Courchevel - Ski, Snowboard & Summer Holidays

Courchevel isn't just one resort. It's made up of several villages, each with its own character and atmosphere, all linked by lifts and pistes. The good news is that wherever you stay, you'll have easy access to the Three Valleys. The question is really what sort of holiday you're looking for.
Courchevel 1850 - If you enjoy being in the heart of the action, Courchevel 1850 is the best-known village. It's home to luxury hotels, elegant chalets, designer boutiques and some of the finest restaurants in the Alps. The skiing starts right from the village, and you'll find an excellent choice of bars and après-ski. While it's often associated with luxury, there are also apartments and smaller properties that make it more accessible than many people expect.
Courchevel 1650 - Just below is Courchevel 1650 (Moriond), which has a much more relaxed feel. We often recommend it to families and groups looking for a lively resort without quite the price tag of 1850. The skiing is excellent, with plenty of sunny slopes nearby, and there's a good selection of restaurants, shops and accommodation. Many visitors appreciate its friendly atmosphere and find it strikes a nice balance between convenience and value.
Courchevel Village -Courchevel Village (1550) is another excellent option, particularly if you're looking for a quieter base. Fast lifts connect you directly to the higher villages each morning, and accommodation here is often more affordable while still providing easy access to the skiing. It's popular with families and returning visitors who prefer a more peaceful setting at the end of the day.
Courchevel Le Praz -If you're after a traditional Alpine village, take a look at Le Praz (Courchevel 1300). With its stone and wooden chalets, narrow streets and welcoming restaurants, it has a character all of its own. The village is linked to the rest of Courchevel by a fast gondola, making it surprisingly convenient for skiing. Many guests love returning here after a day on the mountain to enjoy a quieter evening away from the busier resort centres.
La Tania sits between Courchevel and Méribel. Built within a forest, it's especially popular with families thanks to its traffic-light village centre and straightforward ski-in, ski-out access. It also offers excellent value for skiers wanting to explore both sides of the Three Valleys.
One of the things we often tell people is not to choose your accommodation based solely on altitude. Think about the type of holiday you want. Do you enjoy lively evenings, doorstep skiing and plenty of restaurants? Or would you rather stay somewhere quieter, with a more traditional village atmosphere? There isn't a right answer, just the one that's right for you.
One of the advantages of booking through Chalets Direct is that you're often speaking directly with chalet owners and local operators who know Courchevel exceptionally well. They can explain the differences between the villages, recommend the area that best suits your group and answer practical questions before you book. That local knowledge can be invaluable, especially if it's your first visit.
Whichever village you choose, you'll have access to some of the finest skiing in the Alps. Courchevel's different villages each have their own personality, which is one of the reasons so many people return year after year.

Yes, it's excellent. In fact, if you're learning to ski for the first time or travelling with friends or family who are beginners, Courchevel is one of the most welcoming resorts in the Alps. It's not just because of the ski schools or the nursery slopes – it's because the whole resort makes learning feel enjoyable rather than intimidating.
One of the first things you'll notice is how beautifully the pistes are prepared, you could almost take a golf putter with you! Courchevel has a well-earned reputation for some of the best piste grooming in Europe. Every morning you'll find wide, smooth runs that are perfect for practising your turns and building confidence. Good snow conditions under your skis make a huge difference when you're learning, and Courchevel takes great pride in the quality of its slopes.
There are excellent beginner areas across the resort. Around Courchevel 1850, you'll find gentle nursery slopes and dedicated learning zones at La Croisette and Pralong, where many first lessons begin. The Verdons gondola also gives beginners easy access to some lovely wide green runs without having to tackle anything too steep.
Many beginners also enjoy skiing around Courchevel Moriond (1650). The sunny, open slopes here are ideal once you've mastered the basics, with plenty of wide green and easy blue pistes that allow you to progress naturally without feeling rushed. The Belvédère area is particularly popular with families and improving skiers, while the long, gentle runs back towards the village help build confidence as the week goes on.
