Resort activities

Courchevel provides more outdoor activities than any two or three other resorts combined. Cross-country skiing, snowmobiling(skidoos), ice climbing on both artificial and natural ice, day and night tobogganing, rafting on the outruns of the Olympic ski jumps, ice skating, ice hockey, ice driving, snowshoeing, snow hiking, hang gliding, parapenting, winter mountain climbing and these are only a start.

Summer activity is equally good with golf, climbing, mountain biking, cycling, kayaking, fishing, glacier skiing and many other sunny activities.

Not to be missed in any season are the fifteen minute delta wing hang-gliding trips with a pilot, the hot air balloon rides, and the unique night tobogganing.

Night skiing

A decent floodlit piste with about 125metres of vertical handles night skiing for beginners and up.

Besides night skiing, the two kilometre toboggan run that starts at the edge of the Touvets slope out of Courchevel 1850 is floodlit and open from 09.00hrs until 19.30hrs in the evening. The Grangette gondola from Courchevel 1550 runs to the bottom. The lifts are free with a valid ski pass; otherwise a ticket costs 4 euros

Cross-country skiing

Courchevel isn't a top cross-country ski resort, however it does have 66kms of trails set for traditional parallel, skate, telemark and norpine skinny skiers in addition to some splendid open slopes upon which one can practice cross-country downhill techniques such as Telemark and then take a 'no sweat' lift back uphill. Access to the cross country runs is free.

The nicest prepared tracks run toward the Altiport and Meribel through the woods, but additional tracks at altitude expand early season options. It's possible even in April to cross-country or snowshoe to trout fishing in Rosier. Off-piste cross-country on the flatter terrain outside avalanche country between Le Praz and just outside the piste Les Folyeres that runs across to La Tania deserves some attention.

The tourist office can supply an excellent Courchevel-Tania-Meribel Cross Country Ski Guide to help with planning. Cross-country skiers, while a minority in Courchevel, can find solid trail information in the mountain shops nand tourist information offices. Club and regional competitions are sometimes available and ski schools are able to teach in all methods.

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Snowmobiling. (skidoos)

Enjoy the buzz of being in control of a snow scooter through deep powder or speed along a piste in the quiet of a moon-lit evening. Snowmobiles are available through Chardon Loisirs, with short 25km trips in the forest toward Meribel being the normally route. Longer expeditions off piste are available by advance arrangement. While a number of other alpine resorts offer better snowmobiling options, the trips through the woods will nicely fill an afternoon when clouds or weather create problems on higher elevated pistes.
Approximate cost: 40 euros per hour per machine (two persons per machine)

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Ice Climbing

Plan du Vah, the highest artificial waterfall in the world, waits at the end of the Teppes path, just a short walk from the bottom of the Courchevel 1850 toboggan run and a short stroll from the 1550 village. Other ice climbs on wild venues can be arranged through the Bureau des Guides or Chardon Loisirs. Some climbs require a drive, others dovetail into off-piste ski, cross-country ski, or snowshoe guided days. Higher elevation ice climbs are available earlier in the season.

Both the Bureau des Guides and Service des Sports offer lessons on and access to the 15meter climbing wall at Courchevel 1850. Meeting guides and sharing a wall climb can help the guide focus on the exact climb or route that suits your physical and technical needs and abilities. Located within the Forum, the seven climbing walls, all measuring 13m in height, are open every day from 09.00hrs until 17.00hrs and again from 19.30hrs until 22.00hrs.

The Ice Climbing World Cup takes place in Courchevel in early January.

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Tobogganing / Sledging

The upper end of the floodlit Courchevel Toboggan Run is a short walk from 1850. The run finishes down 300meters vertical at 1550. It's open from 09.00hrs until 19.30hrs in the evening. The mulled wine in the evening is a nice touch.

The Grangette gondola back up the hill is free with lift pass, otherwise 5euros. Chardon Loisirs offers a package that includes dinner in an underground tavern, music, drinks and a luge run home after dark.

Raft on the Olympic Jumps through Chardon Loisirs for some low risk fun as a guide steers an inflatable raft down the outrun. This can be a disappointment to thrill seekers who sometimes think the runs start on the ski jump itself. This same firm, Animation Services and Ski Vol Courchevel (04 79 08 41 72), all rent toboggans and access to runs and slopes.

