributes Carré Neige ski insurance, and operates themed on-mountain experiences such as First Track and family learning areas.

Product overview

Méribel Alpina operates the ski domain of Méribel resort within the 3 Vallées — the world's largest ski area spanning 600 km of linked pistes. The product portfolio centers on ski pass products (Vallée de Méribel and 3 Vallées passes), supplemented by family-focused offerings (Family Flex, Mini Pass), season passes, and summer activity products (Pass Explorateur with 30+ activities, VTT passes, pedestrian passes). Equipment rental (Méribel Alpina Outdoor) and insurance products (Carré Neige) extend the offering. The company also provides themed recreational runs (Piste des Inuits, Piste des Animaux) and premium experiences (First Track, sledging). Distribution is via 4 physical points of sale, an e-commerce platform, and automated kiosks.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Méribel Alpina Outdoor: Outdoor activity brand offering electric VTT (mountain bike) rental and downhill scooter rental services during summer season.
• Pass Explorateur

Products and services

• Forfait Vallée de Méribel Ski pass granting access to the Méribel valley ski area, including 39 pistes and 26 ski lifts within the Méribel resort boundaries. Sold as day passes, multi-day passes, and 4-hour passes.
• Forfait 3 Vallées Comprehensive ski pass providing access to the entire Three Valleys ski area, the world's largest ski domain spanning 600 km of linked pistes across 7 resorts.
• Forfait Family Flex Family-oriented ski pass offering discounted rates for groups of 3 or more (minimum 1 adult, 1-6 children aged 5-17), with '6 days for the price of 5' benefit and availability from 5 consecutive days.
• Mini Pass Entry-level ski pass priced at €38.50/day providing access to beginner zones at Altiport and Méribel Mottaret, suitable for first-time skiers including access to the Piste des Animaux and Village des Inuits.
• Forfait saison Méribel Season ski pass providing unlimited access to the Méribel valley ski area for the entire winter season, with various discounts available for residents, season workers, and property owners.
• Forfait VTT Mountain biking pass providing access to VTT trails and lift services during the summer season, available in various durations including 3-day, 7-day, and season options.
• Forfait piéton Pedestrian pass for accessing mountain trails and panoramic viewpoints via ski lifts during summer, available in single-day and multi-day formats including Family Flex options.
• Pass Explorateur Summer activity pass offering unlimited access to over 30 activities including themed hiking, mini-farm visits, bouncy castles, golf practice, tennis, e-MTB initiation, swimming pool, ice skating, and pedestrian lift access.
• Méribel Alpina Outdoor Equipment rental service offering electric mountain bikes (VTT-AE) from Canyon brand and descent scooters from Trott'RX brand, with a promotion of 3 rented bikes qualifying for a free fourth rental. Located at La Chaudanne during summer.
• Assurance Carré Neige Ski insurance product providing coverage including rescue and evacuation costs, refund of unused ski passes and lessons in case of accident, medical transport and repatriement, and 24/7 assistance during the ski stay.
• First Track Premium early-morning ski experience offering access to pristine slopes before regular opening, including sunrise views from Roc de Fer peak.
• Piste de luge Mission Black Forest Sledging activity featuring the Mission Black Forest themed toboggan run, available exclusively at the Chaudanne point of sale.

Quantifiable outcome

• 600km of linked ski pistes across 7 resorts (3 Vallées)
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration5 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and minor.

• Compagnie des AlpescoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Parent company of Méribel Alpina since 2000 (100% subsidiary). French company specialized in ski domains and leisure parks, listed on Paris Stock Exchange, subsidiary of Caisse des Dépôts et Consignations. Operates 12 ski domains including SAP La Plagne, STGM Tignes, STVI Val d'Isère, ADS Les Arcs, SEVABEL Les Menuires, Grand Massif, Compagnie du Mont-Blanc, and Serre Chevalier.
• Mountain RiderscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Association leading the Flocon Vert (Green Flake) certification process for mountain destinations. Méribel Alpina collaborates with the town hall since 2022 to achieve sustainable destination certification.
• Office National des Forêts (ONF)flagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 202510-year carbon sequestration partnership to support forest carbon sinks and reach net-zero carbon goals (80% reduction, 20% offset through local projects).
• IDM (Ingenierie Des Matières)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRecycling partnership transforming used tires into anti-slip surface tiles for piste infrastructure (dalles antidérapantes).
• ÉliseminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerWaste valorization partner processing paper and cardboard cups through social inclusion programs for people in rehabilitation or with disabilities.
• AlmaminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPayment solution partner enabling interest-free installment payments (3x) for ski pass purchases from €300 to €6000 via Visa or Mastercard.
• KlarnaminorGTM or Marketing PartnerFlexible payment partner offering installment plans for ski passes. Available exclusively on skipass-meribel.com.
• Carré NeigeminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSki insurance partner offered during pass purchase covering rescue, evacuation, medical costs, and reimbursement of unused ski passes and lessons in case of accident.
• Commune des AlluescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal municipality holding DSP (Delegation of Public Service) concession agreement with Méribel Alpina for ski domain operation until 2034.
• Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes RegionminorGTM or Marketing PartnerRegional government partnership for destination marketing and regional tourism promotion.

Scale indicators16 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights7 records

Broad incumbents

• Compagnie des Alpes: Paris-listed parent company (since 1994) that owns 12 ski domains in France including Méribel Alpina, plus leisure parks. Operates a multi-domain ski and leisure portfolio providing shared services, capital allocation, and strategic direction across subsidiaries including the subject company.
• Vail Resorts: NYSE-listed US ski resort operator and largest North American mountain resort company. Comparable as a multi-resort lift operator with a similar business model of season passes (Epic Pass), lift operations, ski school, and mountain hospitality — a useful international benchmark for capital allocation and pass-product strategy.

Others

• Skidata: Leading supplier of ski lift access control and ticketing systems, including the type of hands-free badge technology Méribel Alpina has deployed since 2006. Adjacent ecosystem participant rather than competitor, but representative of the technology stack underpinning modern ski domain operations.

Direct peers

• Compagnie du Mont-Blanc: Sister company under Compagnie des Alpes operating ski lifts and tourist transport across the Chamonix-Mont-Blanc valley. Operates the same French Alpine lift, ski pass, and mountain tourism business model as Méribel Alpina within the same parent group.
• STVI (Val d'Isère): Sister company under Compagnie des Alpes operating the premium Val d'Isère ski domain. Shares Méribel Alpina's high-altitude lift operations, premium ski pass products, and dual winter/summer activity mix serving a comparable premium French Alpine segment.
• SETAM (Val Thorens): Sister company under Compagnie des Alpes operating the Val Thorens and Orelle ski domains inside the same 3 Vallées network. Directly comparable in business model — lift operations, multi-day and season ski pass sales, summer activity offerings, and hands-free access — across the world's largest connected ski area.
• SEVABEL (Les Menuires): Sister company under Compagnie des Alpes operating Les Menuires and Saint-Martin de Belleville within 3 Vallées. Closely aligned with Méribel Alpina on lift infrastructure, multi-resort ski pass products (Vallée + 3 Vallées), family-friendly pricing tiers, and summer activity diversification.
• ADS (Les Arcs): Sister company under Compagnie des Alpes operating the Les Arcs and Peisey-Vallandry ski domains. Operates a multi-village domain model with comparable ski pass, lift access, beginner area, and snowmaking infrastructure to Méribel Alpina within the same parent group.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/meribelalpina
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/meribel-alpina

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Méribel Alpina