Ski Season 2011

New snow arrived in time to save half term from disaster, but from late February onwards everywhere has been struggling. It’s been unseasonably warm in a lot of places and we’ve seen early closing of a lot of lifts and even a couple of the lower resorts have brought forward the closing dates for their entire lift systems. Normally most resorts and tour operators would plough on regardless of snow conditions, relying on cannons to keep the main runs pisted and the demand of the school holidays to ensure the beds are filled despite the soaring temperatures. This year though, a lot of operators have been caught out by the lateness of the school holidays. The first weekend in April normally signals the busiest week of the late season, but in 2011 most schools were breaking up either this week (9th April) or will not go until next week (16th), much later than normal. As a result of this a lot of operators have decided to cut their losses, start closing down their chalets and begin sending their staff home earlier than planned.

Spring Skiing in Val d’Isere

Chalet Cherrier in Val d'Isere - An Old Favourite!

However, as usual there are some resorts that just keep on going and Val d’Isere is one of them. Last year we all piled off to Val Thorens for our end of season trip which marked a break with tradition as we had always previously gone to Val d’Isere. We had a blast at the Bonhomme de Neige but the decision was made to return to our usual stomping ground this season. This year we’ll be spread over two weeks, with the first being based in Chalet Lores and the crew heading out for the second week staying in the slightly more upmarket Chalet Cherrier. We’ve been to the Cherrier before and everyone rated it highly, so no doubt a few will be glad to be back!

There will be all the usual banter, including the themed ski day for which various fancy dress items have been arriving at the office for a few days now. Given the current weather conditions it looks likely that a lot of the afternoons will be spent soaking up the sun at the infamous Folie Douce, although according to the latest 6-day forecast, we might be in for a late drop in the freezing level and some fresh snow! It’s still actually possible to pick up a bargain for a last-minute ski deal leaving this Saturday so if you are still thinking about going away, give our sales team a buzz and we’ll see if we can get you out to Val d’Isere with us!

If you’d like more information on any of the chalets or resorts featured above then please give our knowledgeable sales team a ring at our London office.

Construction has already begun on the project

The project’s green credentials have been open to scrutiny and appear to have gained widespread approval. The cables for the new gondola will be made by recycling old cables from disused chairlifts, and the majority of the pylons will be carved from pine trees which already stand along the proposed route of the lift. Methane collected from grazing cows will provide 12% of the power for the new gondola.

The project is expected to take several years to complete but once finished it will link the three biggest French ski areas and enable skiers to cover 15 resorts in one day’s skiing. The combined total pistes in the area will be nearly 1,500km, with an area pass costing a quite reasonable 300 Euros a week.

The mayor of Courchevel, Jean-Paul Mugnier hailed the new development as the key to ensuring the long-term success of the French ski industry: “We have been awaiting a development like this for years. This will confirm that France, and the Tarentaise in particular is the number one destination in Europe for the serious skier. The benefits to the local economy will be widespread.”

If completed on time, the project is expected to be ready for the 2017-18 winter season and is expected to bring almost 500,000 extra visitors to the area each season.

For more information on the project, or if you’d like to know about the resorts the new lift will serve then please call our London sales office

It’s been a while. According to an old pal who still lives in Chamonix and posted on facebook this morning, it’s been 36 days. Some resorts might even claim a longer drought, but what we do know is that the worst is over and that there is fresh snowfall in most major resorts right now. The whole ski industry has been nervously checking weather forecasts, looking to the sky and I’ve seen a few videos of snow dances being performed in various resorts since the New Year. Happily, I’m glad to be able to say the Guardian’s article yesterday, predicting the possible end to the entire season in mid-February is nothing short of a scaremongering fabrication. Even if it didn’t snow again between now and Easter, all major resorts have excellent infrastructures in place to ensure that the vast majority of their pistes remain open all season long thanks to their numerous snow cannons and creative use of piste bashers.

Of course, having to rely on cannons to keep runs pisted for half of an entire season isn’t ideal and if you’ve gone out to somewhere like Chamonix looking for a week of awesome off piste then you are inevitably going to be disappointed if no fresh snow falls for 4 weeks. However, the majority of our clients and contacts in resort have reported that in spite of the lack of new snow, nearly 90% of pistes have remained open and perfectly ski able. You can’t deny though, that a foot of fresh snow is exactly what you would like to read about in the days leading up to your week in the mountains.

