 A native of Le Sauze, a ski resort of Enchastrayes commune where her parents ran a hotel, Merle learned to ski at a very young age.She took part in her first competition as a six-year-old, and made her World Cup debut at 18.On 23 January 1983, she took her first World Cup podium with a third-place finish in Giant Slalom at St. Gervais.