There's a kid's package with a luge run to a camp in the forest where they serve hot chocolate and cakes, followed by another run through the forest and home.

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Ice Skating / Ice Hockey

The indoor Olympic Ice Rink at Courchevel 1850, highlights the ice skating opportunities with regular exhibitions as well as scheduled hockey games. The action here is much like that at the main Meribel rink just over the mountain, and, at times, inter-valley hockey competitions can become quite spirited. Lessons are also available to arrange.

There are special ice skating shows in late December.

The rink is located in The Forum and is open daily from 15.00hrs until 19.00hrs and additionally on Monday, Wednesday and Fridays from 21.00hrs until 23.00hrs.
Rates: Children 6.40 euros (entry&skates), Adults 8 euros (entry&skates)
Telephone: 04 79 08 33 23

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Sleigh Riding

While it's possible to ride horse-drawn sleighs by prior arrangement, Courchevel isn't really the resort for this activity. Much of this has to do with hairpin access roads, traffic and layout. Special requests for this activity can be made to Chardon Loisirs or Animation Services.

Others:
In resort: Maud, Place du Tremplin. tel: 06 82 25 64 67
In forest: Gerard Chardon. tel: 06 08 77 84 72

Ski joring on a rope behind a horse at Pralong farm can define 'a real drag' for those who forget to let go of the rope. Not all horses are toilet trained. Contact: Gerard Chardon. tel: 06 08 77 84 72

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Snow Hiking.

Snow Hiking is very well organised at Courchevel with 17kms of walks at all levels.Each season offers it's own reward. At the start of the winter season, walks access overlooks before snow coverage is complete. During the high season snow hikes escape crowds, and as skiers thin out and weather moderates in spring, walking pleasures peak with mild days, firm snow and few with whom to share path pleasures.
Start at the tourist office that has trail maps and path information. Even though only 14kms of paths are officially cleared, for much of the season, 30kms or more of paths set by locals are available. This varies wildly from season to season, and , of course, hiking paths quickly become snowshoe routes in bad weather.

Typical valley walks include Le Lac des Verdons au Jardin Alpin out of Courchevel 1850 which takes about an hour, with wonderful views of pistes on the Saulire side. It starts about half a kilometre from the Bellecote bridge.

Other walks run near or take off from the toboggan run between 1850 and 1550. On heavy snow days, the protected two hour walk from Le Praz school to Ferney that winds through the trees is superb and it finishes with some hot chocolate.

Snow hikes at lift tops are highlighted by the half-day Les Cretes de la Loze walk along the top of La loze. get there by taking the Foret Fonola and Cretes chair. Return rides downhill are free.An affordable 5euro hikers one ride ski pass reaches areas at altitude. Pedestrian passes on a day rate cost 12.50euros, 44euros weekly, allowing unlimited lift use.

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Snowshoeing

Everyone rents as opposed to owns snowshoes (raquettes in french). Unlike hiking paths snowshoe routes are not maintained so it's wise to ask about conditions at the tourist office where you can also sign up for the daily excursions arranged to suit varied ability and fitness levels. Walking on snowshoes with bad technique or for long periods can make for sore legs, so a trial short trip is to be recommended.

Some self-guided walks leave directly from a variety of resort villages. Walks with the better outlooks are further up the mountain and accessible via lifts. Single lift rides range from 4 - 5euros and returns are always free. Five hour lift passes cost 6euros. Pedestrian passes on a day rate are about 12.50euros, 44euros for a week with unlimited lift use.

Once acquainted longer routes such as Le Vallon de la Rosiere Temps de March offer wonderful lake views for those fit enough for a three hour trip. The most magnificent snowshoe trips are off-piste excursions arranged by mountain guides that can combine snowshoeing up into the wild s, with cross-country or alpine skiing back.

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Children's Ski And Winter Activities

Everything a child or parent might need is available in Courchevel. Brilliant activities await at the three higher elevation villages, one with a separate snow play area. Six pools, an ice rink, toboggans, sleds, bowling, minimal traffic, and a dozen free beginner's areas make Courchevel one of the more child friendly resorts in the Alps.
There's a separate snow play area with rope tows, cartoon cutouts, and bubble cars. At Les Pitchounets in 1650

Piste skiing is free for those under five. Special lessons for youngsters are recommended, as the small fry usually progress faster than parents.