Most of the Tarentaise (The Three Valleys, La Plagne, Les Arcs, La Rosiere, Tignes and Val d’Isere) has seen between 20 and 30 centimetres falling this week, and further south there have been even heavier falls with more predicted for the southern French Alps, Italy and Southern Switzerland this weekend. Zermatt is expected to benefit from fresh snowfall which makes me think I might have found the deal of the season. As this post goes to press, we have one room left sleeping two in chalet Aeschhorn A, leaving on Saturday 19th February from Edinburgh, Glasgow or Belfast at just £499 per person. Considering that we’re talking about the most in demand date of the entire season, a top resort and a good quality chalet right in the middle of the village, this rates as one of the best deals I’ve come across. If you can only go away this week (teacher perhaps?) and can get to Scotland or Northern Ireland for Saturday, then this could be for you. I’d even consider getting the train up from London!

Even if there isn’t any new snow where you’re going then please don’t despair and please, whatever you do, don’t believe what you read from lazy, ill-informed journalists lacking in specialist industry knowledge.

If you’d like more information on the deal featured above then you’ll have to be quick, it’s the only room left! If you’d like more information about any of the resorts mentioned or to chat about anything ski-related, please drop us a line or give us a ring at our London sales office.

A phone call from a client earlier today got me thinking. As I reeled off chalet options in all of the above destinations for a possible Last Minute Ski Deal, the chap at the other end of the line simply wasn’t getting into it: “The thing is, David,” he said, “I want to go somewhere that few others have visited. I want to be able to talk with authority to any ski bore I meet about somewhere they almost certainly can’t claim to have ‘been there, done that’.” I racked my brains and searched our system. It didn’t take very long to come up with a list of destinations which offer all of the benefits of the big boys and also the chance to go somewhere that the majority of people taking package ski holidays won’t ever have heard of.

Saas Fee – Hidden Swiss Gem

Saas Fee in Switzerland - A truly beautiful destination

Not many Brits visit Saas Fee and that’s down to the lack of catered chalets in the resort. In fact we only feature 2 chalets and 2 chalet hotels here. Most of the accommodation in the resort is hotel-based but that’s no reason not to visit this wonderful Swiss destination. The resort is traffic free, the only way to get around is on foot or by electric taxis, which swish around the resort in emission-free silence. It’s also subject to stringent Swiss planning laws which over the years have ensured that no buildings are built above a certain height and the entire village retains a charm and aesthetic quality that you simply don’t get in the biggest resorts. Add to this the ski area, which is big enough to keep even the keenest skiers entertained for a week and the altitude of both the resort (1800m) and the highest ski lift (3600m) and you’re on to a winner. The nightlife is as quiet or boisterous as you want it to be and by Swiss standards (comparing with Verbier, Zermatt etc) it’s not too pricey.

Les Gets – Charming French village

OK, so the Portes du Soleil (PdS) might not be right off the beaten track, with Morzine and Avoriaz looking more and more like mainstream resorts these days, but Les Gets is still relatively unknown despite being in the biggest ski area in Europe. Nestled on the western edge of the PdS, Les Gets is a charming French village which is the antithesis of the purpose built behemoths like Val d’Isere and Courchevel. It is a fully functioning settlement which doesn’t shut in the off-season and is all the more authentic for it. Not the most lively nightlife I’ve ever experienced, but there are a handful of good bars and a couple of places which stay open into the wee small hours. The resort is very linear, with two main roads running parallel through the centre and most of the accommodation and main lifts are on or near these thoroughfares. There’s the usual choice of ski shops, fondue focused restaurants and also a genuine weekly street market with local produce. If you want a genuine French village experience, plus a huge international ski area then Les Gets should be on your list.

