Magic mountain

A Stephen Segal look-alike wearing a black leather jacket is leaning against a black Mercedes 4x4. Mumbling into his Bluetooth earpiece, his eyes hidden by shades, he looks around then opens the back door. Two tall, blonde women – one in a lilac ankle-length fox-fur coat, the other in a spray-on black ski suit with mink-trimmed hood and cuffs – speak to him in Russian, hop in and the wheels crunch the snow.

I am standing at the bus stop opposite the chalet-style tourist information office in the heart of Courchevel 1850. It is the second week of January, just after ‘Russian Christmas’, and the place is awash with well-to-do perestroikniks. Rumour has it that Roman Abramovich is in town.

This is my first visit to France’s glitziest ski resort since I worked a season here in 1999/2000 and how things have changed. Courchevel, situated in Savoie’s Tarentaise valley, has always been an upmarket resort but now I can barely afford to breathe. On my left is the new black and white Christian Lacroix boutique where limited edition skis will set you back a mere €50,000. In the glossy shop next door you’ll find a man’s alligator-skin ski jacket for a bloodvessel-busting €75,000. What is going on?

According to Florian Treves, owner of the four-star Hotel des Grandes Alpes, the rich and famous flock here because the resort offers the best of everything. Over a delicious piste-side Savoyard buffet lunch in the hotel restaurant he told me: “The movers and shakers started coming here after the altiport was built in 1960s as it offered easy access by private jet or helicopter. As a result, the resort has met the challenge to cater for this clientele, who keep on coming because they know they’ll find the best hotels, skiing and service.”

The tiny mountain village now has six five-star hotels (an apartment-suite can set you back up to €36,000 per night), eight four-star-deluxe hotels and four four-star hotels not to mention more than 20 luxury chalets (Posh and Becks stayed in one after Rebecca-gate).

Restaurants Le Chabichou and Le Bateau Ivre have two Michelin stars and La Table de l’Hotel Kilimandjaro has just been awarded one. Four other restaurants have their menus devised by top chefs – at Hotel Les Airelles, one of Pierre Gagnaire’s concoctions costs a whopping €600 (well he is a Paris-based culinary genius with three Michelin stars, after all).

So who comes here? The Russians only account for 10 per cent of overseas visitors. As expected, the majority of comers are French but 65 per cent of overseas visitors are British.
More than 50 UK holiday companies are based throughout Courchevel’s five villages – super-luxe 1850, party-loving 1650, family-friendly 1550, traditional Le Praz or new-build La Tania. Inghams has been operating in the resort for 15 years and has seen a big change during this time.

Neil Kewley, Inghams’ Product Manager for France said: “The number of skiers from the UK to Courchevel has declined in recent years, owing mainly to sharp increases in hotel rates and the sometimes exorbitant prices charged in bars and restaurants. Feedback from last winter concludes that many skiers perceive the resort as pricing itself beyond the pockets of part of its core customer base, a trend that the resort will have to try very hard to reverse. For winter 2009-10, a start has been made – the sensible hoteliers have heeded the UK operators' warnings and begun supporting us with their rates. What they need now is for the pound to strengthen against the Euro.”

But Nathalie Faure, PR Manager at Courchevel Tourisme, was upbeat about the resort’s future when I spoke to her recently. She said: “Yes, 1850 caters for a luxury market but so do destinations like St Tropez. It’s important to remember that there are four other villages in the valley, which have something to suit most people.

“Visitor numbers from both the overseas and the French market were each down by about 6 per cent in 2008/9 but that brought them back to normal – the 2007/8 season was exceptionally good for us. The strength of the Euro is without doubt partly responsible for the drop in British visitors. However, signs are positive for the future as investment continues with new hotels and chalets still being built.”

Courchevel, along with nearby Méribel and Val Thorens, makes up the Three Valleys – the world’s largest ski area. In Courchevel alone there are 93 runs over 93 miles served by 61 lifts and I was eager to reacquaint myself with the terrain.

I met up with Lulu Cottle, a Méribel-based Englishwoman who co-owns Magic Snowsport Academy, which offers private and group lessons with English or English-speaking instructors in Courchevel, La Tania and Méribel. After a couple of hours on the sun-drenched slopes we headed to the café in Hotel Les Tovets for a reasonably priced roast chicken with frites.

