Where to Stay in Courchevel: A Village-by-Village Guide to the Three Valleys
Quick Answer
Courchevel splits into five altitude villages connected by lifts and pistes. Courchevel 1850 is the flagship — the highest, most developed, and most expensive, with seven Michelin-starred restaurants and direct access to the widest terrain. Moriond 1650 offers a family-friendly alternative at roughly half the price. Village 1550 is the quietest residential option. Le Praz 1300 delivers authentic Savoyard character around the Olympic ski jump. La Tania, purpose-built in the forest below, provides ski-in ski-out convenience on a smaller budget. Pick 1850 for dining and prestige; Moriond for families; Le Praz for atmosphere.
Courchevel anchors the western side of the Three Valleys — the largest linked ski area in the world, spanning 600 kilometres of piste across Courchevel, Méribel, Les Menuires, and Val Thorens. That position means any of Courchevel's five villages gives access to the full domain, but the skiing experience and nightly rate vary dramatically depending on altitude.
For terrain and piste detail, see our Courchevel skiing guide.
Courchevel at a Glance
| Village | Altitude | Character | Ski Access | Best For | Price Level |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1850 | 1,850m | Luxury, dining, flagship | Direct to Saulire, Vizelle | Prestige, groups, gastronomy | £££££ |
| Moriond 1650 | 1,650m | Family-friendly, lively | Ariondaz gondola, Belvédère | Families, mid-budget | £££ |
| Village 1550 | 1,550m | Quiet, residential | Grangettes gondola | Couples, peace and quiet | ££ |
| Le Praz 1300 | 1,300m | Traditional, Savoyard | Olympe gondola | Atmosphere, value | ££ |
| La Tania | 1,400m | Forest-set, compact | Troika chairlift | Ski-in ski-out, families | ££ |
Geneva airport is approximately 2 hours by road. Lyon Saint-Exupéry sits 2.5 hours away, and Chambéry — the nearest commercial airport — is under 90 minutes. Private transfers run from Chambéry in around an hour. The Moûtiers TGV station is 25 minutes from Le Praz, with direct services from Paris Gare de Lyon in under five hours.
Courchevel 1850: The Flagship
Courchevel 1850 — branded simply as "Courchevel" since 2011 — is the financial and gastronomic centre of the resort. Seven Michelin-starred restaurants, including Le 1947 (three stars) and Le Kintessence (two stars), sit within a few minutes' walk of the main Croisette thoroughfare. The Croisette itself is lined with Chanel, Louis Vuitton, and Dior alongside equipment boutiques.
Skiing access is the strongest of any village. The Saulire gondola connects directly to Méribel, the Vizelle sector serves intermediate terrain, and the Plantrey and Cospillot lifts reach higher ground without crossing to another valley. Advanced skiers can drop into the steep Grands Couloirs from Saulire's summit.
Nearly 84% include a private hot tub and 77% have a pool, reflecting the village's orientation toward full-service luxury.
The trade-off is cost. Nightly rates in 1850 sit well above the other villages, and the Croisette's restaurants price accordingly. But no other village in the Three Valleys concentrates this density of high-end dining, late-night bars (the Manali and Les Caves among them), and direct top-of-the-domain ski access in one place.
Moriond 1650: The Family Base
Moriond — formerly Courchevel 1650 — sits 200 metres below 1850 and roughly ten minutes by free shuttle or a short ski down. The Ariondaz gondola links Moriond to the upper slopes, and the Belvédère sector offers wide, confidence-building blue runs that make it one of the better intermediate areas in the Three Valleys.
The village clusters around a pedestrianised centre with a handful of restaurants, a Sherpa supermarket, and several rental shops. It lacks the haute couture of 1850, but that's the point — families come here for the gentler terrain, lower prices, and a less performative atmosphere. The Aquamotion waterpark — one of the largest mountain aquatic centres in Europe — sits between Moriond and 1550, with lap pool, wave pool, and spa facilities.
Courchevel Village 1550: The Quiet Option
Village 1550 is Courchevel's quietest residential option — a handful of restaurants, a small commercial strip, and the Grangettes gondola connecting up to the 1850 slopes, at the lowest nightly rates in the upper resort complex. Accommodation is predominantly apartment-style, with a handful of chalets.
The draw is peace. Village 1550 sits between Moriond and 1850 on the hillside, connected to both by piste and shuttle but set back from either village's activity. The Aquamotion waterpark is a short walk downhill, giving families an off-mountain option without the cost of staying in 1850.