Serre Chevalier – The Highest City in Europe

Most UK skiers will have heard of Serre Chevalier but precious few will have actually skied it because the majority of UK tour operators don’t have large programmes here, but if you know where to look, you can have a great time in this superb resort. Serre Chevalier itself consists of several smaller resorts, each of which has its own unique character:

• Monetier – A very traditional French alpine settlement with buildings dating back centuries. Don’t expect much nightlife.
• Villeneuve – The main hub of the resort and where the majority of the accommodation is based. There is a small “old town” hidden in the centre of the resort. Full of quaint little bars and restaurants. Two of the main ski lifts stem from Villeneuve too.
• Chantemerle – Most of the UK based skiers end up staying or at least drinking here thanks to a strong nightlife scene and good access to skiing. It’s no oil painting but it does offer affordable accommodation and great ski access.
• Briançon – The highest city in Europe and a UNESCO World Heritage site.  There are ski lifts from Briançon and it has its own ski area but what Briancon offers is a whole world of extra activities aside from skiing. The old fort at the top of the town is a must-do.

Now, onto the skiing. Serre Che has something for everyone and every ability. The area is larger than most UK skiers realise and has more than enough for a week’s skiing. Highlights include the incredible larch lined tree skiing and the famous Montagnole off piste run. If you are partial to a few on-mountain après drinks then check out the Cafe du Soleil which offers some of the best value drinking in the Alps.

Les Gets by Night

Nendaz – Convenience and Value

The beauty of Nendaz does not lie in its size, as it is thought to contain as many, if not slightly more beds than its near neighbour Verbier. Nor does it lie in its beauty, as it’s not a particularly pretty town. Nendaz is a winner for convenience and most of all for giving instant access to the huge Four Valleys ski area. Nendaz might not have the fantastic nightlife of its more illustrious neighbour but it is large and lively and it offers a great place to base yourself if Verbier’s prices leave you weak at the knees. Another key to Nendaz is Sion. You can fly directly into Sion and the transfer to resort is simply 20 minutes (that’s right, twenty!). On a clear day, you can see the runway of Sion airport from the pistes above Nendaz and when you compare that to Val d’Isere’s 4 hour trek from Geneva, a 20 minute transfer feels like a little miracle!

Sainte Foy – Off Piste Heaven

Anyone who’s ever been to Val d’Isere or Tignes will by default have passed through Sainte Foy on their way up the mountain. Very few tour operators bother with Ste Foy though as it only has a handful of lifts and less than 40km of pistes. Based on those stats, most people wouldn’t give it a second thought, preferring to continue up to the Espace Killy with its far more impressive looking piste map. Those who ignore Ste Foy are missing out though. Yes, the pisted runs are limited and the village is small but for lift-served off piste there aren’t many better destinations in the Tarentaise Valley. With so many people ignoring Ste Foy, you can find fresh powder for days after a heavy snowfall, whilst in neigbouring Les Arcs, for example, everything is tracked out by lunchtime the day after a big dump. Even if this isn’t enough for you, it’s just 15 minutes by road to Tignes, Val d’Isere, La Rosiere or Les Arcs, so you can stay in Ste Foy and take your pick of which area to ski on any given day.

St Martin de Belleville – The Three Valleys’ Best Kept Secret

This resort is part of the biggest linked ski area in Europe, but it makes it into this list regardless. The main reason is that lots of people never make it down to this little gem of a village during their week’s holiday in the Three Valleys. Are they put off by the altitude (it is one of the lowest points on a Three Valleys piste map)? Is it too far from the traditional routes through the Three Valleys? Do people simply not know about it? Whatever the reason for it, you should make a point of getting to St Martin the next time you head to any Three Valleys resort. The run into St Martin has been voted the best in the whole ski area over and over again and anyone who has skied it will testify that shooting down over the wide open rollers of Jersualem on the way to a lunch appointment in the village is one the best ways to spend your time in the Three Valleys. Staying here is another matter, as just like Ste Foy it’s a resort that so many mainstream tour operators bus clients through on their way up the valley to the purpose built, bums-in-beds chalet apartments of Val Thorens. Everyone seems to forget that a week in a traditional French village, being entertained to the highest standards in an old farmhouse, for example, is an absolute treat and this destination should be on the to-do list for any serious skier.