Even the most blasé teen can find cafés, ski shops, board stores, video shops, and much else to do all day and as much of the night, as curfews permit. Most of the action seems up at 1850, but at 1650 Circus Games, with its bowling alley and other attractions, collects teens as well.

The Bowling Alley. tel: 04 79 08 23 83. This lively bar and bowling alley is also located within the Forum and is open every day from 09.00hrs until 02.00hrs in the morning. It has eight international sized lanes, and a unique bumper system for kids, whereby the balls are stopped from going into the gutter, so they are sure to score. There is also a snack bar & crêperie if you fancy a late night snack

The action, crowding, and confusion kids adore peak during the French School holidays during the last half of February and early March. Only the most indulgent parents should consider these periods. Summer visits are, sans skiing, equally full of activities, if considerably less crowded.

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Other Attractions

While skiing remains the main attraction, slope-phobes can shop, graze around town, take excursions, learn to fly airplanes, helicopters, or hang-gliders, parasail, toboggan, luge, raft the jumps, snowshoe, snowmobile, snow hike, play backgammon or bridge, take French, German, or English lessons, spa away the day, etc. Only teenagers in love with someone at home could be bored here, and only then until they check out the pool.

For the ultimate exhilaration, soar above the pistes into another dimension and experience the silence and the freedom. Air Performance offer tandem parapente flights every day, if the conditions allow. They have over 16 years experience and all instructors are fully qualified. You can book flights at their piste side chalet on the top of the Col de la Loze, or in the Air Performance office, located in the Forum commercial gallery.

Airplane and Helicopter Tours

For a thrilling and exhilarating bird's eye view of the mountains, daily tours are available, weather permitting, with the Aeroclub de Courchevel and SAF / Air Courchevel. The cost per passenger is very reasonable and the excursion is sure to provide another memorable Courchevel Experience. Flights are available around the Courchevel Valley, the Three Valleys or the Massif du Mont Blanc. tel: 04 79 08 00 91

Casino

The Casino is open 7 days a week from 2pm for the slot machines, and from 8.30pm for the traditional games of Roulette and Black Jack. Once you are tired of playing, the club also offers a host of other exciting entertainment, whether you fancy going to the restaurant, pub, bar, or the night club. Whichever you choose, every night is an intense experience.

Apres-ski

Courchevel enjoys the reputation as one of the top two or three resorts in the world, and also as one of the most expensive. Four-star hotels, two of the best Alpine restaurants in the world, designer shops, and the usual French connection of food shops and great cafés max out food.

All of this plus classical concerts, clubs, and the chance to rub elbows (or, at crowded discos, other parts of the body) with the jet set rank Courchevel with St. Anton. While not as rough and ready as Val Thorens or as laid back as Megève—and definitely quieter than Chamonix—overall it's hard to beat.

Granted, après-ski can be extremely expensive in 1850, but costs moderate with elevation. It's possible to shop and brown bag on a budget with a bit of effort, and for the last month of the season, bargains and discounts rule on and off slopes.

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Dining Out

The best and most expensive 1850 restaurants, such as Chabichou (in the hotel of the same name) or Le Bateau Ivre, both top rated in the Alps, offer traditional French dishes like lobster salad and foie gras.

Less expensive restaurants offer Spanish, German, Savoyard, Vietnamese (L'Indochine), Mexican, and other options; try the Oh Happy Days Café. Dine with a view at the New Solarium, or take a snow cat in on Friday to Cap Horn, where Beaufort tarts—pastries, not ladies of rental virtue—wait at the bottom of the black Les Suisses run. The Prix Fixe selection is usually the best dinner value.

At 1650, Le Petit Savoyard serves up local dishes heavy on meat, cheese, butter, and cream, and La Bôite offers up some very affordable and quite delicious crêpes —start with the least expensive butter and sugar. Crêpes run up to about 6 euros in most spots, and can be cheaper al fresco.

Restaurants like La Normandise with—what else—Norman French food and especially seafood, offer high quality and modest prices. Le Caveau in 1550 is a popular spot in conjunction with toboggan runs down from 1850. Le Bistrot du Praz and Crêperie Kinou down at 1300 collect locals who appreciate regional favourites.

Chalet de Pierre's on the flat outrun of Verdons offers wonderful al fresco terrace lunches with a dessert buffet so good, it's recommended you take the Hungarian approach and pick dessert first and size the rest of your meal to match. In the morning, get up the Col de la Loze first, and stop for coffee and wild berry tart. If it's available, try a Tarte aux Myrtilles (blueberries).

