Courchevel 1850

Courchevel 1850 has a reputation for being one of the most glamorous and chic resorts in Europe, attracting the rich and famous. Prices tend to reflect this! However, it has excellent facilities for everyone, which will keep the whole family occupied after you have finished skiing. Courchevel 1850 provides the most direct access from the gondola lifts to the rest of the Three Valleys.

Facilities include an ice-skating rink, a ten pin bowling alley, an indoor climbing wall, and a floodlit luge track. There are also numerous shops to suit all tastes.

Courchevel 1650

Courchevel 1650 is only a 5 minute bus ride down from Courchevel 1850, and is a quieter and less expensive resort. There are two Sherpa minimarkets in 1650 which are always well stocked. There is also a Spar minimarket very close to Le Marquis, which stocks just about everything you could possibly need during your stay, including a wide range of good wines and beers at reasonable prices. There are several boulangeries and pâtisseries, where you can buy mouth wateringly fresh bread, croissants and pastries. Just next to our apartment building at l’Ariondaz is a ‘depot de pain’, which sells baguettes, croissants, pain au chocolat and eggs.

Various other interesting shops will provide you with an almost endless source of ideas for buying presents and souvenirs of your holiday. You will find several bars and restaurants, including traditional French cuisine, as well as other nationalities. Remember to visit the weekly street market where you can buy local produce, such as Savoie meats, cheeses and wines. It is a good idea to pick up some brochures from the Tourist Office at the beginning of your holiday—this is located near the roundabout, at the centre of the resort.

If you travel down from Courchevel 1650 towards Courchevel 1550, you will find a sporting complex (Les Grandes Combes) which is only open during the Summer season. This includes a lovely outdoor swimming pool, 10 tennis courts, and a basketball court. Swimming costs about £10 for a family of four. There is no shortage of activities for both children and adults—you can have a go at archery, under the expert supervision of friendly English speaking instructors. Children will be particularly interested in having a go on the ‘zip ropes’, which traverse the stream, and are great fun. In the winter, you can try go-karting on ice.

Le Praz

Also known as Courchevel 1300, Le Praz is the first of the Courchevel resorts you get to as you drive up the mountain road. Being the lowest resort, it lacks snow towards the end of the season, but you can still get a gondola to take you higher up the mountain. However, it is the largest of the villages, and does have its own attractions. These include the ski jumps, which were originally built for the 1992 Albertville Winter Olympics—remarkably, they have been designed for use even in the Summer, and you can often watch the French teams training throughout the year. They regularly play host to a round of the European Championships, when top class jumpers will thrill you with their amazing jumps!

In the Summer, Le Praz comes alive to an array of activities to suit everyone’s taste. The lake is well stocked with trout and salmon, and a half day’s fishing permit only costs about £5. You can try your hand at parascending too. Le Praz has a delightful number of small street restaurants and bars, and some interesting shops and restaurants amongst its narrow streets.