Geilo in Norway

Probably as far from the beaten track as any resort we feature, Geilo is hidden far into the hills of central Norway and you won’t find many people who’ve done anything as different as this. Ski resorts in Norway are invariably small but Geilo is one of the biggest with nearly 40km of pistes, a huge variety of cross-country options and a fully functioning town in the middle. Skiing is a way of life in Norway (the sport is named after the area in Norway from which it is claimed to originate) and there is no such thing as a ski resort in this country.  Anyone visiting Geilo might not be blown away by an enormous ski area or acres of off-piste, but it’s a brilliant destination for families or beginners as it offers gentle rolling pistes, an efficient and usually queue-free lift system and guaranteed snow.

Obviously there are loads more resorts that didn’t make the cut but that merit a mention when discussing the best lesser-know ski destinations. Vemdalen in Sweden was visited recently by a couple of our staff and rated highly. The same goes for Ischgl in Austria, Champery in Switzerland (another PdS beauty), Grimentz, Kappl and several others. There really are so many excellent resorts sitting on the periphery of most people’s ski radar that are well worth paying a visit. Perhaps next time you look into booking your dream ski trip, give some thought to these not only for the quality of the destinations themselves, but also to expand your own horizons and give you bragging rights at the dinner table.

If you’ve been inspired by any of the destinations above or if you’d like more information on any of our resorts, please give our knowledgable sales team a call in our London office or drop us an email.

Travellers that are considering making plans for a 2012 ski trip may wonder where the best action on the slopes will be this season. Annually, hundreds of resorts compete for the attention of avid skiers, but only a few are truly top-notch places that are certain to provide the ultimate vacation, thus qualifying as one of the best. Here are three of the most desirable places to consider for the ideal ski destination.

Alpbach, Austria
Alpbach in Austria is such a truly charming village; a real Winter Wonderland of a destination. Alpbach skiing holidays have long been a firm prime resort with fantastic skiing from the many winding green runs for the beginner to the exciting off-piste skiing and black bowls for the advanced amongst us. The main skiing entree is via the Wiedersbergerhorn gondola and is good start for the Intermediates with the stretching tree lined red runs.
The village is very family friendly with charming relaxed après ski and the people you will find are very friendly and accommodating.

Mayrhofen, Austria
As one of Austria’s most popular resorts, this village always lives up to traveler’s expectations. This ski area is part of the enormous Zillertal 3000, so it is easy to access the nearby resorts of Eggalm, Finkenberg, and Rastkogel, and one lift pass will allow admittance to these and many others. Avid skiers get more bang for their buck in Mayrhofen and contributes greatly to its popularity.
Beginners should consider attending the Mount Everest ski school before hitting the slopes, as this area boasts some of the steepest runs in Europe. Numerous wide-open red and blue runs keep moderately experienced ski enthusiasts entertained, while those with expert skills take on the hair-raising black diamond trails. Much to the delight of snowboarders, this resort features one of the most extensive fun parks in Europe.

Soldeu, Andorra
This tiny country packs a big bang, and the inspiring Pyrenees Mountains offer superior skiing for the enjoyment of enthusiasts. Whether they are on the slopes or enjoying activities in the village, travelers will encounter some of the friendliest people in the world. Après-ski is extremely popular in Soldeu, and the resort boasts quite a few hot spots for gathering after the sun goes down.

Skiers of all experience levels will feel right at home on the vast assortment of runs available. With four distinct ski areas that are connected via bus service, travelers will have a plethora of trails to explore. The dramatic half pipe and extensive snow park are ideal for snowboarders to hone in on their craft. Non-skiers can enjoy sled rides, snowshoeing, and side trips to neighboring Spain.

Levi in Lapland, Finland

The Levi resort area lies in the pristine and unspoilt lands of the Arctic and is one of the most extensive ski areas in Finland. Because of its location, some of the most amazing vistas occur in the skies, and visitors may even have the opportunity to view the spectacular phenomenon of the Northern Lights. This area is typically not crowded, which makes it an ideal place for beginners to embrace the sport.

Experience skiers love the short lift lines, and are challenged by the variety of slope gradients that grace the mountains. Plenty of off-piste access is available, and snowboarders have their own alley and half pipe to enjoy.