In most cafés and bistros, modest food prices for dinner feature Beauport Tarts, raclette, and other local favourites. Meat or cheese fondue meals that can include wine and desert run about 24 euros in spots like Bistro du Praz. Thick soups generally served with crisp baguettes are another filling budget choice. Pizza isn't Chicago-style, but it's very cheap and runs thinner, crispier, and with far less toppings. Like the baked potatoes with odd toppings in British bars, it suits budgets.

On-slope restaurants have a captive audience, save for the frugal French who brown bag. Good spots include La Coucoupe on de la Loze, and if you only try one ski venue go to Chalet de Pierres on Piste de Bellecote.

As always in France, the best food deals await in the wonderful local shops that sell bread, cheese, sausages, dried meats, desserts, and even ready to heat dishes at half to a third of the prices you'd pay in even inexpensive restaurants. As always in Courchevel, your selection diminishes with prices and elevation.

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Cafes

Courchevel 1850 shops offer wonderful chocolate, tea, cakes, and rich French desserts. Le Chocolate and, at Espace Diamant prices, Le Saint-Honore deserve a nibble, as the latter's namesake dessert is incredible. French chocolate with pains au chocolate or a breakfast brioche deserve a taste, too. Show Pain can handle your baguette needs and, if slathered with wonderful local jam and butter from what must be very contented cows, a baguette becomes a tartine ideal for a quick breakfast. Just watch the breakfast coffee that tends to be lethal if not denatured with milk as café au lait.

Cafés that serve Savoyard food and bouchons, the Lyonaisse bistros that run to Charollais beef or Bresse chicken, offer wonderful food in a warm, relaxed atmosphere. Try La Pontiniere or La Fromagerie for wonderful cheeses, too. Don't overlook l'Arbe's prix fixe dinners and try to hit the Friday fish days.

Then, worth a visit just for the name, strike out for La Crêperie du Bowling.

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Cinema

The idea that this culture, which gave the world motion pictures and the clear thinking of Voltaire and Pascal, values the films of Jerry Lewis baffles Anglophones in the three cinemas, one Le Villard at 1650 and two; Le Tremplin, Le Terminal at 1850. Local theaters run either big American productions dubbed into French, or any variety of European films. On most nights, it's possible to find a film in English. www.cinealpes.fr
There are sometimes afternoon kids’ or adult films if the weather gets bad enough.
Otherwise, several shops sell or hire videos and DVDs, and most chalets can supply players.

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Performing Arts

Most hotels run quiet piano bars where reservations are recommended. Classical music comes to 1850 on a regular basis as musicians play for their skiing and more. Concerts include chamber music, piano or voice recitals, or small instrumental or vocal groups. Les Musicimes classical musical festival runs during mid-March.

Clubs and discos bring in live music, and the performing of the beautiful people sometimes offer impromptu entertainment. La Bergerie's Friday night Russian Dos come with the battling balalaikas of a Russian orchestra.

Ice skating exhibitions are seasonal attractions, but the bridge and backgammon at 1650 and 1850 seem rather more typical of the nightlife. Then there's always the tidy casino over in Brides-les-Bains.

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Festivals And Events

Skiers miss the Tour de France, but each month offers a number of special events. In December, you can check out the Cristal Cup Spain, Femmes en or Trophy, and French Cup Ski Jumping. For the holidays, you can check out the Festivities of Father Christmas going down the hill with the French Ski School types dressed as Father Christmas and bearing torches. Stick around for the Ice Skating Show and the Snow and Fire Ski Show.

In January, the Ice Climbing World Cup brings the world's best ice climbers, and lots more alpine events are on the list throughout the winter months. Mid-March is the time for Les Musicimes Classical Music Festival.

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Excursions

Most visitors to Courchevel limit their excursions to other ski resorts like Val d'Isère or Chamonix. A gondola ride over the hill and 20 minutes on the Olympic gondola down to Brides-les-Bains offers a nice small casino, an old church, a sprinkle of spas, and some lovely old buildings.

Lyon, with its Roman theaters, wildly mock-Byzantine Basilique Notre-Dame de Fourviere, wonderful Renaissance mansions, and the second largest French Art Museum, deserves at least a day's visit, but more time is needed to test Lyon's reputation for the best food in France. So, like Annecy on Lac Leman (Lake Geneva to the Swiss), Lyon is best seen going or coming.

