In 1946 there was nothing up here but summer pastures and a spot known as Les Tovets. The Conseil général de Savoie wanted a new kind of ski resort, and it was a young planner, Laurent Chappis, who designed it, on a site he had studied while he was a prisoner of war. Eighty years on, Courchevel has become the best-known gateway to Les 3 Vallées, billed as the largest linked ski area in the world. People come for the skiing, of course. They stay for a two-kilometre toboggan run through the forest, a surf wave under a roof, and a plane that lands on a sloping runway at 2007m. Here is how to find your way around, village by village, and what is really worth your time this winter.
Courchevel in practice
- Altitude: villages from 1100m (Saint-Bon) to 1850m, ski area up to 2740m at the top of the Saulire.
- 2026-2027 season: Courchevel ski area open from 4 December 2026 to 18 April 2027, links with Les 3 Vallées from 5 December.
- Ski area: 150km of pistes in Courchevel, linked to the 600km of Les 3 Vallées.
- Getting there: Moûtiers station about 30min away, Lyon and Geneva airports about 2h by road.
Six villages, one resort
The first thing to grasp is that Courchevel is not one place but a series of levels. The resort climbs through about 750m of vertical, and each tier has its own character. The old numbered names gave way to village names in the early 2010s, though everyone still says “1850”.
At the very top, Courchevel 1850 is the historic heart: the rue de la Croisette and its luxury boutiques, the snowfront, the departure point of the main lifts. Just below, Courchevel Moriond, at 1650m, is a broad, sunny balcony, more family-minded and more relaxed. Courchevel Village, at 1550m, keeps a local life of its own and is home to Aquamotion. Lower still, Courchevel Le Praz, at 1300m, curls around its lake and church tower at the foot of the 1992 Olympic ski jumps. La Tania, created in a forest clearing on the eve of the Albertville Games, and Saint-Bon, the historic main village, complete the picture.
All of them are linked by free shuttle buses, and all but Saint-Bon by the pistes, so staying lower down doesn’t stop you dining at the top. To compare them one by one, see our guide to choosing your village in Courchevel.
Skiing, from the Saulire to Les 3 Vallées
Courchevel’s ski area has 150km of pistes between 1300m and 2740m. Via the Saulire and the Col de la Loze it connects to Méribel, then to Les Menuires, Val Thorens and Orelle: 600km of pistes in all across Les 3 Vallées, according to the ski area. You could ski for a week without passing the same spot twice.
The summit of the Saulire, served by a cable car since 1952, gathers the runs that made Courchevel’s name. The most famous is the Grand Couloir, an ungroomed black that threads between rock walls from the top of the Saulire, with sections quoted at up to 85%: the steepest in Les 3 Vallées, according to the ski area. The Combe de la Saulire, a wide red, gives you the same view with far less adrenaline.
Racing is part of who Courchevel is. The Éclipse, opened in March 2022 (more than 3km, around 940m of vertical), hosted the men’s events of the 2023 Alpine World Ski Championships, held jointly with Méribel. On 22 December 2026 the Émile-Allais stadium hosts a women’s World Cup night slalom. And at the 2030 Winter Olympics, Courchevel will stage events including the downhill and super-G and ski jumping, according to the venue map approved in June 2026.
For beginners, it is a friendlier resort than you might expect: a dozen or so lifts are free, at 1850, Moriond, Village and La Tania, and a reduced lift pass, the MiniPass, covers the easy sectors. Prices and the latest piste map are on the ski area’s website.
AEC tip. Keep the Saulire for the morning, when the snow has just been groomed and, on a clear day, Mont Blanc stands out in the distance, then drift across to Moriond in the afternoon, onto what the tourist office calls a “broad, naturally sunny balcony”.
Courchevel without skis
The resort was designed for skiing, but it has filled up with much else besides. The toboggan run from 1850 down to Courchevel Village, two kilometres through the forest, is free and open from 10am to 7.15pm; you get back up on the Grangettes gondola, with a ski or pedestrian pass, or on the free shuttle bus. At Moriond, Moriond Racing sets off from the top of the Ariondaz for three kilometres and eight tunnels.
In Courchevel Village, Aquamotion covers 10500m²: pools, water slides, a wellness area, a climbing wall and an indoor surf wave, the Wave Motion Arena, which is the last thing you would expect to find at 1550m. At the Forum in 1850, the ice rink hosts skaters, shows and ice hockey matches, with a bowling alley in the same building. Dog-sled outings leave from Courchevel 1850 and the Plan du Vah during the day, and from Plantret in the evening.
Then there is the altiport, at 2007m. Its 537m runway has a gradient that reaches 18.5%: planes land uphill and take off downhill. It has been kept clear of snow all winter since 1971, which the local council says is unique in Europe, and you can board a scenic flight there towards Mont Blanc. A stubborn legend has it that the opening scene of Tomorrow Never Dies was filmed here. It was in fact shot at the Peyragudes altiport, in the Pyrenees.
What to do in Courchevel this winter
Our pick, from the great runs of the Saulire to pleasures the whole family can share.
On the pistesLes 3 Vallées ski area
150km of pistes in Courchevel, 600km with the neighbouring valleys.
Advanced skiers
FreeThe toboggan run from 1850 to Village
Two kilometres through the forest, free to use, helmet compulsory.
Thrills
For families
A classicThe Forum ice rink
Skating, shows and ice hockey matches, with bowling in the same building.
Guided outing
Off the pistesCross-country skiing and snowshoeing
Groomed trails that are free to use and waymarked snowshoe routes.
In the airScenic flight from the altiport
Take off from a sloping runway and fly over the Mont Blanc massif.
February and MarchThe fireworks evenings
International companies in competition, after the torchlight descent.
