Courchevel

Courchevel is the glamorous end of Les 3 Vallées: a set of villages at different heights — Le Praz, La Tania nearby, Courchevel Village, Moriond and the famous Courchevel 1850 — linked to Méribel and the rest of the vast ski area. Courchevel 1850 is one of the most exclusive ski destinations in the world, with luxury hotels, designer shops and its own altiport where small planes land on the mountainside.

Behind the glitz, the skiing is genuinely superb. The pistes are some of the best groomed anywhere, the north-facing slopes hold snow well, and there is terrain for every level, from gentle beginner zones to steep couloirs above 1850.

You do not need a billionaire's budget to ski here: the lower villages are noticeably cheaper and still plug straight into the same lifts. But it is a premium resort in every sense, so plan for higher prices on the mountain and in town.

The season runs roughly from early December to mid-April. January offers the quietest slopes; February half-term and New Year are the busiest and most expensive. The lower villages can get patchy late in the season, while 1850 and the higher slopes hold snow well.

Geneva airport is around 2 hours 15 minutes away by transfer, with Chambéry and Lyon as alternatives — and the altiport handles private flights. By rail, Moûtiers is the nearest station, roughly 30–40 minutes by bus or taxi. Free buses connect the Courchevel villages.