Courchevel
The Alps' most glamorous ski address, and a serene summer secret.
The poster child of the Three Valleys, the world's largest ski area, Courchevel 1850 is shorthand for luxury: Michelin stars, designer boutiques, private-jet winters. What few realize is that in summer it flips to a quiet, green base for hiking and golf at a fraction of the winter price.
Car or train?
Plan to drive. Courchevel and the passes, valleys, and trailheads around it are slow or impractical to reach by public transport.
How it scores
Best for
- ✓Luxury travelers
- ✓Skiers
- ✓Quiet luxe summers
- ✓Couples
- ✓Foodies
Who should skip it
- ✕Budget travelers
- ✕Travelers wanting historic-village character
- ✕Train-only travelers
Signature experiences
- Winter: the vast Trois Vallées domain and Michelin dining
- Summer: quiet high hikes, golf, and lake walks
- Plane-spotting at the cliff-edge altiport
Biggest mistake
Visiting in winter on a budget. Courchevel 1850 is one of the priciest resorts on earth. Summer is the value play.
Worth the splurge
Honestly the whole place, but a Michelin dinner is the signature.
Courchevel questions, answered
The practical things travelers ask most before booking this base.
- How many days do you need in Courchevel?
- Two to three nights, or a full ski week in winter. Courchevel is the top of the French luxury ladder inside the vast Three Valleys, so winter is a Michelin-and-designer ski stay; in summer it flips to a quiet, green base for hiking and golf at a fraction of the price.
- Do you need a car in Courchevel?
- Helpful for arrival, the nearest station is Moûtiers then a transfer up the mountain. In winter the lifts and shuttles cover everything; in the quiet summer a car gives more freedom for the high trails and lakes.
- When is the best time to visit Courchevel?
- December to March for the world's largest linked ski area and the luxury winter scene, and July to August for surprisingly affordable, quiet high-altitude hiking and golf. The resort largely closes between the seasons.
- Is Courchevel expensive?
- In winter, extremely, Courchevel 1850 is shorthand for Michelin stars, designer boutiques, and private jets. The secret is summer, when it goes calm, green, and a fraction of the price for hiking and lake walks.
- How do you get to Courchevel?
- Geneva (GVA) and Lyon (LYS) are the usual airports, with Chambéry (CMF) closer in winter. By rail the line ends at Moûtiers, then it's a transfer up the mountain. There's a small cliff-edge altiport for private flights, but most travelers fly into Geneva and drive or transfer the last stretch.
- Is Courchevel good for families?
- It can be, with broad, well-groomed slopes and ski schools, but it's a high-end address built around luxury rather than family value, so the costs add up fast in winter. The quieter, far cheaper summer, with high hikes, lake walks, and golf, is often the better-value family window.
Build a trip around Courchevel
Routes, itineraries, and guides that put this base to work.
More reading
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Other French Alps bases
More handpicked towns to pair with or weigh against Courchevel.
Val Thorens
$$$$Europe's highest resort, the snow-sure heart of Les 3 Vallées.
Tignes
$$$$High, snow-sure, and linked to Val d'Isère across the Espace Killy.
Val d'Isère
$$$$A high-altitude legend, France's serious ski-and-summer mountain.
Megève
$$$$France's most refined alpine village, chic, cozy, and Mont-Blanc-adjacent.
La Clusaz
$$$A classic Savoyard village in the Aravis, family-friendly all year.
Briançon
$$The fortified high town, gateway to Serre Chevalier and the sun.
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