Courchevel for families
Courchevel’s society reputation tends to obscure the fact that it has held the French Famille Plus label since 2010. At the foot of the pistes in 1850, the École du ski français Village des enfants looks after little ones on three enclosed hectares: childcare from 18 months, first ski lessons from age 3. Out on the ski area, playful trails such as the Family Park, with its mini boardercross and tunnel, turn the runs into a game. Add the free toboggan run, Aquamotion for bad-weather days and the beginner lifts that need no pass, and the resort becomes as easy as a small village resort.
AEC tip. For the February school holidays, book ski lessons and the Village des enfants at the same time as the chalet: those places are the first to go. And choose Moriond or Courchevel Village if you want a quiet snowfront, a few minutes from 1850 by shuttle bus.
Village life, high and low
In the evening, life gathers in 1850, around the rue de la Croisette and the Jardin Alpin quarter, which is served by an in-town gondola. The luxury boutiques open for the season, and the food more than holds its own: the resort has one three-star restaurant and several other starred tables in the Michelin Guide.
Le Praz tells a different story. It is a real Savoyard village, with its church and its lake, overlooked by the Olympic ski jumps built for the 1992 Albertville Games. You come here for the feel of a Tarentaise village, one gondola ride from the big pistes. The resort also owes a great deal to Émile Allais, the world champion who became Courchevel’s technical director from 1954 to 1964: he is credited with inventing groomed pistes and the job of ski patroller, two ideas that went on to spread right across the Alps.
When to go and how to get there
Courchevel’s ski area opens on 4 December 2026 and closes on 18 April 2027. This season the resort turns 80, with an opening party at the Forum ice rink. Christmas and New Year bring the most festive atmosphere and the night slalom on 22 December. February brings the school holidays and the evenings of the international festival of pyrotechnic art, which carries on into March. March and April, finally, offer the longest days and a quieter ski area.
| From | Distance | Approximate time |
|---|---|---|
| Moûtiers station | ~30min | |
| Lyon-Saint-Exupéry airport | ~176km | ~2h |
| Geneva airport | ~179km | ~2h |
Moûtiers is the closest railway station to Courchevel: TGV from Paris in season, and on Saturdays the Eurostar snow train from London. Coaches run between Moûtiers and Courchevel all year round, and seasonal services leave from Lyon and Geneva airports. Once you are there, free shuttle buses serve every village. The driving times above apply outside February Saturdays, when the Tarentaise valley fills up. Up-to-date timetables and conditions are on the website of the Courchevel tourist office. You will find full details in our guide to getting to Courchevel.
Where to stay
Choose your village and you have already chosen your kind of holiday. Courchevel 1850 puts the big pistes, the boutiques and the restaurants within ski reach; it suits those who want everything to hand. Moriond appeals to families looking for sunshine and a quieter snowfront. Courchevel Village and Le Praz offer more spacious chalets, a village atmosphere and quick access to the ski area by gondola. La Tania, finally, draws those who prefer the forest and the quiet, while staying connected to Les 3 Vallées. For a day with the neighbours on the other side of the Saulire, see our guide to what to do in Méribel in winter. To arrive by private flight, from Geneva or Chambéry to the altiport, see our private jet and helicopter guide.
Our agents know each of these villages and will steer you towards the one that suits the way you like to spend time in the mountains. Browse our chalets and apartments in Courchevel, or narrow it down by village: Courchevel 1850, Moriond, Courchevel Village, Le Praz and La Tania. And if you feel like crossing to the other side of the Saulire, Méribel is only a few lifts away.
Many people first come to Courchevel for the Saulire and Les 3 Vallées. They come back for a toboggan run as night falls, a plane landing uphill, a village lighting up tier by tier, and the wish to enjoy the mountains from a chalet of their own.
Frequently asked questions
Can you enjoy Courchevel without skiing?
Yes. The free toboggan run from 1850 to Courchevel Village, Moriond Racing, Aquamotion and its indoor surf wave, the ice rink and bowling at the Forum, dog sledding, snowshoeing, cross-country skiing and scenic flights from the altiport will easily fill a week without your ever putting on skis.
When does Courchevel open for winter 2026-2027?
Courchevel’s ski area opens on 4 December 2026 and closes on 18 April 2027. The links with the other resorts in Les 3 Vallées open on 5 December 2026.
What is the difference between Courchevel 1850, Moriond, Village and Le Praz?
Courchevel 1850 is the historic heart, with the big pistes, the boutiques and the restaurants. Moriond, at 1650m, is a broad, sunny balcony with a more family feel. Courchevel Village, at 1550m, keeps a local life of its own and is home to Aquamotion. Le Praz, at 1300m, is a Savoyard village at the foot of the Olympic ski jumps. La Tania and Saint-Bon make up the rest of the resort’s six villages.
How do you get to Courchevel?
The nearest station is Moûtiers, about 30 minutes away by road, served in season by the TGV and the Eurostar snow train. Lyon-Saint-Exupéry and Geneva airports are about 2h away by road. Coaches link Moûtiers and the airports with the resort.
Is Courchevel good for families?
Yes. The resort has held the Famille Plus label since 2010. The ESF’s Village des enfants takes little ones from 18 months on three enclosed hectares, a dozen or so lifts are free, and the toboggan run, Aquamotion and the ice rink fill the days off skis.
What can you do for free in Courchevel?
The 2km toboggan run between 1850 and Courchevel Village, the groomed cross-country trails, a dozen or so free lifts and the shuttle buses between the villages are all free to use.
Is Courchevel part of Les 3 Vallées?
Yes. Its 150km of pistes are linked to those of Méribel, Les Menuires, Val Thorens and Orelle, around 600km in all, billed as the largest linked ski area in the world.
