COURCHEVEL GUIDE
Newport Travel Guide
WINTER LUXURY
Exclusive Courchevel
In the department of Savoie in southeastern France we find the ultra-luxurious ski resort of Courchevel 1850. Courchevel is one of the most exclusive ski resorts in the world, and the place attracts everyone from the crème de la crème of the jet set crowd to members of royalty and other celebrities. Here you can enjoy the good life in the company of five-star hotels, cosy chalets and luxury boutiques.
WORLD´S GREATEST
The world’s largest ski system
Courchevel 1850 is often referred to as the ski capital of the Trois Vallées in southeastern France, which is the largest contiguous ski area in the world. There are over 600 km of spectacular pistes and 200 ski lifts. Courchevel refers to the villages of Courchevel 1300 (Le Praz), Courchevel 1550 (the original Courchevel), Courchevel 1650 (Moriond) and Courchevel 1850, which are named after their height in metres above sea level. The names were chosen for marketing reasons, to be able to compete with the resort’s arch-rival, the village of Val d'Isère.
CELEBS FAVORITE
A celebrity hotspot
Courchevel is a popular destination for snow-loving celebrities. David and Victoria Beckham have been spotted here, as have the actors Gerard Depardieu, George Clooney and Ewan McGregor. But probably never together – that would have sent the gossip rags into overload! Lionel Richie is also said to be a regular at Courchevel. In addition, rumour has it that the composer Jean Michel Jarre likes the place so much that he bought a house here.
FAMOUS ALTIPORT
A challenging runway
Courchevel Altiport (LFLJ) is located smack in the middle of Courchevel’s ski system. It is the archetypal altiport, an airport for planes and helicopters located high on a mountain, with a sloping runway. Courchevel Altiport has an extremely short runway, just 37 metres in length with a slope of 18.6 per cent, making it one of the most difficult places to land in the world. The runway is also famous from the opening scene of the 1997 Bond film Tomorrow Never Dies. Because the runway has no auxiliary lighting, it is almost impossible to land there in fog or low clouds. Today, the altiport is mainly used by smaller private jets and helicopters.