It wasn’t your typical ski break, as we only actually spent two nights in our sumptuous surroundings. Sadly, trips out to view chalets are fun but all too often short-lived. We won’t dwell on that though, instead I’d like to focus on the superb surroundings and brilliant organisation which meant that we came back feeling as though we’d been away for a whole week

The superb Bellevarde Lodges in Val d'Isere

Let’s start with our base, Chalet Chablis. It’s difficult to conceive of a better location in Val d’Isere; the Bellevarde Lodges are just above the main lift station with a piste running right behind all 5 chalets. It’s simply a case of about 5 steps up from the heated boot room to the Santons piste and a 2 minute glide down to whichever one of the main lifts you wish to get on. The Solaise, Bellevarde and Olympique lifts are all handy, giving quick access to the entire ski area. It takes perhaps 10 minutes to stroll into the town centre but this is an easy walk and no bad thing, as chalets in central Val d’Isere do occasionally suffer from noisy revellers spilling out of town centre bars late at night. Chablis is furnished to a very high standard, with en-suite facilities in every bedroom and a lovely double height lounge with open fire and fantastically comfortable sofas. The hot-tub on the balcony from the lounge adds that little bit of extra luxury to a superbly finished property.

Day one began for me with a quick blast up the mountain on my own having arrived on Sunday morning on the sleeper train from Paris. The rest of the party arrived at around 2 pm and we all got together for a quick resort orientation before a couple of beers in the Petit Danois followed by Champagne, canapés and supper back at the chalet.

The Gourgeous Petit Choucas’ Living Room

Day two was an early start and straight up the Solaise for a full morning on the slopes. Temperatures in the shade were dipping below minus 10 with wind-chill making it feel more like minus 20. The pistes were in superb condition though and being so early in the season they were almost deserted. We found our way to Le Fornet, before tackling the notorious Face de Bellevarde right before lunch. I was actually rather glad to have an excuse to stay off the mountain during the afternoon. Any break from the cold was fine by me, so chalet viewings were a welcome respite. We went up to Le Cret, just outside the town to look at a cluster of fourlovely chalets; Chalet Davos, Chalet Klosters, Chalet Arosa and Chalet Madrisah. All four are recently built to a really high standard. There’s so little to choose between them but if I had to, it would be the master suite in the Davos with its four-poster bed, fireplace and free-standing bath tub! All four benefit from a driver service as they are a little way out of the main town centre.

The third and final day went down a lot like the first, an early start and some brutally cold skiing around Tignes followed by the excruciatingly touristy event that was our lunch. Nine adults seated around a restaurant table, nine Tartiflettes ordered and all nine subsequently demolished in record time. We popped in to a few more chalets after that, this time the highlights were the Farmhouse which is a striking converted 200 year-old farm building in the heart of the old part of the village and the Chalets Grand and Petit Choucas. The contrast between the two couldn’t be more marked. The Chalet Farmhouse manages to combine modern comfort with true charm and character, something that so many chalets try their hardest to achieve whilst falling well short of this benchmark. The Choucas’ apartments were the antithesis of the Farmhouse but they were just as well received by the whole group. They are spacious, sleek, modern and despite being just metres from the main road they are peacefully set back from the hustle and bustle. My favourite chalets of the entire weekend were these two little beauties.

Our final visit was to the Aspen Lodges. This complex is right on the main street and benefits from the sort of service you’d find in a 5 star hotel (concierge desk, communal lounge area with pool table and a small coffee bar) whilst being split into individual chalet apartments sleeping between 6 (the Oak Suite for example) and 10 (the Penthouse Suite). All are modern, really well fitted out and have south-facing balconies off the comfortable lounges.

Almost as soon as it began, we had to pack up and leave. Just time to thank our guide, James who looked after us every step of the way, taking care of everything that we could throw his way and quite a bit more besides. Don’t forget our chalet hosts Jack and Tim, who were equally attentive and made us feel right at home even though a bunch of rowdy travel agents was the last thing they probably needed as they prepared themselves for their first lot of paying guests. Val d’Isere will always be one of the best early and late season destinations and any one of the chalets we visited would provide an ideal home for the week.

Thanks very much to James at VIP for the organisation and hospitality. If you’re interested in any of the chalets featured above or if you’d like some more information on Val d’Isere then please give our sales team a call or visit our Val d’Isere Chalets website. All of the chalets above are also featured on our Luxury Ski Chalets website. For more photos of your trip please take a look at Nick’s photo album on facebook.

