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Cheat Sheet: Courchevel

Cheat Sheet: So much to do, so little time. The essence of a place. Maximize your time, minimize your disappointment

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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.


Where to Stay:

HotelsNew on the Scene- LuxeLe Cheval Blanc
The newest addition to Courchevel’s luxury hotel scene and latest accessory of Bernard Arnault, LVMH Mogul. Expect pure luxury: a Givenchy spa, John Nollet hair salon, health club, pool…plus all chalets and suites have private hammams. Already a favourite with Russian billionaires and celebrities. Rates: 790€ a night in low season, 1,090€ in high, including breakfast and lunch.
(www.chevalblanc.com +33 4 79 00 50 50)Classic luxuryLes Airelles
Aristocratic, elegant, full of charm – if a little more formal than some of the others – and one of the hardest hotels on the planet to book over Christmas and Easter. Rates: 70€ -250€ per night. (www.airelles.fr +33 4 79 00 38 38)

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)

  HipByblos des Neiges
Literally St Tropez-sur-neige, as its namesake hotel decamps from the coast, lock, stock and barrel every winter. The ambience here is a little more relaxed than in St Tropez. Rooms from 490€ per night; suites from 1500€ per night. (www.byblos.com +33 4 79 00 98 00)Easy on the walletNew Solarium Hotel
Contemporary interiors in a classic chalet; not exactly cheap but great style for the money. Rates: 390€ -840€ per night.
(www.hotelnewsolarium.com +33 4 79 08 02 01)Chalets and apartmentsLe Saint-Joseph
Two gorgeous four-bedroomed apartments with their own private entrances. Parquet floors, wooden beams, Lacanche ovens, saunas, ski-boot warmers… Rates: 330€ -6,200€ per night.
(www.lesaintjoseph.com +33 4 79 08 16 16)Chalet Totara and Chalet Vizelle
Twin contemporary-alpine chalets, each with five bedrooms and its own butler – plus full hotel service from Le Kilimandjaro. From 4,540€ per night. (www.hotelkilimandjaro.com +33 4 79 01 46 46)Local AgentsCourchevel Agence
Upscale houses in prime locations. Le Hameau de Bellecote is one of the best spots.
(www.courchevel-agence.com +33 4 79 08 10 79)Agence de la Loze
Helpful and welcoming. Note: properties are not shown on the website. (www.gsi-immobilier.com +33 4 79 08 14 00)

Where to Eat:

Lunch:La Soucoupe Volante
Top of La Loze lift. Super-rustic style. Meat grilled over an open fire. Ignore the self-service restaurant downstairs.
(+33 4 79 08 21 34)Le Bel Air
At the top of 1650 gondola. Three sunny terraces with fabulous views. Warm and welcoming. (+33 4 79 08 22 10)La Bergerie
Located at the Bellecote piste. Old farmhouse with a big, sunny terrace. Savoyard and Italian specialities.
(+33 4 79 08 24 70)Après-Ski:Le Chocolathé
Tea (Mariage Frères, no less), hot chocolate, spiced apple juice and yummy pastries. (Rue du Park City)Le Chalet des Pierres
On the piste back to town, facing La Saulire, perfect terrace for an end-of-day splash of Champagne.Dinner:
Classical/grand gourmetLe Chabichou
Two Michelin starred super-chef Michel Robedy’s intimate dining room in a cosy white wood chalet.
(+33 4 79 08 00 55)Le Bâteau Ivre
Second-generation chef, Jean-Pierre Jacob cooks like a dream in his wood and glass aerie perched on top of La Pomme de Pin hotel. Two Michelin stars.
(+33 4 79 00 11 71)Authentic/neighbourhoodLa Fromagerie
Brilliant fondue, tartiflette and other Savoyard specialities. Open until midnight. Closed for lunch – but will open specially for groups.
(Porte de Courchevel +33 4 79-08 27 47)
 

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)


Beaches and Beach Clubs:
The fun La Grange and the more upmarket Les Caves de Courchevel (both at Courchevel 1850) are cool and boozy-ski-bum-free.Shopping:
Not what you come to Courchevel for – despite the designer brands that have boutiques here, but here’s where to go if you need a spot of retail therapy…

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.

  Experiencing Courchevel:

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)


Get Sorted:

Ski passThe Trois Vallées ski pass (six days for $225) gives access to the whole area.Ski equipmentSkiset/Ski Service has six shops in the area. All the latest, greatest kit and an excellent ski-boot fitting service.Bernard Orcel Sports also rents skis and boots. (+33 4 79 08 24 09)Ski instructorsBritish couple, Ian and Suzan Saunders (+33 4 79 00 52 71) are experts at giving confidence to nervous skiers.Pierre Gruneberg (+33 4 79 08 10 63) is a miracle worker, even when you’re having a very bad day.James Gachet (+33 4 79 38 18 40) or Stéphane Prost (+33 4 79 08 58 07) will give adventurous skiers a run for their money.   Babysitting
Annaïk Sarniguet is charming and trustworthy (+33 6 81 43 76 11) and the tourist office has a list of state-registered nursery nurses for babies. (+33 4 79 08 00 29)Catering
Most hotels will do ready-prepared food for cocktail parties and dinners. Le Chabichou (see Restaurants) is especially good.Helicopter transfer
Avoid what can be a slow drive from Geneva. SAF Air Courchevel takes up to 5 passengers.
(www.saf-helico.com +33 4 79 08 00 91)When calling Courchevel numbers from outside France, dial +33 for France and drop the first zero from the local number.

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