Tailor-made ski holidays in Courchevel

Skiing and snowboarding in Courchevel

Courchevel’s own valley offers about 150 km of pistes served by 58 lifts, and it connects directly to the rest of Les 3 Vallées and its 600 km of slopes. From the summit of La Saulire at 2,738 m, or from the Col de la Loze, you drop into Méribel, and from there you can continue to Les Menuires and Val Thorens.

The slopes are known for careful grooming, which makes the long blues and reds above Courchevel 1850 and Moriond a pleasure for intermediates. Strong skiers head for the couloirs below La Saulire and for L’Éclipse, the steep men’s course built for the 2023 World Championships above Le Praz. The lower slopes around Le Praz and La Tania wind through larch and pine forest, which helps visibility on snowy days.

Courchevel for families and beginners

Courchevel holds the Famille Plus label and is well set up for learning. There are around a dozen free beginner lifts spread across the villages, so complete beginners do not need a pass for their first lessons. Courchevel 1850 has the most, with dedicated ‘Zen’ areas around Pralong and the Altiport and next to the Jardin Alpin, while Moriond has a fenced zone reserved for novices.

Once you can turn and stop, wide green and blue runs lead you on gently, and La Tania’s long green run, Plan Fontaine, is a good next step. The ESF has a school in Courchevel 1850 and several independent schools operate in the resort, with lessons in English and French.

Where to stay in Courchevel

Courchevel is made up of six villages, each with its own character. Courchevel 1850 is the best-known, with five-star hotels, designer boutiques, Michelin-starred restaurants and some of the most expensive chalets in the Alps. Courchevel Moriond (1,650 m) is sunnier, more relaxed and popular with families, and is home to the Aquamotion aquatic centre.

Courchevel Village (1,550 m) is quieter, with a gondola up to 1850, while Le Praz (1,300 m) keeps the feel of an old Savoyard hamlet beside the Olympic ski jumps. La Tania (about 1,400 m), built for the 1992 Olympics, sits in the forest and often offers better value, and Saint-Bon is the historic village below, where the resort’s story began.

Getting to Courchevel

The nearest station is Moûtiers, about 25 km below the resort and served by TGV trains from Paris and, on winter Saturdays, by the Eurostar Snow train from London with a change at Lille. The climb from Moûtiers takes around 45 minutes to an hour by bus or taxi, on a winding road where winter tyres or chains are compulsory.

Chambéry is the closest airport, about 1h30 away, while Geneva is about 2h30 and Lyon or Grenoble about 2h15 by road. All of these times depend on traffic and snow, particularly on Saturdays in February. Courchevel also has a small altiport, used by private light aircraft and helicopters.

Beyond the slopes in Courchevel

Aquamotion in Moriond is a large aquatic and wellness centre with indoor and outdoor pools, slides, an indoor surf wave, a spa with sauna, steam room and salt cave, and a climbing wall. Courchevel also has a year-round Olympic ice rink in the Forum, and snowshoeing and dog sledding can be arranged locally.

Food is a big part of any stay. Courchevel has several Michelin-starred restaurants, but you will also find simple mountain restaurants serving Savoyard dishes on the pistes, and long sunny lunches on terraces are part of the culture.

When to go to Courchevel

The season usually runs from early December to mid-April. Christmas, New Year and February are the busiest and most expensive weeks, especially in 1850. January brings cold, settled conditions and quieter pistes, and March gives long sunny days with good snow on the higher, north-facing slopes. Lower villages such as Le Praz and La Tania can be softer late in the season, but the lifts take you quickly up to higher ground.

Your Courchevel holiday with AlpAway

With six villages and very different price levels, Courchevel rewards careful planning. We can help you choose the right village for your group, then arrange accommodation, lift passes, rental, lessons and transfers together. Send us a request with your dates and wishes and we will get started.