Courchevel – “The best ski resort in the world”

Courchevel listed as the best ski resort in the world by Daily Telegraph in London, December 2022

“Courchevel’s beauty lies in the immense variety of accommodation, enticing restaurants, and hard-to-leave watering holes, both on and off the mountain. They’re all flanked by seemingly endless pistes and whoop-worthy freeride terrain that never fails to inspire, excite, and satisfy – no matter your level of expertise. Les Trois Valleés is still the world’s largest properly linked ski area and Courchevel is the delicious crème de la crème of it.”

Peter Hardy, Telegraph Destination Expert

“What is it like?

Any skier or snowboarder would struggle to find a ski resort with more rounded appeal and unquestionable credentials than Courchevel. While its reputation as a bolthole for oligarchs and the A-list is not unfounded, its geography, set over five distinct villages ranging from the prestige of Courchevel 1850 to the rustic heart of Courchevel 1300 (Le Praz), cements its appeal to all budgets and abilities. Its five personalities can be upped to six if you include the lower community of Saint Bon, which can be reached on skis when conditions are good but lacks any lifts of its own. While catering to the entire ski spectrum, the resort, where the Prince and Princess of Wales famously went on their first family ski holiday and where Parisians head to be seen and to flash their cash, shone in the Luxuries category – its fine dining blew the closest French competitor out the water. It also topped the French list for the highest number of four-star-plus hotels and après-ski haunts. However, it’s on the slopes, beyond the Rolexes and Palace hotels, that the resort clinched the top spot (454 points). While helped unquestionably by its position at one end of the world’s largest lift-linked ski area – Les Trois Vallées (600km) – Courchevel has stature in its own right with 150km of local pistes backed up by 55 slick lifts, which won it bonus points for lack of queues. Consistent performances in the Location (25km to the nearest stations; 110km to the airport, excluding private landing strips) and Nature categories (thanks to the Vanoise National Park) rounded off Courchevel’s stellar performance in our study – a true ski resort star, who’s sparkle is unchallenged.”