Hotel Olympic Courchevel Exterior

Courchevel, France

Courchevel

Glossy, huge and superbly groomed: France's smartest ski resort, at a price

Courchevel isn't one village. It's a string of linked villages climbing one valley: Le Praz (1300 m), Courchevel Village (1550), Moriond (1650) and Courchevel 1850, with La Tania in the next valley. Every one of them connects by piste to Méribel and the rest of Les 3 Vallées. It has about 150 km of its own pistes, kept in excellent condition, with very good beginner areas and some properly steep couloirs for experts. That makes it one of the best all-round resorts in the Alps. The big downside is cost: 1850 especially is one of the most expensive places to ski in the world, and the villages feel very different from each other, so picking the right one really matters.

Places to stay

For your group

Beginners 4/5

One of the better big resorts for learning. There are dedicated beginner zones near the villages, including free beginner lifts, plus long, gentle green runs higher up so new skiers can actually travel around. Ski schools are plentiful but expensive. 1850 and 1650 have the easiest access to the nursery slopes.

Intermediates 5/5

Superb. Courchevel alone has about 150 km of mostly blue and red runs, all beautifully groomed. With the 3 Vallées pass you can ski over to Méribel and beyond, roughly 600 km in all, so you'll never run out of new runs in a week.

Experts 5/5

The Grand Couloir and the other couloirs off La Saulire are serious steep terrain. There's lots of off-piste with a guide, plus the whole 3 Vallées to explore, including steeper ground towards Méribel and Val Thorens. Le Praz and La Tania have good tree runs for bad-weather days.

Places to stay in Courchevel

Cheapest first, for your dates where we have them. Tick up to 4 to compare.

  • Residence Britania La Tania Exterior

    Residence Le Britania (La Tania)

    Courchevel · Apartment · 3★

    • 100 m to the lifts
    • Self catering

    Sat 2 Jan, 7 nights from London Gatwick

    £1,446

    for 2 people, £723 each

    Save £840

  • Chalet Jardin Alpin La Tania Snowy View 2

    Inghams Chalet Jardin Alpin (La Tania)

    Courchevel · Chalet · 4★

    • Chalet catered

    Sat 12 Dec, 7 nights from Newcastle

    £1,458

    for 2 people, £729 each

    Save £1,200

  • Hotel Olympic Courchevel Exterior

    Hotel Olympic (1850)

    Courchevel · Hotel · 2★

    • 60 m to the lifts
    • Bed & breakfast

    Sat 3 Apr, 7 nights from London Gatwick

    £2,472

    for 2 people, £1,236 each

    Save £400

  • CF7 Rotisserie 03 Studio Foudimages

    Hotel Fahrenheit Seven (1650)

    Courchevel · Hotel · 4★

    • 60 m to the lifts
    • Bed & breakfast

    Sat 3 Apr, 7 nights from London Gatwick

    £2,976

    for 2 people, £1,488 each

    Save £400

  • Hotel Les Flocons Courchevel Exterior

    Hotel Les Flocons (1550)

    Courchevel · Hotel · 3.5★

    • 80 m to the lifts
    • Half board

    Sat 16 Jan, 7 nights from London Gatwick

    £3,182

    for 2 people, £1,591 each

    Save £800

  • Hotel Les Sherpas Courchevel Exterior 2

    Hotel Les Sherpas (1850)

    Courchevel · Hotel · 4★

    • 300 m to the lifts
    • Half board

    Sat 19 Dec, 7 nights from Bournemouth

    £3,836

    for 2 people, £1,918 each

    Save £1,420

Where you'd stay and ski

Runs are coloured by difficulty. Pins show places to stay and how far each is from the nearest lift station, as the crow flies.

Map key
  • Green: easiest
  • Blue: easy
  • Red: intermediate
  • Black: difficult
  • Orange: off-piste route
  • Lift
  • Place to stay

For orientation only, not live lift or piste status.

Mapped pistes in Courchevel
151 km
Village
1850 m
Top lift
2695 m
Transfer
2.5 hrs from Geneva (or Chambéry for some charter flights)
6-day lift pass
€385 per adult
Season
Friday 4 December 2026 to Sunday 18 April 2027

Other scores

Snowboarders 4/5

The lifts are modern and mostly chairlifts and gondolas, there's a good snowpark, and the wide groomed runs are great for carving. Some cat-track links between areas can be flat and annoying on a board.

Non-skiers 4/5

Plenty to do. There's the Aquamotion water park and spa in 1650, luxury shopping and Michelin-starred restaurants in 1850, a long toboggan run, ice skating, and snowshoe and winter walks. Pedestrian lift passes let non-skiers meet friends at mountain restaurants. A free bus links the villages.

Families 4/5

Strong ski schools (ESF and private schools), nursery areas and childcare, with gentle slopes close to the villages. Moriond (1650) and Courchevel Village (1550) are calmer and better value than 1850. The cost of lessons and childcare for a whole family adds up quickly.

Après-ski 4/5

La Folie Douce in 1850 does big on-mountain afternoon parties, and 1850 has glamorous (and very expensive) bars and clubs. Moriond (1650) and La Tania have more relaxed, cheaper bars that suit British visitors. Le Praz and 1550 are quiet in the evenings.

Snow reliability 4/5

Mostly north-facing slopes at about 1300–2700 m, with heavy snowmaking and top-class grooming, so cover is usually reliable from mid-December to late March. The riskiest times are early December and April, mainly on the runs back to Le Praz (1300 m) and La Tania (about 1400 m). January and February are usually best.

Scores and notes are our own research from 23 October 2026, not customer reviews. Tap a score to see why. Snow reliability is about the resort in general, not a forecast for your week. Sources: seecourchevel.com, latania.co.uk, valleedebozel.com, france-montagnes.com.

Insider tips

  • Match the village to the customer: 1850 for luxury, 1650 for families and good value, La Tania for a cosy, cheaper chalet feel
  • Beginners usually only need the Courchevel Valley pass. Upgrade to 3 Vallées once they're confident on red runs
  • Book ski school and childcare early for school-holiday weeks, as they sell out
  • Eat lunch in 1650 or La Tania rather than 1850 to save a lot of money
  • Use the free buses between the villages rather than taxis
  • On bad-visibility days, head for the tree runs above La Tania and Le Praz

Worth knowing

  • Very expensive, especially in 1850: food, drinks and ski school all cost more
  • Each village has a different feel, so choose carefully. 1850 is glitzy, while Le Praz and La Tania are quiet
  • Runs back to the lower villages (Le Praz, La Tania) can be thin or icy late in the season
  • Busy around Christmas, New Year and the February half-term weeks
  • No glacier, so snow isn't guaranteed at the very start or end of the season
  • Après in 1850 is pricey and can feel exclusive. Cheaper bars are in 1650 and La Tania