If you’re a sales professional with a healthy interest in Skiing or Snowboarding or even an ex seasonaire simply looking for a change in career path, then Interactive Resorts may well have the answer. We are currently on the lookout for seasonal sales staff to add to our expanding sales team, based in Fulham, SW London.

We’re a young, dynamic company and we offer a unique and fun working environment for the right people. All of our sales staff are passionate skiers or boarders who have spent considerable time in resort and are able to apply their overseas knowledge effectively in giving our clients the best possible service when booking their ski holidays. If that sounds like you, then consider some of the benefits of working here.

• Basic salary to £18,000 pro rata

• Uncapped in season commission

• End of season bonus

• Earnings potential of over £25,000 OTE pro rata

• Monthly team rewards

• On going training and development

• End of season ski trip for best sales people

• Social events and antics

We’re looking to add sales staff to our team for the busy winter season but we always want to reward our best performers so if you show us enough promise then an extended contract is always a possibility. If you think you’ve got the passion, knowledge and drive to be a successful ski salesperson then we’d like to hear from you.

To apply, please send your CV along with covering letter to jobs@interactiveresorts.co.uk. If we like the look of you then we’ll be in touch!

Interactive Resorts is now established as the UK’s biggest ski specialist travel agent. Unlike some other agencies, we deal only in Ski and Snowboard holidays which means our specialist knowledge of ski resorts is unrivalled in the industry. Not only that, but we’re completely independent, which means that when you deal with us for your Skiing or Snowboarding holiday, you’ll receive completely impartial, objective advice and help with choosing your holiday. In order to provide such a service, we dedicate a lot of time to picking only the very best people to work in our sales team. Everyone in our sales department has done at least one season in resort, with some having done upwards of 5 seasons abroad. This is the first in a series of “meet the team” articles which will profile some of our staff members old and new and give you the chance to find out about the people who make your holidays happen.

Matt Simpson – Sales Manager

Matt is one of the longest serving members of the team here at Interactive, with over 5 years service. He’s done five seasons in total, one each in La Plagne, Courchevel and La Tania plus two in Serre Chevalier. He’s a snowboarder and  Serre Che is his favourite resort thanks to “the best lift served off-piste I have ever come across”. Aspen is his dream destination and his hobbies in the UK include ballroom dancing and embroidery. Marred by a lifelong love of Tottenham Hotspur, Matt is sports mad and has been known to place bets on Mexican amateur wrestling on Tuesday nights.

Andy Crisp – Senior Sales

Andy has been with interactive for over 3 years and is part of the furniture now. He served his time abroad in Alpe d’Huez, Val d’Isere, St Anton and Saalbach. His favourite destination is St Anton, which Andy says is almost like somebody designed  a resort with his personality traits in mind. We’re not sure whether this is a reference to the superb skiing or extensive drinking but it could well be both! Andy dreams of visiting Chamonix and when he’s not on the slopes, his favourite sport is Badminton and he can often be found in the gym. London Wasps RFC take up a lot of his spare weekends.

Nick Barlow – Sales

Nick has been with Interactive Resorts for just over a year, having done seasons in Meribel and Fernie in Canada. His favourite European resort is Chamonix. Nick struggles to name a single dream ski destination as he has so many but Japan, Verbier and New Zealand are all up there on his list. Nick is a keen cyclist and is fluent in Polish. He’s a very sociable chap who can very often be found in the various watering holes of South West London, all too aften alone. Another Rugby nut, Nick’s Leicester Tigers have a habit of giving him bragging rights over Andy!

Anna Defreitas – Admin

Anna doesn’t sell our holidays but works tirelessly behind the scenes in the admin department to ensure that everything goes smoothly for clients both before and during their holidays. She’d never skied before joining Interactive but has since been converted and loves the sport! Her favourite resort is La Rosiere thanks to its wide open runs which give her plenty of space to work on her technique. Anna is an arty sort who enjoys museums, art galleries and walks along the South Bank. Rumour has it that Anna has completed marathons on every continent of the Earth, but she refuses to confirm this!

