Sherry's Take
Courchevel is FOUR villages at different altitudes and price points. 1850 is the palace-hotel flagship; 1650 (Moriond) gets the morning sun at ~40% less; 1550 and Le Praz are quieter and connect by free lifts. Decide by budget, not by brand.
Best For
SkiLuxuryFamilyFoodiesWinter
Go in
DecemberJanuaryFebruaryMarch
Avoid if possible
MayJuneOctoberNovember
Where to Stay
Courchevel 1850
Palace hotels, designer boutiques, ski-in/ski-out glamour
Courchevel Moriond (1650)
Sunniest slopes, family-friendly, better value
Courchevel Village (1550)
Quieter, residential, gondola link to 1850
Le Praz (1300)
Original Savoyard village, charm, Olympic ski jumps
Money-Saving Tips
- 1A 3 Vallées pass only pays off if you actually cross to Méribel/Val Thorens — the Courchevel-only pass is ~20% cheaper.
- 2January (after New Year) is the cheapest deep-winter window — same snow, half the February half-term prices.
- 3Lunch on the mountain is €40+; the supermarkets in 1650 do picnic supplies for €10.
Getting Around
- 1Geneva (3h) and Lyon (2.5h) airports both serve Courchevel — shared transfers ~€90, private ~€350.
- 2Free ski-bus loops all four villages until ~midnight; the 1850 ↔ 1550 gondola is also free for pedestrians.
- 3No car needed in-resort — and parking in 1850 costs €25+/day anyway.
Most Common Mistake
Booking Christmas / New Year week thinking it's "the" time — it's triple price and the lift queues are the season's worst. Mid-January skis better for far less.
Ideal Stay
4–7 nights
Combine with
- • Méribel (lift-linked)
- • Val Thorens (lift-linked)
- • Annecy (1.5h)
- • Geneva (3h)
