Resort Review
With a reputation for being the world's best ski resort, Courchevel - which forms part of the world famous Trois Vallees - consists of different villages such as La Praz at 1300; then there is 1550; Courchevel 1650 and finally the main resort at 1850. Set in breathtaking scenery in a superbly inter-linked region, Courchevel offers visitors a choice of 198 lifts, uphill capacity of over 243,000 people an hour and 600km of pistes.
There is certainly sufficient skiing and uphill transport on this side of the mountain to keep most enthusiasts happy for a week without using the entire region but the more adventurous will want to connect into the Trois Vallees and ski across to Meribel, Val Thorens and Les Menuires.
The Courchevel complex has rapidly expanded in recent years but there never seems any obvious overcrowding and the resort's own lifts provide access to a total of 198 lifts in the region, always ensures plenty of uphill transport and little waiting time.
Courchevel 1850m is the highest and most prestigious and is modern, yet retains a lot of charm and provides a choice of over 60 excellent restaurants with fine wines and great cuisine. There are indoor swimming pools and lot of apres ski entertainment with bars, nightclubs and three cinemas.
For youngsters there are "children's villages" and completely safe "buckets" for transporting children up the slopes without the need for an adult to accompany them on the lift! The kids can visit Tarzan's vines, sledging slopes and ice skating rinks as well as plenty of safe and easy pistes.
Local history dates skiing at Courchevel back to the l940's with pioneers such as Emile Allais with dreams of "recreational skiing". It was in l992 that the International Olympic Committee gave Courchevel the status of "Olympic Resort". |
