Courchevel
Courchevel claims to be the “ski capital of the world”.
Four words which now become the signature of the resort’s logo.
Courchevel consistently ranks amongst the best ski resorts in the world.
Between very high standard chalets, 5 * hotels and snow palaces, Courchevel is definitely the world reference for luxury accommodation in the mountains. Started in 1946 in mountain pastures where only shepherds and herds frequented, the resort now carries the highly prized Top of the French Alps label, a title that places it in the club of excellence of the great emblematic French resorts.
Courchevel is a place of global gastronomy with more than a hundred restaurant addresses and several starred restaurants.
Its reputation reflects the extent of the ski area, the views and the variety of the landscapes. It attracts skiers and non skiers alike, summer and winter from all over the world.
From the luxury hotels to the more basic, from the quality of the restaurants to the quality of the pistes, the whole resort is designed for your pleasure and safety.
Courchevel expands over six villages: Saint Bon, Le Praz, La Tania, Courchevel Village or better known as Courchevel 1550, Courchevel Moriond or better known as Courchevel 1650 and finally Courchevel 1850.
6 villages linked by ski lifts and free shuttles create a unique ski-in ski-out resort with multiple facets. Everywhere, the search is for excellence and attention to detail.
These six villages are linked to other resorts: Méribel, Saint-Martin de Belleville, Les Ménuires, Val Thorens and Orelle. Altogether they make up the area of the 3 Valleys. It is the largest ski area in the World with 200 lifts, 330 pistes and over 600 km of ski runs.
Places not to be missed in the resort
The Aquamotion aquatic center
The Aquamotion aquatic center in Courchevel has many recreational facilities; pools, balneotherapy and fitness areas, a climbing wall, a diving pit and a surf wave. Baby swimming, aquarelax, aquafitness, aquabiking, aquaboxing and aquagym sessions are offered there. The aquatic center is open all year round from Monday to Sunday evening and from morning to evening without interruption.
La Saulire
La Saulire is the highest ski peak in the resort accessible from a ski lift. La Saulire rises to 2738m.
Accessible, on skis or on foot, by its cable car, the summit of the Saulire is an essential place to visit with its breath taking panorama.
From the top, you can admire the glaciers of the Vanoise massif, the Aiguille du Fruit, Mont Vallon, the Grande Casse, the Mont-Blanc massif and much more.
From there, you can access the Courchevel ski area and hurtle down the legendary «Combe de la Saulire» piste, or ski the Grand Couloir for thrill seekers and steep slope enthusiasts or take a getaway to the other resorts of the 3 Valleys, or even take the time for a break in the sun.
La Combe de la Saulire is the unmissable piste in the Courchevel area and thanks to its exposure and altitude, the snow is always exceptional from the start to the end of the season.
The Family Park
The Family Park is a snowpark accessible to all. Everyone can find their happiness here with relatively easy rails, tables and jumps modules, a boarder cross with hoops and banked turns plus 2 big air bags to practice tricks.
The Family Park is a little paradise for families, but also for teenagers, novices or experienced freestylers.
Every Wednesday, the park opens at night.
An essential fun area for learning and progressing in complete safety.
Luge Run
Couchevel offers something superior that no other resort does; a 2km long Luge run with 300 m vertical drop and an incline of 15%. It starts at the edge of the Tovets lift (opposite La Croissete) in 1850 and runs down to 1550 stopping at the Grangettes bubble for a swift hassle free ride back to the top arriving in La croisette.
Opening hours are from 9am to as late as 7.30pm. This is due to the run being floodlit from start to finish, therefore allowing those fun Christmas evening descents.
The run is free of charge providing you have a valid ski or pedestrian lift pass;After 5 p.m., you can take the gondola free of charge without a lift pass.
Sleigh rental is available in all good sport shops throughout the resort.
A little tip I offer is to take an extra pair of gloves! Just incase you were to fall off your sleigh and land in slushy snow! Have fun!!
The Altiport
The Courchevel altiport is known for its short runway (537 meters), its high altitude (2008m) and for its slope (18.66%) which is the steepest in the world for an international airport.
Lake Rosière
Lac de la Rosière and its surroundings is a Natura 2000 classified site: “A little piece of paradise in the middle of the mountains ; a site of exceptional beauty.”
The lake is the starting point for many walks and hikes.
In summer, the chalet de la Rosière is the starting point for several activities: Via Ferrata, adventure trail, zip lines and canoe rental. You can fish in the lake, organize a barbecue or a picnic. Indeed, the site is equipped to accommodate picnics and barbecue. Also at the chalet de la rosière, you can enjoy a refreshment bar and organic and local snacks.
The botanical path allows the discovery of many plant species. Exhibitions on the themes of local fauna, flora, geology, beekeeping are to be visited in the chalet refreshment bar.
In winter, put on your snowshoes to explore this magical place.
The forum
Before the town council bought the building, the forum was used during the Olympic games in 1992 as an ice rink.
The total surface of the works is over 18,000m2. The Forum is a city within a city.
Three floors house the most diverse activities.
Around a vast hall designed as the nerve center of the complex, luxury shops rub shoulders in a studied harmony between catering areas, an ice rink, an artificial climbing structure, an acrobatic course, a sports hall, a bowling alley .etc.
Many services are offered to everyone through the installation in the gallery of al ocal radio, a mini-market, a press house, a laundromat, etc.
The ideal place to drink a coffee before going skiing, but also the ideal place to take refuge in bad weather!
Ski jumping hills
The ski jumping hills are located in Le Praz (Courchevel 1300). It is one of the most important ski jumping sites in France.
Built in 1990 to host the events of the 1992 Winter Olympics in Albertville two years later, the springboards are still operated and managed by the City of Courchevel.
Each year, the site hosts a stage of the summer ski jumping Grand Prix.
On site are the K-90 and K-120 Olympic springboards, and also a K-25 and a K-60.
The four springboards are equipped with a synthetic coating for summer practice.
