A Skiers Paradise In France
The Resort
Courchevel 1850 is 'the place' to enjoy a luxury ski holiday. Boasting the largest skiable area in the world, Courchevel is one of the most popular ski resorts. This high altitude glacial resort is situated in the heart of Les Trois Vallées. It is both the highest and the largest of the 5 resorts, offering a chic blend of luxury ski holidays, boutiques and stylish restaurants and bars.
Courchevel shares Les Trois Vallées skiing area with Courchevel 1650, Courchevel 1550, Courchevel Le Praz 1300 and La Tania. Courchevel 1650 better known as 'Sunny Moriond' due to being bathed in sunshine from most of the day, is the second highest of the villages. It is an attractive old village filled with restaurants serving Savoy specialties and is conveniently just a short gondola ride away from Courchevel 1850. Courchevel 1550 and Courchevel Le Praz 1300 and La Tania are charming and peaceful resorts nestled between fir and pine woods. Skiers are spoilt for choice as the Les Trois Vallées area offers extensive and varied terrain across its 5 resorts.
Famous for great skiing Courchevel also offers a range of après-ski activities. The epitome of luxury and elegance there are over 100 shops with popular brand names and famous artwork in its art galleries. Other activities include snow shoeing, snowmobiling, ice-karting and tobogganing.
There are several ski schools, all with classes for children and ESF runs Le Village des Enfants for non skiing and skiing children (advisable to book in advance).
On the Snow
The well groomed Courchevel ski area promises fantastic skiing with 600km of pistes, 189 lifts, 1932 hectares of slopes and 24,711 acres of off-piste skiing and snow reliability from Christmas through to mid April.
Whether you are a beginner or advanced skiers, all abilities are catered for at the resort. There are excellent beginner slopes in both 1850 and 1650, as well as challenging off-piste couloirs with some extremely difficult black runs set to test even the most experienced. Ski between Courchevel's four villages, or head further afield to Meribel and other resorts within Les Trois Vallées. During peak weeks, you may want to head for the quieter slopes of Courchevel 1650 or the satellite resort of La Tanis, avoiding the more crowded thoroughfares of Les Trois Vallées.
For snowboarders there is the snow park at Le Plantrey, the canyon and dunes of Les Verdons and the hoops at Biolley. And it's easy to get around on your luxury ski holiday using the modern lifts, with some great free-riding available.