One of the things that makes Courchevel stand out is the amount of space. Beginners aren't confined to one small corner of the mountain. Once you've found your ski legs, there are miles of gentle terrain to explore, so every day feels like you're discovering somewhere new. You're learning to ski on proper mountain runs rather than simply going up and down the same beginner slope.
Courchevel also has an excellent choice of ski schools including;
ESF Courchevel
New Generation
Oxygène
Supreme Ski School
. There are also several independent instructors offering lessons for beginners, children and adults. Whether you'd prefer a small group lesson, private tuition or a children's ski school, there are plenty of experienced English-speaking instructors who know exactly how to help nervous skiers relax and enjoy themselves.
If you're travelling with more experienced skiers, Courchevel works particularly well. Beginners can spend the morning in lessons while stronger skiers explore the Three Valleys, before meeting for lunch or skiing together later in the day. Nobody needs to feel they're holding the group back.
One of the advantages of booking through Chalets Direct is that you're often speaking directly with chalet owners and local operators who know the resort well. They can recommend the most suitable ski school, advise which beginner areas are closest to your accommodation and answer all those little questions that first-time skiers often have before they arrive.
If you're wondering whether Courchevel is too advanced because it's part of the Three Valleys, don't worry. It's quite the opposite. The resort has some of the finest skiing in the world, but it also offers a wonderfully welcoming environment for beginners. With beautifully groomed pistes, excellent instruction and plenty of wide, confidence-building terrain, it's a place where many people discover just how much fun skiing can be.

For advanced or experts it offers some of the most extensive and varied skiing in the Alps. One of the biggest attractions is that every day can be completely different. You can spend one morning carving billiard table like groomed pistes, the exploring steep couloirs, and cruising the pistes in the trees when the weather closes in.
One of Courchevel's greatest strengths is the variety of terrain. The skiing around Saulire, Vizelle, Chanrossa and Loze provides everything from fast, open reds to challenging black runs and excellent off-piste. The views from the summit of Saulire are spectacular, and on a clear day it's one of those places where you'll probably stop for a moment before setting off.
If you enjoy steeps , don't miss Grand Couloir. It's probably Courchevel's most famous run and certainly one of the most challenging marked pistes in the Three Valleys. Accessed through a narrow entrance just below the Saulire cable car, it demands respect, control, particularly if conditions are icy or bumped up. For many advanced skiers, ticking off Grand Couloir is one of the highlights of a holiday.
Another favourite is the long descent from Chanrossa, where you'll often find quieter slopes and some wonderfully technical skiing. Strong intermediates and advanced skiers also enjoy linking together the reds and blacks around Creux, Suisses and Jean Blanc, which offer a completely different feel depending on the snow conditions.
One thing that often surprises first-time visitors is how enjoyable the tree skiing is. Around Le Praz, La Tania and the lower slopes leading back towards Courchevel Village, you'll find beautiful treeruns that become come into their own when the cloud comes down higher on the mountain. On poor visibility days, being able to ski through the trees with good contrast makes a huge difference, and many experienced skiers deliberately head lower because the skiing is simply more enjoyable.
Of course, staying in Courchevel also gives you immediate access to the rest of the Three Valleys. Within minutes you can be skiing towards Méribel, continuing on to Val Thorens, or exploring Les Menuires and Saint-Martin-de-Belleville. It's one of the few places where you can ski somewhere completely different every day .
Courchevel also has a proud racing heritage. The resort regularly hosts FIS Alpine Ski World Cup events on the famous L'Éclipse piste above Le Praz. Watching the world's best racers tackle its steep pitches gives you a real appreciation of the mountain, and it's no surprise that this spectacular course has been selected as one of the venues for the 2030 French Alps Winter Olympic Games. Even if you're not racing, skiing the same mountain where Olympic medals will be decided adds something special to the experience.