A Eurostar train makes its way to the Alps

The direct services stop at Moutiers for the Three Valleys, Aime for La Plagne and Bourg St Maurice for Val D’Isere, Tignes, Les Arcs, La Rosiere and St Foy. There are two classes of travel, Standard and Standard Premier. In Standard class you have an allocated seat and unrestricted baggage allowance. Standard Premier offers a larger seat with more room and meals and drinks served at you seat. If you book early enough, the difference in fares between Standard and Standard Premier is minimal, making the latter very good value indeed, especially considering the length of the journey and the added comforts in the upgraded class.

The trains, which are available to book as of 9 o’clock this morning on www.eurostar.com, are provisionally running to the following timetable:

Train times: French Alps to Ashford/St Pancras International, London

Adult fares in Standard class start at £149pp return, which includes unlimited baggage allowance and skis and from £229pp in Standard Premier, including baggage and also includes light meals and drinks served at your seat.

Upon arrival in Moutiers, Aime and Bourg St Maurice, local buses wait to transport skiers directly to all the main resorts and most transfer times are less than an hour from the stations. Although it’s not strictly necessary to book in advance for these transfers, they do get rather busy on peak dates and pre booking is quite simple on www.altibus.com. Once it’s all booked up, you simply need to get to St Pancras around an hour before your train departs to check in, then just enjoy the smoothest, most relaxing method of travelling to the major ski destinations for your last minute ski break.

All information on this post is correct at time of publishing, however we would advise checking prices and availability with Eurostar to ensure your chosen services are available before making your chalet booking. For more information on chalets in any of the resorts served by the ski train, please give our sales team a call.

Courchevel in France is one of Europe’s premier ski resorts, sitting at 1850 metres above sea level and forming part of the Three Valleys, the world’s largest fully linked ski area. Courchevel is split into 4 villages, each named after their altitudes. They are Courchevel 1850, Courchevel 1650, Courchevel 1550 and Courchevel 1300 (also known as Courchevel Le Praz). The history behind the creation and development of this alpine gem is a fascinating story and having spent 2 whole seasons in Courchevel myself I found my eyes opened by learning the stories behind the modern day resort. This is the first of what will become a regular feature on the history behind all of our major resorts.

The History of Courchevel Ski Resort

The original villages in the area were the villages of St Bon (1100m) and Le Praz (1300m). St Bon was the political centre of the locality, containing the Mairie and town hall. Towards the end of the 1930s the French government started to look for a site for a purpose built ski resort to rival those of Switzerland but the start of the war meant that the political will to complete the project was lacking. Other projects such as Meribel benefited from being privately funded and prospered, but Courchevel’s progress was somewhat slower.

In 1943 Laurent Chappis, at the time imprisoned as a PoW in Austria, began thinking about his own personal project to improve the Three Valleys area, which encompassed the valleys of St Bon, Les Allues (Meribel) and Belleville (the future Les Menuires and Val Thorens valley). He planned to create three linked ski resorts, with the Tovets meadows above St Bon as the focal point for his new resort. Having secured the support of the Savoie General Council’s President of Finances, Pierre Cot, the next hurdle was securing the land to proceed with the project.

Courchevel 1850 as it is now, with the teardrop-shaped Jardin Alpin in the middle

Laying the foundations

St Bon already had a small tourist industry, with the first hotel opening in the winter season in 1925 and the mayor, Francis Mugnier, persuaded all but one of the local landowners to sell land to the project. On 3rd May 1946, their land was transferred to the Department of the Savoie who immediately built an access road and began dividing the area in small plots to be sold on to private investors, with the idea that they would build according to a fixed plan. Chappis’ plans involved a social aspect, which nowadays might seem amazing given the prices of land and holidays in Courchevel 1850. He was insistent that the new resort should have one area for high quality luxury hotels, one for more modestly priced hotels and one for individual chalets. All of the different areas would have equally good access to the skiing and nowadays the layout of Courchevel 1850 still reflects the manner in which Chappis divided the land. The Bellecote area, with its luxury hotels beside the piste remains the most exclusive destination, the budget hotels were in the Plantrey area (although most are now refurbished with prices to match!) with the individual chalets at Nogentil, further up the Bellecote piste.

