Let’s go to the ski capital of the world!!!!

Courchevel is a highly sought after tourist stop due to its majestic views of the French Alps and luxury resort setting. Courchevel is a general term used to refer to the 5 Alpine villages of Courchevel 1300 (Le Praz), Courchevel 1550, Courchevel 1650 (Moriond), and Courchevel 1850, which are named for their altitudes in meters. Courchevel is also part of Les Trois Vallees, or the three valleys, which includes Courchevel, Méribel, and Belleville.

Together, the three valleys include 600 kilometers of interconnect ski slopes, 330 marked pistes, while operating 180 ski lifts. If you want to ski year round, this is the place for you. The three valleys host 2000 snow canons to fill in any gaps when the weather is not being so cooperative with its plush white goodness falling from the skies. Thus, it made a great setting for the 1992 Winter Olympics with hopes of hosting the 2023 Alpine Ski World Championships. 

Courchevel is home to several hotels that offer ski in/ski out services, luxury spa packages, and 5 star ratings. There is always the option for Air BnB (which we chose) to save money, while having the ability to cook at home. You can find no less than 12 Michelin stars (across 6 restaurants) with many options to choose from when opting for eating out. There is of course a few markets spread throughout the villages where you can buy fresh foods, wines, liquors, and snacks.

While we stayed in the 1850, we were pleasantly surprised at the cost. 1850 is known to be one the more expensive areas due to its location. However, by using Air BnB, shopping at the local Carrefour, and bringing our own ski gear, we were able to save a lot of money. Let this be a warning to visitors, Courchevel does not offer full ski gear rental, unlike Zermatt. You can only rent boots, skis/boards, and polls. So please be sure to bring your own clothing attire, helmet, and goggles. 

When we first arrived at the entry of Courchevel, we drove cautiously through the winding, narrow roads. Be advised, take your time…other cars may be less patient, but do what feels comfortable to you. I drove slower due to the amount of snow and fear of ice, but the streets are well salted and we only had difficulty with parking on the slick pavement. We did see a notice online stating we had to have snow chains on our tires, however, no other car had any. The villages are small and can easily be walked, but you can use the local bus system to go from village to village. We only stayed for a short period of time (2 days), so we decided to stay within the 1850.

I would highly suggest researching each village to see what appeals to you. There are different activities you can engage in with the different villages. My youngest daughter is not a skier so her and her mother spent two days walking around town shopping, ice skating at the olympic ice rink, bowling, and playing games at the arcade. However, the beauty of the mountain called to my youngest daughter enticing her to want to learn snow boarding. We told her next time we go back, she could take snow boarding lessons. Courchevel of courses offers a wide range of pistes from easy to advanced and many ski schools to choose from. Just remember, research in advance. Some places require advanced notice if you hope to get in!

I highly recommend coming here if you are interested in skiing. I highly recommend coming here if you are not interested in skiing. The scenery is breath taking. Simply put, photos can only do so much. Your eyes will be surely be amazed.

The pistes in Courchevel valley do not disappoint! The absolute beauty of the mountains surrounding the various slopes will keep you occupied for days. If you want to ski all 3 valleys, I suggest a week to be able to visit all the slopes if you have the experience level. Even if you are a beginner, Courchevel has many pistes to suit your needs. In total, the 3 valleys ski pass will afford you the opportunity to 338 ski piste! 

January is the slowest month to visit Courchevel which provided me and my daughter Leeloo the opportunity to ski the slopes with very little people on the slopes. When skiing make sure to have your phone with you. If you download the 3 valley app you can view the lifts and pistes for the area. Having the app allows you to also see what lifts are running and what time they will shut down. This will allow you to plan your runs so you don’t get stuck in one of the other valleys!