If you're tempted off the marked pistes, Courchevel has some outstanding off-piste terrain, particularly around Saulire and Chanrossa. There are numerous gullies and powder fields to explore, but conditions can change quickly, so if you're unfamiliar with the area it's well worth hiring a qualified mountain guide or instructor. Not only will they help you stay safe, they'll almost certainly introduce you to hidden corners of the mountain that you would never have found on your own.
One of the things we often hear from chalet owners on Chalets Direct is that experienced skiers return to Courchevel because they never seem to run out of options. Some days it's about covering as much of the Three Valleys as possible, while on others it's simply finding perfectly groomed corduroy first thing in the morning or finding the best powder.
For advanced skiers, Courchevel isn't just about difficult runs. It's about variety, quality and the freedom to ski exactly the sort of mountain you're in the mood for that day. Few resorts offer that combination quite so well.

Courchevel is one of those resorts that seems to have been designed with families in mind. Whether you're travelling with young children taking their first ski lessons, teenagers who want to explore the mountain, or grandparents joining the holiday, it's a resort where everyone can usually find their own pace without feeling left out.
One of the biggest advantages is how easy the resort is to get around. The different villages – Courchevel 1850, Moriond (1650), Courchevel Village (1550), Le Praz (1300) and La Tania – are all well connected by lifts and free buses, That makes life much easier if members of the family are doing different things during the day.
For children who are learning to ski, Courchevel is hard to beat. There are dedicated beginner areas around La Croisette, Pralong and Moriond, with gentle slopes, magic carpets and plenty of space to build confidence. The beautifully groomed pistes also make learning much easier, particularly for nervous beginners.
The resort has an excellent choice of ski schools including ESF, New Generation, BASS, Oxygène and Supreme Ski School, with children's groups, private lessons and English-speaking instructors widely available. Many families find that once the children are happily settled into lessons each morning, everyone enjoys a much more relaxed holiday.
As confidence grows, there are plenty of wide green and blue runs where families can ski together without feeling under pressure. Rather than immediately facing steep or narrow pistes, children can gradually build their skills on forgiving terrain while parents relax and enjoy watching them improve and not worry about 'what's next?' or ''Will we be OK?".
Away from the slopes there's plenty to keep everyone occupied. The Aquamotion Centre in Courchevel Village is one of the largest mountain leisure centres in the Alps, with swimming pools, slides, climbing walls, spa facilities and activities for children of all ages. It's a brilliant option on abad weather day or if someone fancies a break from skiing.
The villages themselves are also enjoyable places to wander. There are cafés where you can stop for hot chocolate, bakeries for fresh pastries, family-friendly restaurants and plenty of opportunities to simply wander around after skiing. Le Praz, in particular, has a lovely traditional Alpine atmosphere that's well worth exploring.
One thing that often gets overlooked is how much easier a family holiday becomes when you're staying in the right accommodation. Many chalets and apartments on Chalets Direct are close to the pistes or ski bus stops, meaning less time carrying tired children, skis and boots across the resort each morning. After a full day on the mountain, being able to ski close to your accommodation or enjoy a short journey home makes a real difference.
One of the benefits of booking through Chalets Direct is that you're often speaking directly with chalet owners and local operators who know Courchevel inside out. They can recommend ski schools, childcare providers, equipment hire shops, restaurants that welcome children and the areas that best suit your family's needs. That sort of local knowledge often removes a lot of the uncertainty before you've even arrived.
Perhaps the biggest reason families return to Courchevel is that it takes much of the stress out of organising a ski holiday. The excellent facilities, well-planned beginner areas, reliable ski schools and easy transport links mean parents can spend less time worrying about the logistics and more time enjoying being together on the mountain. At the end of the day, that's what most family ski holidays should be really about.

If you're planning a ski holiday in Courchevel, you'll have several airport options, and the "best" one isn't always the closest. Flight availability, transfer times and ticket prices can all make a difference, so it's worth looking at the whole journey rather than simply choosing the nearest airport.
