Location
Courchevel was once part of the commune of Saint-Bon-Tarentaise, but in 2017, it merged with La Perrière. Despite its name, the commune’s administrative offices are in the nearby village of Saint-Bon-Tarentaise and not located in Courchevel. Courchevel is in the Tarentaise Valley, Savoiedépartement, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region.
Situated at the heart of the French Alps, part of Les Trois Vallées, the largest linked ski areas globally, Courchevel offers more than 100 ski runs for skiing enthusiasts and snowboarders. Snowboarding and snowmobiling are also popular, and skiers of all levels of experience will find a slope that’s just right.
Courchevel also refers to the towns named for their altitudes in meters, such as Courchevel 1300 (Le Praz), Courchevel 1550, Courchevel 1650 (Moriond), and Courchevel 1850. The resort center of Courchevel is at 1,747 meters (5,732 ft). However, Courchevel 1850 was named for marketing reasons as it competes with rival ski resort Val d’Isère. It is the Jardin Alpin area of Courchevel 1850 rather than the center, which is located at 1,850 meters (6,070 ft)
Tarentaise Valley Skiing
Within the Tarentaise Valley are the world’s biggest concentration of ski resorts. Every week lift pass is issued in Courchevel/Les Trois Vallées that have options either to ski one day in each of the other two neighboring systems:
Paradiski (Les Arcs, La Plagne) and EspaceKilly (Val d’Isère and Tignes).
There were initial plans of interconnecting all systems and resorts to create the – by far – largest ski area in the world but was not pushed through due to the creation of the Vanoise National Park.
1992 Winter Olympics
The 1992 Winter Olympics, also known as the XVI Olympic Winter Games. It was commonly called Albertville ’92, which held a winter multi-sport event from 8 to February 23, 1992, in and around Albertville, France.
During the 1992 Winter Olympics, La Tania was built in Albertville, also in the Courchevel Valley.
2019 Fire
Two persons were killed due to a fire that broke out before dawn on January 20, 2019, in one of the buildings in the small town of Courchevel 1850. The town housed seasonal workers of the resort, there were at least 22 injured on the said fire, and according to a local French newspaper, 130 firefighters were on the scene.
2023 Alpine Ski World Championships
In May 2018, Courchevel will be a co-host with Méribel to the 2023 FIS Alpine World Ski Championships. For the first time since 2009, France has hosted the FIS World Championships. Races in Courchevel ends in Courchevel Le Praz. The L’Alpinium, a new super-leisure center, is under construction in Le Praz and will improve connections to Courchevel 1850 and provide more parking.
Renaming of the Resorts
Villages of the resort were renamed for marketing purposes and were moved away from the association with altitude.
- Courchevel 1850 is now known merely as Courchevel.
- Courchevel 1650 was renamed CourchevelMoriond
- Courchevel 1550 is now called Courchevel Village
- Courchevel 1330 was renamed Courchevel Le Praz
Courchevel’s 11 luxury hotels with a 5-star ranking
In 2011 France launched a 6th star ranking for hotels and called them “palaces.” Eight hotels in had received this rating, with two belonging in Courchevel’s Jardin Alpin area. There are 7 Michelin star restaurants in the resort, of which 4 have two stars, including Le Chabichou.
If you are also looking for luxury shops in the area, it also houses shops of Louis Vuitton, Hermès, Valentino, LoroPiana, Prada, Cartier, Fendi, Dior, and Chanel.
In January, especially in the first two weeks of the month, the resort’s high-season weeks when many Russian visitors visit during New Year and Russian Orthodox Christmas on January 7. The resort’s name is linked with the super-rich in Russia.
Due to the three valleys’ size, Courchevel has one of the largest ski instructors’ bases and for other seasonal workers. Its couloirs are considered some of the most difficult black runs in the world. Park City, Utah, in the United States, is Courchevel’s sister city, and it has a red-graded ski piste named “Park City.”
ENCHANTING AND MAGICAL EVENTS
- DECEMBER 21-25, 2020 – Noël, Noël la semaineenchantee
- DECEMBER 31, 2020 – Dance Party on the snowy slopes of Courchevel 1850.
- JANUARY 6, 2021 – Courchevel celebrates Noël Orthodoxe (Russian Christmas).
- FEBRUARY 9, 16, AND 23, 2021 – Ski Show by the ski schools Skiing, entertainment, fireworks
- FEBRUARY 11 to MARCH 4 2021 – Festival International d’ArtPyrotechnique: fireworks competition in Europe.
- MARCH 21-23, 2021 – Festival Ski et Toiles Free film previews to enjoy during après-ski.
- MARCH 27-28, 2021 – Fly Courchevel: aircraft exhibitions, demonstrations, and flight experiences available.
- APRIL 3-5, 2021 – La FolieDouceCourchevel Festival 3 days of urban and electro music on the slopes of Courchevel 1850
- APRIL 1-16, 2021 – Game Festival (Easter Holidays!)