The project to improve facilities in the four village centres of Courchevel has been several years in the making. This upcoming ski season will see two new lifts inaugurated. The ski resort will also reveal "Alpinium", a multifunctional complex with ski lifts, carparks, a library and sports facilities. The upgrades to the infrastructure are being undertaken with a view to preparing the resort to host the FIS Alpine World Ski Championships in 2023.
Courchevel Le Praz will install a new 10-person gondola that will bring skiers and snowboarders to the top station of the Tovets chairlift in Courchevel 1850. The journey will take less than 6 minutes and will leave skiers and snowboarders in the heart of the Courchevel ski area. There will also be a carpark at the valley station with a capacity for more than 500 cars. Courchevel is hoping this will help attenuate the traffic congestion - as many as 7500 cars a day passing through! The lift will open earlier and close later than the pistes, so you don't have to worry about rushing back to your car and missing après-ski.
Facts & Figures: New Le Praz gondola in Courchevel |
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|---|---|
| Top station: Courchevel 1850 | Length: 1855m |
| Altitude top station: 1762m | Altitude gain: 506m |
| Speed: 6 m/s | Journey time: appr. 5:40 |
| Cabin capacity: 10 pax | Total capacity: 2400 pax/hr |
| Number of cabins: N/A | Location: Courchevel Le Praz (1300) |
Starting in the 2019-20 ski season it will be even easier to reach Courchevel 1850 from Courchevel Moriond thanks to the new Grandes Combes chairlift. The valley station will be located opposite Aquamotion, which is the largest indoor water park in the Alps with swimming pools, slides, wellness and sports facilities. From December it will also be possible to ski from Courchevel 1850 to Courchevel 1650 via a new one-kilometre-long blue piste.
Facts & Figures: Grandes Combes chairlift in Courchevel |
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|---|---|
| Top station: Courchevel 1850 | Length: 700m |
| Altitude top station: 1680m | Altitude gain: 180m |
| Speed: 5 m/sec. | Journey time: appr. 2:30 |
| Chair capacity: 4 pax | Total capacity: 2400 pax/hr |
| Number of chairs: N/A | Location: Courchevel Moriond (1650) |
Both lifts will terminate at a multifunctional top station called "Alpinium" located in Courchevel Le Praz, next to the Olympic ski jump. The top station will feature a carpark, ticket office, tourist office, ski school and multimedia library. On the roof there will be a football field and running track. During the winter months this will be the finish line for various skiing competitions. The Alpinium project is slated to cost 27 million euros.
Most of the investment in Courchevel's facilities is done with a mind to making sure the ski resort is in top-notch condition for the FIS Alpine Ski World Championships, which it will be co-hosting with Méribel. All men's disciplines will finish at the new Alpinium centre.
Born and raised in the ski paradise of Vancouver, Canada, I learned to ski before I can remember, balancing precariously on my parents’ skis as they sailed down the hill. I started snowboarding in my teens and am now delighted to be exploring everything Europe’s ski scene has to offer!
