What’s new in the Three Valleys for Winter 2025-2026?
Two exciting new ski lift projects are underway in the Three Valleys – the replacement of Cote Brune chairlift in Meribel, with a new gondola lift, and brand new bubbles for Chenus in Courchevel. (Plus: lift pass prices are released.)
Opening dates 2025-2026
The 3 Valleys links will open from Saturday 6 Dec 2025 to Fri 17 Apr 2026
- Courchevel 1850 and Courchevel le Praz: Friday 5 Dec 2025 – Sunday 19 Apr 2026
- La Tania: Saturday 6 Dec 2025 – Sunday 12 Apr 2026
- Méribel: Saturday 6 Dec 2025 – Friday 17 Apr 2026
- Val Thorens: Saturday 22 Nov 2025 – Sunday 3 May 2026
Three Valleys lift pass prices 2025-2026
The Three Valleys lift pass prices have been announced and are live on our website. You can also add them to your chalet reservation and we will deliver them to the chalet for your arrival, free of charge.
Chenus bubble lift pre-renovation
New for Courchevel 2025-2026
Chenus bubble lift, Courchevel
The Chenus gondola lift spent an impressive 55 years transporting skiers and snowboarders from Courchevel 1850 up the mountain to 2240m altitude.
So by 2024-2025 season, the bubbles definitely seemed a little ‘retro’ in comparison to the rest of the lifts in the resort! At the end of April 2025 the 160 gondolas were removed from the cables, ready to be auctioned off.
An impressive 350 bidders from 17 countries joined the auction, with proceeds going to local charities: Man of the Day, that helps tidy the mountains at the end of the season, CDSA 73 (Comité Départemental du Sport Adapté de la Savoie) that supports accessible skiing for people with disabilities, Essentiem, a charity facilitating access to mountain sports for vulnerable people, Mountain Change Makers and the University of Savoie Mont Blanc’s sustainable tourism board.
The pink one sold for €4,400 with others ranging between €1900 to €3400.
New Chenus bubble
For winter 2025/2026, the new 10-seater Chenus gondola lift will carry up to 2400 people per hour.
Sustainability
The materials from the old lift have been recycled, and the top lift station is equipped with 336m² of solar panels, to produce renewable energy, and a system for collecting water from melting snow has been installed, to give a saving of 750 m³ of water per year.
Accessibility
The departure point for the new Chenus has changed: instead of being within the same space as Verdons lift, there is a new lift station in 1850, close to the road, to give better access for pedestrians and also cross country skiers who can use the trails around Loze and the Lac Bleu.
New Chenus picnic room
At the top of Chenus will be a smart new picnic room, which is great news for anyone preferring to grab a quick picnic instead of a restaurant lunch. If the recent Verdons picnic room is anything to go by, it will be warm, well fitted out, and popular!
See the video of the Chenus construction site
A new tow rope for Lac Bleu
There’s a flattish section as you ski down from Col de la Loze above La Tania where you previously had to skate or pole along past the ‘Lac Bleu’ (a frozen lake you might easily miss!) towards the runs down into Courchevel 1850. The days of exertion are over! For 25-26 there will be a rope tow to give you a gentle pull along the flattest section.
Carabosse fun zone relocated
The lovely Carabosse fun run used to be near the Granges button lift in Courchevel Moriond, but for winter 25-26 it will be relocated to an area around the top of Signal chairlift. We’re looking forward to checking it out… A new green run called Pralinette will be accessible near the Granges button instead of the Carabosse piste.
New for Meribel 2025-26
Cote Brune ski lift, Méribel
Whilst Cote Brune wasn’t quite as “vintage” as dear old Chenus in Courchevel, it still had served skiers since 1991. What was a chairlift (with a reputation for being rather chilly) will soon be a gondola. Good news for the less hardy skier and snowboarder!
The new Cote Brune gondola
With a speed of 7 metres per second, the new lift will open in December 2025 and transport up to 2,600 skiers per hour to Col de la Chambre, compared to 2,200 before.
New picnic room
Just like Chenus, there will be a picnic area, fitted out with benches and tables, perfect for an easy and more affordable snack break. There will also be a new wooden heart seat installed, like those dotted around the rest of Meribel.
Meribel’s wooden heart seats – a perfect photo spot
Sustainability
Again, the Société de Trois Vallées (S3V) lift company is taking responsible development seriously. Concrete is being made on site, reducing transport requirements and CO₂ emissions, and residues are collected and treated with care, eg. used water is filtered, treated and reused to avoid wastage.
See the video of Cote Brune construction site
Rhodos lift updated
Méribel’s Rhodos bubble lift is also having an update: new gondola cabins and updated lift stations will modernise this lift which is often used by ski schools to access the gentle blue and green slopes.
New for Val Thorens/Les Menuires
Roc 2 revamped
There will be 17 more chairs on the Roc 2 chairlift, giving extra capacity to this lift which leads from the top of Roc 1 in Les Menuires to the top of 3 Marches at 2704m altitude. This lift will now carry up to 2,800 people per hour.
Cime Caron update
The cable car linking Orelle and Val Thorens is being updated with two new cabins, transporting 1,500 skiers per hour.
New Face Nord gondola
A new gondola called Face Nord will feature 22 cabins to access Aster and Face Nord runs, and the Orelle link.
What this means for your next ski holiday
From shiny new gondolas in Courchevel, Val Thorens and Méribel to better accessibility for pedestrians and useful new picnic rooms, the Three Valleys continues to evolve and become ever more efficient and welcoming to skiers as well as non-skiers.
With opening dates confirmed and lift pass prices now live, all that’s left is for the snow to fall! And already (in September) we have had sprinklings of the white stuff on the peaks!
All that’s left is to choose where you’ll stay. At Ski Magic, our cosy chalets in Courchevel Le Praz, La Tania and Méribel make the perfect base to explore this legendary ski area.
Start planning your trip today and get ready to experience the very best of the Alps this winter.
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