Geneva Airport is the most popular choice for many visitors, particularly those travelling from the UK, Ireland and North America. The reason is simple – there are frequent flights from all over the world, which often means better prices and more convenient arrival times. From Geneva, the journey to Courchevel normally takes around 2½ to 3 hours in good traffic. On busy Saturday changeover days during Christmas, New Year and February half-term, it's sensible to allow 4 to 5 hours, as the roads into the Tarentaise Valley can become busy.
Chambéry Airport is the closest airport to Courchevel and, if you can find a suitable flight, it's a very convenient option. The drive usually takes around 1 hour 30 minutes to 2 hours, although this can stretch to around 3 hours during peak holiday periods. The only downside is that Chambéry has a much smaller winter flight programme than Geneva, so flight choices can be more limited.
Lyon-Saint Exupéry Airport is another excellent alternative. It offers a wide range of international flights throughout the year and is often a good option if Geneva flights are expensive or fully booked. Transfers generally take around 2½ to 3 hours, increasing to around 4 hours on the busiest weekends.
Grenoble Airport is also worth considering during the winter season. It serves a number of ski flights and offers similar transfer times to Lyon, although with fewer scheduled services.
If you're arriving in France by train, Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport is another possibility. France's high-speed TGV network makes it surprisingly straightforward to travel to Moûtiers, the railway station serving Courchevel. The train journey usually takes around 4½ to 5½ hours, depending on the service, followed by a 30 to 40-minute taxi or bus ride up to the resort. Many visitors enjoy the train because it's comfortable, scenic and avoids driving on mountain roads.
Whichever airport you choose, it's worth booking your airport transfer before you travel, particularly during the busiest weeks of the season. Shared transfers are usually the most economical option, while private transfers can work out surprisingly good value for families or larger groups and will normally take you directly to your chalet or hotel.
If you've booked through Chalets Direct, it's always worth asking your chalet owner or local operator for advice. Many have welcomed guests arriving from all of these airports for years and can often recommend reliable transfer companies, suggest the easiest travel option for your arrival time or even advise which airport tends to work best for the part of Courchevel where you're staying.
Our advice is not to focus solely on the nearest airport. Sometimes a slightly longer transfer from Geneva with a direct flight is much less stressful than taking a complicated route into a smaller airport. A smooth journey means you arrive in Courchevel relaxed, ready to collect your skis and start enjoying one of the finest ski areas in the Alps.

Whether you're arriving at Geneva, Chambéry, Lyon or Grenoble, you'll find plenty of transfer companies operating throughout the ski season. The key is to book ahead, know where you're being picked up and give yourself enough time after your flight to collect your luggage and ski equipment.
For most visitors, there are two main options – shared transfers or private transfers.
Shared transfers are the most economical choice and work well if you're travelling as a couple or a small family. Companies such as Ben's Bus, Alps2Alps, Mountain Drop-offs, Cool Bus, AlpyBus, Ski-Lifts and SnowDrone all operate regular services to Courchevel during the winter. Prices vary depending on the airport and the time of year, but as a rough guide, expect to pay around €50-€90 per person each way from Geneva if you book in advance.
If you're travelling with a larger family, lots of luggage or simply want the easiest journey possible, a private transfer is often worth the extra cost. Your driver will usually meet you in the arrivals hall with your name on a board, help with your luggage and take you directly to your accommodation. Depending on the size of your group, private transfers generally start at around €300-€500 per vehicle from Geneva and can work out surprisingly good value when the cost is shared.
Transfer times are generally around 2½ to 3 hours from Geneva, 1½ to 2 hours from Chambéry, and 2½ to 3 hours from Lyon or Grenoble in normal conditions. If you're travelling on a Saturday during Christmas, New Year or the February school holidays, it's sensible to allow considerably longer. Heavy traffic into the Tarentaise Valley is part of the ski season, so it's better to expect a delay than be frustrated by one.