At the heart of the resort, Chappis proposed that an area would be preserved as a beautiful alpine garden, or Jardin Alpin. The rules surrounding this area were particularly strict, with buildings not permitted above the height of the trees and all residences (hotel or chalet) to be ski in, ski out. The commercial centre of the resort was below the Jardin Alpin and car parks were lower still, at the entrance to 1850, with the idea being that guests would arrive, park their cars and be transported to their accommodation by bus. 

What’s in a name?

The question that still needed answering as the development got off the ground was what to name the resort? Chappis’ idea was to name it after the meadows on which they built first and call it the Plateau des Tovets but others thought a catchier name was needed. After thought, the suggestion was made to take the name of a hamlet a little further down the hill called Courchevel. The original Courchevel would be renamed Courchevel-Dessous or “Lower Courchevel” but this was met with distaste  by the inhabitants of the village. To them, the name implied that their village was inferior and was seen as almost insulting. Finally an agreement was reached and the new resort was named Courchevel 1850 with the original village being named Courchevel 1550. One final problem, the new resort sat at 1747 metres above sea level, why call it 1850? The reason was down to nothing more than rivalry with the other new development along the Tarentaise Valley called Val d’Isere, which stood at 1800m!

Further expansion

By the 1960s, Courchevel 1850 was a fully established resort and although developments and refurbishments were (and still are) ongoing, the resort had become very popular. The original residents of St Bon, who had given up swathes of land to aid the development of the area, were becoming increasingly frustrated at being frozen out of the running of the resort and at missing out on the obvious benefits. They all had steady employment looking after ski lifts, servicing hotels and chalets but of the 157 families who had lived in the commune before the development, only 9 had managed to set up businesses of their own. They began to develop the village of Moriond, on the access road to Courchevel 1850, but without any overall vision from one planner (such as Chappis), the result was haphazard. Buildings sprang up along the main road, with no thought for access or parking and very little consideration given to their visual impact on the area. Even today, driving through Courchevel 1650 (as Moriond is now known), you can immediately see how this lack of foresight led to a sprawling, uncoordinated ski station. The new developments also meant that the lift system was creaking under the weight of ever more skiers.

A new way forward

In 1964 the resort of Courchevel 1850 and the council of St Bon called a halt to all further developments and finally agreed to come together and create a plan for the whole area. They decided that the running of the entire Courchevel area and its infrastructure, which now encompassed Courchevel 1850, Moriond (1650) and Courchevel 1550, where developments had started and a gondola to 1850 had been established, would be transferred back to the local council of St Bon. The responsibility for running the ski lifts would stay with the Department but the local families of the St Bon commune now had much more involvement in decision making and much more power over their own locality.

The resort went from strength to strength over the following decades with links to Meribel established, and by 1973 the whole of the Three Valleys ski area had been connected. The Three Valleys became the largest fully linked ski area in the world, a record it holds to this day. Over 600kms of piste link more than 10 resorts: Courchevel 1850, Courchevel 1650, Courchevel 1550, Le Praz, La Tania, Meribel Village, Meribel, Meribel-Mottaret, St Martin de Belleville, Les Menuires and Val Thorens.

Courchevel 1850 has slowly expanded over time but it does remain quite faithful to Chappis’ original vision for the resort. The biggest change to the original vision was the addition of the airport above 1850 which allows planes of up to 70 seats to land almost directly on the pistes. Courchevel 1650 bears the legacy of the ill advised developments of the early 60s, but has been modernised over time and these days offers a very good alternative to the high prices of Courchevel 1850. Courchevel 1550 remains a quiet village but has very quick and easy access to the amenities of 1850 and direct access to the ski area. Le Praz at 1300 metres is a locals’ village and still houses a lot of the original families from the area. It came to life during the 1992 Albertville Olympics when the Ski Jump competition took place at a newly built jumping facility which still hosts top class ski jumping to this day. Even after the Olympics, the village remains unspoilt by huge developments, but has a good number of tourist residences. St Bon, the original starting point of the entire project remains undeveloped and houses mainly locals. To this day, Courchevel’s politics still take place in this traditional Savoyard village at the bottom of the Three Valleys network.

For more information on Courchevel, or any of our other resorts, please drop us a line or give us a call at our London offices.