For couples or small groups who ski all day and eat in — or who are happy to shuttle to 1850 for dinner — 1550 offers the lowest nightly rates in the upper Courchevel complex.
Le Praz 1300: The Authentic Village
Le Praz sits at 1,300 metres in the valley floor, built around the 1992 Olympic ski-jumping hill and a genuinely old Savoyard village centre. Stone-and-timber farmhouses, a 17th-century church, and local restaurants like Azimut (one Michelin star) give Le Praz an architectural character that the higher, purpose-built villages cannot replicate.
The Olympe gondola rises from Le Praz to join the main Courchevel ski area at 1850 level in around 15 minutes — fast enough for a first-lift start, but a noticeable transit step compared to skiing out of your door in 1850. The Praz sector also accesses a network of gentle cross-country trails and the Olympic biathlon stadium.
Le Praz attracts visitors who prioritise village atmosphere over ski-in convenience. The restaurant scene — anchored by Azimut and the bistro Le Bistrot du Praz — rivals Moriond for quality and exceeds it for authenticity. Weekly rates represent the strongest value in the Courchevel system.
La Tania: The Forest Base
La Tania offers the most affordable ski-in ski-out access in the Courchevel system — a compact, forest-set village at 1,400 metres with direct piste connections to both Courchevel and Méribel. Purpose-built for the 1992 Olympics as the athletes' village, it was converted into a family-friendly ski resort. The Troika chairlift provides direct access to the main Courchevel piste network, and via the Col de la Loze, skiing into Méribel.
The compact size — a handful of restaurants, one bar, a small grocery — suits families who want fuss-free logistics. Children's ski school operates from the village centre, and the pistes back down through the trees are gentle and sheltered. In poor visibility or flat light, La Tania's tree-lined runs remain skiable when the exposed upper slopes become difficult.
Rates sit alongside Le Praz as the most competitive in the Courchevel system, with the advantage of genuine ski-in ski-out access that Le Praz's lower altitude cannot quite match.
How to Choose: Matching Village to Trip
The decision often comes down to three variables: budget, group composition, and how you spend evenings.
Getting the Most from the Three Valleys
Whichever village you choose, the full 600-kilometre Three Valleys domain opens on day one. A few routing notes:
From 1850 to Méribel: The Saulire gondola crosses the ridge in around 10 minutes. Ski the Pas du Lac red run into Mottaret, or take the blue Loze trail for a gentler traverse.
From La Tania to Méribel: The Col de la Loze chairlift connects directly — La Tania is actually the shortest ski route between the two resorts.
Full traverse to Val Thorens: Expect 60–90 minutes of skiing from Courchevel 1850 through Méribel and Les Menuires to reach Val Thorens at 2,300 metres. Start early to get the most from the day.
For a detailed comparison of Courchevel against its Three Valleys neighbours, our Courchevel vs Méribel and Courchevel vs Val Thorens guides break down terrain, village life, and accommodation side by side.
Browse Our Courchevel Collection
Explore the full Courchevel collection, filter by ski-in ski-out access, or browse catered chalets with chef service to narrow the options.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which Courchevel village is best for families?
Moriond 1650 is the strongest family base. The Belvédère sector has wide, gentle pistes suited to learning, and the Aquamotion waterpark between Moriond and Village 1550 gives children an alternative to skiing. Rates sit 40–60% below 1850, and a free shuttle connects all five villages throughout the day.
Is Courchevel 1850 worth the premium?
For gastronomy-focused trips and large catered groups, yes. For ski-focused trips where you eat in, Moriond or La Tania deliver comparable piste access at significantly lower cost.
Can you ski between the Courchevel villages?
All five villages are connected by piste and lifts. You can ski from 1850 down to Le Praz or La Tania, and gondolas return you to the upper slopes. The free shuttle bus network supplements the lift connections, running roughly every 15 minutes throughout the day.
How far is Courchevel from Geneva airport?
Geneva is approximately two hours by road in good conditions. Chambéry airport is closer at 90 minutes, and Moûtiers TGV station — with direct trains from Paris — sits 25 minutes from Le Praz. Private helicopter transfers from Geneva or Lyon take 45–60 minutes.
When is the best time to ski in Courchevel?
The season typically runs from early December through late April. January and February offer the most reliable snow cover and the quietest pistes outside of the French school holidays (usually two weeks in mid-February). March brings longer days, warmer temperatures, and spring snow conditions on the upper slopes. For the best value, book early December or late March — peak weeks around Christmas, New Year, and February half-term command the highest rates.