If the weather and roads are good, Aix-les-Bains with the wonderful Roman baths and Temple of Diana deserve a stop or a day trip, as does Annecy, which is also sized nicely for day trips, and boasts a lovely chateau.
All of these excursions are best before snow builds, or towards the end of the season when the weather's reliable and the roads are dry. Mid-week trips find much less traffic, as most visitors come and go between late Friday night and Sunday afternoon. At least one Courchevel company offers mini bus tours of local chateaux, quaint villages, and other attractions. This seems the painless way to go.

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Shopping

Perhaps more than any other ski resort, Courchevel offers you the opportunity to 'shop till you drop'. Haute couture fashion names such as Sonia Rykel, Christian Dior and Channel sit alongside the more expected sports brands like Gant USA, Lacoste, Malboro Classics, Blanc Bleu and Hugo Boss. Clothing, perfumeries, lingerie, fine foods, art galleries and souvenirs. Whatever you're looking for, you'll find it in this haven for shopaholics. The two main shopping galleries are the Forum and the Espace Diamant, both are located in the centre of 1850, however if you're in the mood, shop around, the whole resort offers some fabulous opportunities to spend spend spend.

Memorize your ATM number, bring plastic with high limits, or tote a satchel of cash, as Courchevel, and particularly Courchevel 1850 (where the prices are higher than the altitude), defines upscale in the Alps.

The Espace Diamant and shops like it in the middle of 1850 offer up Hermes, Chanel, Yves Saint Laurent, Givenchy, Kenzo, Versace, Armani, Lanvin, and other luxuries. Add Cartier, every upscale Swiss watchmaker, and Allard ski clothing.

Skiers may find Gromier or Olympics Sports at 1300, Alpes Sports or Ski Location at 1550, or Ski Plus or Serve Sport at 1650 a bit less expensive than most 1850 shops.

At 1850, Bernard Orcel Sports offers several locations; the owner skied in two World Championships and two Olympic Games, so his shops are heavy with competition gear and do a wonderful job fitting boots, etc.

Specialist shops like Hoopika Surf Shop may have the best board values and, as a general rule, the higher the prices, the higher the markup, the better the season end sales. Outside holidays, chances at deals and discounts when dealing with the owner improve. It never hurts to ask.

Children's clothing shops, art galleries, at least one fine antique shop, and other upscale options empty bank accounts, too.

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Spas

Most of the four-star hotels in Courchevel 1850 offer spa treatments in addition to hot tubs, saunas, soaking pools, and such. A wide range of exercise machines don't seem to get much use when the weather is good, but fitness trainers can find ways to exercise the odd muscle not used skiing.

Le Samourai, located within the Forum, has fitness courses, cardiac training and muscle-development programmes, a sauna and a hammam.
Club Med has a fitness centre open to the public. tel: 04 79 08 08 71

Hotels with fitness centres open to public;

Le Chabichou. tel: 04 79 08 00 55
Diamant Forme (Hotel des Grandes Alpes). tel: 04 79 08 05 40
Le Lana. tel: 04 79 08 01 10
Les Thermes de l'hotel Carlina. tel: 04 79 08 00 30

The gondola to Méribel and the Olympic Gondola down to the old spa town, Brides-les-Bains, take those with lift passes to a half-dozen traditional spas and hotel spa offerings. The usual assortment of upscale hairdressers, masseuses, and others make house calls in 1850 and 1650.

Another major cluster of spas lies towards Geneva. Just about any French town with a "les-Bains" in its name run spas past or present. And “past” in the Savoy or Haute Savoy can refer back to Roman times.

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Tourist Attractions

There is lots of history left from the 1992 Olympics in the form of ice rinks, ski and sled runs, etc. Brides-les-Bains adds hundreds of years of history as a spa town to the Olympics, and thus deserves a visit. As a rule, old churches and historic buildings within 20 or 30 miles’ drive cluster below 1,300-meter (4,265 feet) elevations, where life was easier just at the snow line.

Frankly, there's not much in the tourist line in the area, save for skiing. The major attractions are an hour or even more away towards Lyon or Geneva, and that can turn into three or four hours if storms blow in or weekend traffic jams up. For most, the best approach remains a layover going or coming either in Lyon, with its history and gastronomic treats, or on the shores of Lac Leman.

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