The former season worker told me: “Living and working in Courchevel is a big problem for seasonaires such as the instructors we employ. It’s expensive to go out – a pint starts at €5 – and accommodation is difficult to find as rents are high so most workers live down in Bozel and get the free bus up.

“I think that a decrease in prices and a stronger Pound would lead to more Brits coming back, which would be good news for the resort in general and British-run local businesses like us.”

After an eye-opening week, I caught the bus back down to Moutiers with a London-based graduate management trainee called Sam.

He said: “It was expensive in 1850 but prices are more reasonable in the other villages. Most disappointing was that the skiing isn’t that great for advanced skiers – Three Valleys is better suited to intermediates. But the fantastic scenery made up for the negatives.”

And that was the general feeling amongst most of the Brits I talked to. This beautiful part of France, on the edge of the Vanoise National Park, is well worth a visit – especially for intermediate skiers. To keep costs down, it’s probably best to avoid staying in 1850 (and/or peak season) and base yourself in 1650, 1550, Le Praz or La Tania.

Nathalie from the tourist office summed it up: “Courchevel has plenty to offer visitors, whatever their age, taste or budget. There are four other charming villages down the valley offering a wide variety of accommodation, restaurants and activities.”

ENDS

INFORMATION

For general information about the resort see www.courchevel.com or call 00 33 479 08 00 29.

GETTING THERE

I travelled to Courchevel on the Eurolines (www.eurolines.co.uk) overnight coach service. A return fare from London to Moutiers starts at £99. Local buses take you up to the resort. Eurostar (www.eurostar.com, tel: 08705 186 186) offers direct daytime and overnight services from London to Moutiers from 17 December 2009 to 19 April 2010. Standard return fares start at £149. The nearest airports are Lyon and Chambéry – see www.skyscanner.net for the best deals.

WHERE TO STAY

I stayed in Inghams’ (www.inghams.co.uk, tel: 0208 780 4433) Chalet Triolet in 1850. A week’s stay in this cosy, catered chalet starts at £590 including flights. For skiers on tight budgets, a four-bed apartment in Résidence La Maeva further down the mountain in 1550 starts at €395 per week from P&V Holidays – see www.pv-holidays.com or call 0870 0267 145. If money is no object, consider staying at the Bavarian-themed Hotel Les Airelles (www.airelles.fr, tel: 00 33 479 00 38 38) one of The Leading Hotels of the World group, which has its own ice-skating rink and a spa featuring a ‘snow cave’.

WHERE TO EAT

For good-value salads, omelettes and plats du jour (about €10) head to the café in Hotel Les Tovets on Rue du Rocher. There’s a supermarket along with cafés, bakeries and sandwich shops in the Le Forum centre. Hotel des Grandes Alpes on Rue de la Croisette offers a copious Savoyard lunchtime buffet (around €40). If you want to splash out for a special occasion, book the table d’hôte in the kitchen at Hotel-Restaurant Chabichou (www.chabichou-courchevel.com, tel: 00 33 479 08 00 55) where you’ll discover why chef Michel Rochedy has two Michelin stars.

SKI LESSONS

Magic Snowsport Academy (www.magicfr.com, tel: 00 33 479 01 01 81) offers private and group lessons for adults and children from beginners to advanced. Adult group lessons are €200 for five mornings’ tuition or €230 for six mornings. Private lessons start at €140 for two hours.

MONEY-SAVING TIPS

Transport: a free bus service runs between 1850 and La Tania until 1.00am, so you won’t have to worry about getting a taxi back if you go out.

Ski passes: A Family Ski Pass offers 20 per cent off to families with two adults and two or more children under 18. Under 5s and over 75s are entitled to a free ski pass. There are reduced rates for all at the start and end of the season.

Beginners: enjoy free lifts in 1850 (Cospillot, Bellecôte and Étoiles), 1650 (Belvédère and Mickey), 1550 (Roys), Le Praz (Envolée) and La Tania (Troika).

Alternative activities: there’s free access to 40 miles of cross-country trails as well as the toboggan run. Walkers can buy a reduced-rate pedestrian lift pass (€16 for a day).

Accommodation: the tourist office runs all-inclusive special offers on accommodation, ski pass and ski hire at the start and end of the season. See www.courchevel.com.