So you want to head to one of the most luxurious ski resorts in Europe. Courchevel deservedly has the reputation for being the world’s best ski resort. Immaculate pistes, superbly interlinked skiing on the vast 3 Valleys ski area amidst beautiful scenery are just some of its features. Add to this an astounding range of bars, restaurants, chic boutiques and nightspots and it’s no wonder that Courchevel is so highly rated.

If you’re headed for Courchevel 1850 you should know it is the place place for the international jet-set. Like its stylistic rivals, Megève and Gstaad, a high proportion of its designer-clad visitors come here to see and to be seen.  You will definitely find your range of Porche’s, BMW’s, Bentley’s and Merc’s parked along the streets. A covered mall houses expensive boutiques, and a couple of supermarkets cater for the more mundane needs of self-caterers. The secluded Jardin Alpin sector is a Millionaire’s Row of sumptuous chalets and shockingly expensive hotels tucked away in trees that provide at least an illusion of privacy.

Accomodation

Beyond glitz however there are ways to holiday in this town at more reasonable expense. With a little digging you can get  a catered apartment right in the heart of town for about 550 to 750 EUR/wk. We chose to go with Powder White, and were not disappointed. Their service was excellent in all regards and the in-room catering offered us a level of intimacy and personalized service that can not be matched by a regular hotel. Add to that the fact that the seasonaire catering to you has the inside track on the best deals for going out and you’re pretty much set for the week.

Night life

Once you’ve set up your accommodation and ski pass, Courchevel has plenty of ways to get you separated from your hard earned cash. As you might expect Courchevel has an upscale nightlife scene. The Purple Bar in Courchevel 1850 just pulses with techno music and serves cocktails from 7 p.m. to 2 a.m. Either folks come here for early nightlife or warm up for early morning adventures at Le Cave or La Grange.To put a curb your spending you may want to start your evening by paying a visit to TJ’s bar. The price of a pint is at TJ’s comparable to that of other cities and they are famous for their wide range of shots which makes it a good launch pad for the evening. One word of advice though: If you’re over 30 you will be raising the average age of the place. If you’re still standing by 1 a.m. then Kalico’s is night club is where reps, bar staff and seasonaires all flock to. Unlike some of the other night clubs, it is affordable enough for you to buy a round without having to remortgage your house.

Good skiing

For riding on powder days you have to head for Couchevel 1650 for easy access off-piste lines and natural drops. Our personal favorites were the off piste on the right hand side of the Chapeletsand Bel Air runs which start from the top of the Signal and Bel Air lifts respectively. If you are considering going off piste do note that these are not are for beginners as the runs will have some technical bits through trees or steep narrow passages. If you are a seasoned boarder and willing to put in a little walking the off piste at Chapelets has some gems to offer. That being said if you are willing to walk a mountain guide will be your best bet to rewarding off-piste runs.

The snow park at Courchevel 1850 is a bit of a let down and you should head over to Meribel where there are two good parks.

For those days that you just can not be bothered to ski you may want to rent a luge and head to the luging run at the center of town. It is well groomed and will get your heart racing a few times as near crashes and a sore bum are nearly unavoidable.