Style:
Think St.-Tropez-sur-Neige, Paris-sur-Piste; Moscow-in-the-Mountains (Russians love it): high-octane chic, oh-so fashionable. Yet manages to remain relaxed rather than snobbish… good for families as well as the urban fab-cool crowd.

Must-do:
Have lunch at Le Cap Horn, up on the piste; sunbathing on the terrace where a DJ plays Ibiza lounge-style sounds.

A perfect day:
Start early and ski to the hamlet of Saint Marcel (in St-Martin de Belleville) for lunch at La Bouitte- an exquisite old farmhouse, where chef-proprietor René Meilleur holds a Michelin star. (+33 4 79 08 96 77 www.la-bouitte.com)

Lie of the land:
Courchevel is a resort of five parts – the higher you go, the ritzier it gets; when we say Courchevel, we are referring to 1850 (its altitude). The village is a bit sprawly and not a picture-postcard but its location is superb – at high altitude and in the middle of the three Trois Vallées ski stations (between Méribel and Val Thorens), which means reliable snow and awesome skiing.

Be warned/avoid:
Don’t get stuck in the wrong valley when the lifts close. It’s a very long cab ride home. Book ahead! If you don’t book for lunch at the better mountain places, your wait for a table can be as long as your lunch (when you eventually get it).

Daily ritual:
Drop-dead chic it may be, but Courchevel is still full of sportifs (and a lot of ground to cover) so skiing starts early. Lunch, on the other hand, is l-o-o-ong and very social (so it matters where you go). Après-ski starts with a glass of Champagne in the late afternoon sun, up on the piste, on the last run home.

Discreet

La Sivolière
Hideaway location, yet close to everything. Striking, modern mountain-style exterior matched by smart alpine-style interiors; suites and apartments have open fireplaces. Rates: 300€ -5,000€ per night. (+33 4 79 08 08 33)

Le Kilimandjaro
Eight piste-side chalets (divided into 3–6 bedrooms each) grouped around a central pool/gym/spa area and connected by underground passageways. Excellent for families and groups of friends. Rates: 690€ -2,175€ per night. (www.hotelkilimandjaro.com +33 4 79 01 46 46)

Relaxed with great food

Le Hussard
Top-notch Italian food in a warm and convivial space with huge log fires. (+33 4 79 08 38 37)

Le Coeur d’Or
High-class gastronomy from Ducasse-Bocuse protégé, Gilles Hérard at Le Kilimandjaro.
(www.hotelkilimandjaro.com +33 4 79 01 46 46)

Hip

Le Cap Horn
Rotisserie chicken with Chateau Margaux epitomises Courchevel’s iconic spot – plus the magic of being up on the mountain at night. (+33 4 79 08 33 10)

Le Grand Café
The bar at Le Saint-Joseph serves up an Asian-inspired menu to a relaxed but très branché crowd. Go for the best Thai in town. (+33 4 79 08 42 97)

Fashion & Skiwear

Bernard Orcel (+33 4 79 08 24 09), Spyder (+33 479 080 327) and Emmegi for skiing; Armani, Céline, Valentino, Tod’s, Hogan, Sergio Rossi for après (Rue du Rocher).

Wine

Le Baricou
Stock from 130 French winemakers - classics as well as newer names. Also stocks caviar. (Rue des Verdons)

Chocolate

Les Mignardises
Deeply decadent chocolate – home-made, and brands like Valrhona. (Espace Diamant)

Market

At Le Forum every second Wednesday – great for cheeses and saucisson.

Skiing

Duh! Four times bigger than Vail or Whistler-Blackcomb, the Trois Vallées area’s excellent intermediate trails (our favourites: Jerusalem and Piste des Chapelets) are complemented by great swathes of off-piste territory, precipitous gullies (the Grand Couloir is truly breathtaking) and 81 miles of cross-country tracks.

Not Skiing?

Spa
The best are Chabi Spa at Le Chabichou (+33 4 79 08 00 55) -where you can do a multi-day “Chabiforme” break if you wish, and the Hotel Byblos Spa (Jardin Alpin BP 98)

Cookery class
Think you could learn something from a man with two Michelin stars? Michel Rochedy shares his tips during 2-hour morning sessions at Le Chabichou. (+33 4 79 08 00 55)