One tip we'd always recommend is not to schedule your transfer too tightly after your flight lands. Give yourself enough time to clear passport control, collect your bags and wait for ski luggage if you've checked it in. Most transfer companies ask for your flight number and monitor delays, but it's still worth checking their meeting instructions before you travel.
It might sound obvious, but bring a bottle of water and a few snacks with you, especially if you're travelling with children. Flights, airports and transfers can make for a long day, and having something to eat in the vehicle often keeps everyone in much better spirits if traffic is heavier than expected. A phone charger or power bank is also useful, particularly if you're relying on your phone for booking details or to contact your accommodation.
If you're arriving by train into Moûtiers, you'll find taxis, buses and private transfer companies waiting outside the station throughout the winter. The journey up to Courchevel usually takes around 30 to 40 minutes, depending on which village you're staying in.
If you've booked through Chalets Direct, your chalet owner or local operator can often make life even easier. Many know the local transfer companies personally, can recommend the most reliable service, help arrange collection from the airport or station and advise exactly where you'll be dropped off. Some will even meet you nearby if your chalet is on a quieter road.
A little planning before you leave home goes a long way. Book your transfer early, keep your confirmation and emergency contact details handy, allow extra time on busy weekends and don't rush the first day. Start the holiday calmly, and you'll arrive in Courchevel ready to enjoy the mountains rather than recover from the journey.

Courchevel has some of the top ski schools in the Alps, so whether you're a first time skier or looking to improve your carving, tackle moguls or explore off-piste, there's an instructor to suit you.
The largest ski school is ESF Courchevel (École du Ski Français). With a huge team of instructors, ESF offers everything from children's ski school and adult beginner lessons to race coaching, snowboard tuition, off-piste guiding and private lessons. If you're travelling during Christmas or February half-term, ESF often has the widest choice of lesson times and children's groups.
New Generation Ski School is particularly popular with British families. Their English-speaking instructors are known for their friendly, encouraging teaching style and smaller group lessons. They offer children's lessons, adult group lessons, private coaching and snowboard instruction, making them a favourite with first-time visitors.
BASS (British Alpine Ski School) has built an excellent reputation over many years. They specialise in private lessons, family groups and technical coaching, with many guests returning to the same instructor year after year. If you're looking for personalised tuition or want to improve your skiing rather than simply follow a group, BASS is well worth considering.
Supreme Ski School is another respected choice in Courchevel. They offer private tuition, children's lessons, performance coaching and guiding throughout the Three Valleys, with an emphasis on tailored instruction.
Oxygène Ski & Snowboard School is well known for helping beginners and nervous skiers feel relaxed while also offering lessons for more experienced skiers and snowboarders. Their multilingual instructors make them popular with international visitors.
All of these schools cater for complete beginners. Whether you're learning as an adult or your children are putting on skis for the first time, you'll find patient instructors, dedicated beginner areas and a gradual approach that helps build confidence without making you feel under pressure.
They're equally valuable for experienced skiers. Many advanced skiers book a private instructor for a morning or a full day to improve their carving, ski steeper terrain, develop off-piste skills or simply discover parts of the Three Valleys they might never have found on their own.
As a rough guide, children's and adult group lessons generally cost around €250-€375 for six half-days, while private lessons usually start at around €75-€120 per hour, with full-day instruction from around €450-€700. Prices vary between schools and increase during the busiest weeks of the season.
If you're travelling during Christmas, New Year or February, we'd strongly recommend booking lessons before you leave home. The most popular instructors and children's classes often sell out weeks in advance, and booking early gives you the best choice of lesson times.
One question we're often asked is what happens if there's a big snowfall while you're in resort. The answer is simple — if you can, book an instructor or mountain guide. Powder skiing is one of the highlights of a ski holiday, but it can also be quite difficult to know where to go? An instructor can help you adapt your technique, while a qualified mountain guide can safely introduce you to suitable off-piste terrain and explain the local snow conditions. They'll also know where to find the best snow long after the obvious areas have been skied out. It's one of those experiences that creates memories for years afterwards.
