Courchevel 1550, France

Formerly known simply by its altitude: 1550 metres, Courchevel Village, as it is now known, is a good name because it reflects the quieter, smaller base that this resort offers compared to the main Courchevel 1850 resort, and even Courchevel Moriond at 1650m above. You can enjoy a much more relaxed holiday here, but still dip in to the designer shopping and gourmet dining scene of 1850 if you wish and enjoy fast access to the vast 3 Valleys ski area too. 

Courchevel Village’s main selling point is its lower value compared to the (slightly) higher altitude Courchevel resorts. So if you are looking for a stunning luxury ski chalet with great facilities that doesn’t cost the earth, then Courchevel 1550 luxury chalets are a must try.

There’s a direct gondola lift link up to the main resort at 1850 which can be used by non-skiers if there’s any in your party for a little shopping or spa excursion. The main reason that you can get a first class chalet here for a lot less than in Courchevel 1850 though it that it’s much, much quieter, with just a handful of shops and restaurants.

Courchevel Village is set off the busy main road up to Courchevel 1850 so is definitely one of the more tranquil choices in which to base yourself. The village is made up of traditional chalet style buildings and some larger accommodation blocks. Most of the property is ski-in, ski-out, or almost so. Some properties are a bit of a hike from the gondola connecting to Courchevel 1850 but if you are staying in a chalets in the village’s Brigues area then you’re in a sector that tends to be particularly well located for ski-in ski-out accommodation.

Courchevel Village has two main selling points for skiers – depending a little on what you want from your Courchevel ski holiday. Firstly the local slopes are quiet and largely beginner-intermediate friendly, building on that family-focus for the resort. Second it’s arguably the best connected to the main hub of the Courchevel Valley ski area (and on to the wider 3 Valleys), via the direct gondolas link up to La Croisette (the main hub of 1850) where you can pick any of the other three gondola’s going onwards and upwards or ski down the wonderfully wide piste back to Courchevel Village for a great warm up first run of the day.

Otherwise the story of skiing at Courchevel Village is much the same as the rest of the Valley – you have the world’s biggest ski area at your ski tips with fast, modern lifts whisking you to its furthest corners and so much skiing that you can spend several weeks here and hardly need to ski the same run twice. For advanced skiers there are some of the skiing world’s most infamous black pistes and as well as world-class freeriding opportunities off piste with a guide. It really doesn’t get any better.

With mostly easy skiing next to the village and a separate ‘Children’s Village’ for young kids to learn their first turns in in a secure environment away from the main slopes, Courchevel Village ticks all the boxes for children and beginners. There’s a good choice of ski schools in Courchevel Village with Snow D’Light (snowdlight.com) one of the stand out operations. Their instructors not only hold the highest European ski teaching qualifications but also have particularly strong experience of teaching children with the onus on fun and immersive tuition. Small groups or private classes are offered, the latter enabling particularly rapid progression.

The French ski school (ESF) runs a municipal creche for children aged 18 months and up and offers special ski classes for children aged three and older.

Other options include a choice of half-a- dozen British-run private nanny services and there are even several companies offering academic tuition to your children on your ski holiday.

The ski lifts here benefit from a special child-safety system installed across the Courchevel Valley that holds children safely in place on the chairlifts. Besides snowsports there’s a popular toboggan run down from Courchevel 1850 to the village and Courchevel’s incredible indoor water park is located between the Village and neighbouring Moriond at 1650.

‘Quiet’ and ‘Limited’ are two words often bandied about when describing the nightlife in Courchevel Village but then relaxing nights in your lovely chalet may be all you’re after following a day on the slopes anyway?

It doesn’t have to be quiet though, it’s easy to get up to Courchevel 1850 and there are a few livelier nightspots in the Village itself too.

British run bars include The Bar – a small English owned bar with sports on the TV and a popular happy hour, as well as The Taverne and Chanrossa, which sometimes has live music.

Later on Le Caterail has live music and DJs weekly and has installed a dance floor where you can dance the night away – well, until 2am anyway.

A selection of luxury chalets in Courchevel 1550 will be added soon.

Please enquire as we can always assist to find the perfect property for your needs.