Where to stay in Courchevel: which village or altitude to choose?
With immaculately groomed pistes, extensive snow making facilities and access to the expansive Three Valleys ski area with its 600km of slopes, it’s easy to see why skiers and boarders flock to this world class resort. Off the snow, it also boasts a great selection of restaurants, bars and shops to keep non-skiers entertained, or to keep you busy when the weather closes in.
The resort of Courchevel actually consists of five different villages, each with its own character, each with pros and cons. In our latest blog we discuss what each of the villages offer, helping you answer the question of where to stay during your next visit to Courchevel.
Courchevel (Courchevel 1850)
Formerly known as Courchevel 1850, and now simply assuming the name of the resort itself, sitting at 1850m, Courchevel is the highest altitude village within the resort, and the most famous and luxurious. Known for its expensive hotels, Michelin-starred restaurants, and high-end boutiques, it’s the perfect place for shopping and people watching. Formerly popular with Russians, as the number of Russian visitors has declined in recent years, they’ve been replaced by wealthy visitors from all corners of the globe.
It’s also the heart of the resort from a skiing perspective, with many of the main slopes leading into the centre of resort, and slopes giving you direct skiable access to Courchevel Village (1550) or Courchevel Le Praz, as well as to La Tania via one chair lift. There are also three gondolas taking you up and out quickly in different directions, giving you easy access to the rest of the resort, or, up to Méribel and beyond.
The downside of Courchevel (1850) is that it can be very crowded, and the prices are steep. It also lacks some of the charm of some of its lower neighbours.
Courchevel Moriond (1650)
Just a few minutes by bus from its lofty neighbour, Courchevel Moriond is a popular spot, frequented by Brits and usually considered more affordable, more lively and less glitzy - although it’s definitely become more upmarket in recent years.
From a skiing perspective, due to its location on the far side of the Three Valleys, it’s often much quieter than the rest of the resort, has some lovely cruisey blue and gentle red slopes (Gentianes and Chapelets are highly recommended) and benefits from late afternoon sun, when the rest of the resort falls into the shade.
The downside to Courchevel Moriond is that, due to its location, it takes longer to reach the other parts of the resort, of the wider Three Valleys.
Courchevel Village (1550)
Courchevel Village is the quietest of all the villages, with a single main street through the village and just a handful of shops, restaurants and bars. Popular with French visitors, it has an abundance of apartments and affordable accommodation, making it a good option for budget travellers.
It scores points on the location front though, with Courchevel easily accessible by one short bubble or chair ride. Meaning you can get up out and away quickly to access the expansive Three Valleys ski area effortlessly. Or, you can head up to the centre of the resort for an afternoon of shopping or an evening of wining and dining effortlessly, with the Grangettes bubble running til late (23:30 at the time of writing).
Courchevel La Tania
Sitting at 1400m, La Tania is one of the lower villages in Courchevel, nestled picturesquely within the trees. Purpose-built for the 1992 Albertville Winter Olympics, the small village centre is at the foot of the piste, away from the road, with chalets dotted around. With a great beginner ski area, several different ski school and nursery options, it’s popular with families looking for good amenities and more affordable accommodation.
One of the benefits of La Tania, is that it benefits from direct access to one of the most popular runs in Courchevel (Folyeres), which guides you through the trees and back into the village. It’s also a great spot for beginners due to the newly refurbed beginner area at the foot of the slopes. And, due to its location on the far right of Courchevel, it offers fast and easy access to Méribel and the wider Three Valleys.
On the flip side, although the trees make La Tania a pretty village, it can make some of the runs a bit chilly and icy at certain points of the year.
Courchevel Le Praz (1300)
Finally, we have the charming village of Le Praz. This is the oldest and most authentic of all the villages, with year-round inhabitants and a more traditional Alpine feel than some of its higher neighbours. Think cobbled streets, winding alleys, an alpine lake and village chapel and you’ll get a flavour of what to expect in this rustic village.
Rustic often denotes run down or basic, but this certainly isn’t the case here. Courchevel Le Praz still offers some great accommodation and world class dining options - you just won’t pay through the nose for them, in the same way as you might up in 1850. Plus, the high-speed Praz bubble whisks you up to 1850 in a mere 6 mins, and runs ‘til late too (23:30), giving you the option to head up there for a spot of shopping or dinner in the evening.
Sitting at 1300m, Le Praz is the lowest of the Courchevel villages offering lift access, so that can mean thinner snow cover depending on the time of year. But you can hop in the Praz bubble and download if it gets at all sparse.
So there you have it, a comprehensive breakdown of the five villages which make up the resort of Courchevel, including the perks and drawbacks of each.
If you’re still pondering on where to stay on your next visit to Courchevel, Chalet Celeste is a great option for a family or small group of friends, sleeping six in a stylish but comfortable chalet setting in the charming village of Le Praz. Take a look at our gallery for a look behind the scenes. Or get in touch to enquire today.