One of the advantages of booking through Chalets Direct is that you're often speaking directly with chalet owners and local operators who know Courchevel exceptionally well. Many have long-standing relationships with local ski schools and instructors and can recommend who might suit your family, your skiing ability or the type of holiday you're planning.
Whether you're hoping to master your first snowplough, improve your parallel turns or make the most of a fresh powder day, Courchevel has a ski school and instructor that can help you enjoy the mountain with greater confidence and get even more from your holiday.

Hiring skis in Courchevel is straightforward, and one of the nice things about the resort is the amount of choice you have. Whether you're staying in Courchevel 1850, Moriond (1650), Courchevel Village (1550), Le Praz or La Tania, you'll find plenty of well-equipped ski hire shops within easy reach.
Some of the best-known names include Skiset, Intersport, Sport 2000, Precision Ski, White Storm, Netski, Ski Set 1850, Ski Higher and several excellent independent shops. Because there are so many businesses competing for your custom, standards are generally very high. Most shops invest heavily in modern equipment and well-trained technicians because they know visitors have plenty of alternatives if they're not happy.
Our advice is to book your equipment online before you travel if you can. Most shops offer worthwhile discounts for advance bookings, and you'll often have a better choice of skis and boots, particularly during the busy Christmas and February holiday periods.
One thing that's improved enormously over the last few years is the quality of rental equipment. Many shops now stock this season's or last season's skis from leading brands such as Rossignol, Salomon, Head, Atomic, Nordica, Volkl and Dynastar. If you're an experienced skier, many rental shops also have premium performance skis and powder skis available, so you're not limited to basic rental equipment.
In fact, one of the advantages of hiring rather than bringing your own skis is flexibility. If fresh snow arrives halfway through your holiday, many shops are happy to let you swap your piste skis for something wider that's better suited to powder. Likewise, if the snow becomes firmer later in the week, you might prefer a different ski altogether. It's also a great opportunity to test skis you're thinking of buying without committing to them first.
If there's one area where it's worth taking your time, it's your ski boots. Comfortable boots are probably more important than the skis themselves. Poorly fitting boots can leave your feet aching, make it harder to control your skis and take much of the enjoyment out of your holiday. A good boot should feel snug and supportive, but not painfully tight. Don't be embarrassed if something doesn't feel right after your first run. Good ski hire shops expect this and will happily make adjustments or exchange your boots if necessary.
Many shops now offer the latest generation of rental boots, including models fitted with the BOA® Fit System. Instead of traditional buckles across the lower foot, BOA uses a precision dial that tightens the boot evenly, making it easier to achieve a comfortable, secure fit. They're particularly popular with beginners and intermediate skiers because they're simple to adjust throughout the day. You'll also see more rear-entry boots, including models such as the Nordica HF, which are much easier to put on and take off while still providing excellent support on the slopes. For many first-time skiers, these newer designs make the whole experience less daunting.
Another service that's become increasingly popular is ski delivery. Several Courchevel rental companies will bring your equipment directly to your chalet, apartment or hotel, fit your boots there and collect everything at the end of your stay. If you're travelling with young children or a large group, this can save a surprising amount of time and effort on your first day.
One of the advantages of booking through Chalets Direct is that your chalet owner or local operator can often recommend a trusted ski hire shop nearby. Many have worked with the same businesses for years and know which shops are particularly good for families, beginners, expert skiers or those looking for premium equipment. Some operators have even arranged discounts for their guests.
Our final tip is a simple one: don't rush your fitting. Spend an extra ten minutes making sure your boots feel right and ask questions if you're unsure. It's time well spent, because comfortable boots and the right skis will make every day on the mountain far more enjoyable.