No need for Loadsamoney in France’s most expensive ski resort

Courchevel is part of France’s Three Valleys, which is the largest linked ski area in Europe and, as such, offers a phenomenal amount of skiing. Accommodation is spread over several villages, which used to be named after their altitude but have since been rebranded – Courchevel 1850 is now just Courchevel, Courchevel  1650 is now Moriond.

Courchevel is also one of the most expensive ski resorts in the world, attracting celebrities (Posh & Becks), super-stars (Beyonce) and Russian oligarchs. But I spent a week at the resort over February half-term and my only celebrity spot was comedian Harry Enfield, who I bumped into in the Intersport hire shop, buying his breakfast at the Spa minimarket and again on the escalator going to the gondola.

Perhaps it’s because we were staying at a Ski Total chalet at Moriond, the cheaper of Courchevel’s two main villages, that we weren’t rubbing shoulders with the super-rich. While Courchevel 1850 might be full of five-star hotels and uber deluxe chalets, two hundred metres down the hill, it’s just like any other ski resort.

Harry Enfield’s Loadsamoney character might have felt at home higher up the mountain, but the comedian was evidently slumming it down at the cheaper end of town with us, and very nice it was too. None of our fellow guests in the comfortable but not stupidly luxurious Chalet Cascades struck me as indecently wealthy either, they were just a bunch of regular skiers who were drawn to Courchevel’s legendary skiing rather than its posh shops and restaurants.

And I was relieved to discover that prices on the slopes are not as painfully high as I’d feared. At the Bel Air restaurant and snack bar at the top of the Avriondaz gondola we bought cartons of tasty hot soup for €6 each, hot-dog and chips for €7 and hot chocolate for €3.50. Other cheap places for a pit-stop include the Bouc Blanc above La Tania, another village, and Coucheneige on the Bellecote slope which, despite being its soft leather sofas, was quite affordable.

You have to be check prices on the mountain quite carefully though. Hot chocolates at Le Pilatus right next to the altiport (where those too rich to travel by road arrive by helicopter or light aircraft) set us back €6 a pop. We should have known better.

We saved money most days by taking a picnic lunch on to the slopes. We bought baguettes and ham at the Spa (we were told that Carrefour was much cheaper but couldn’t find it) and sat at the side of the slopes or at one of the many outdoor picnic tables on sunny days. Unfortunately though, we couldn’t find any indoor picnic areas.

You can also save money by opting for a local area liftpass, which just covers Courchevel, instead of a 3Valleys pass, which extends as far as Meribel and Val Thorens. Unless you’re a seriously athletic skier, there’s no way you’d ski all 600kms and 335 runs covered by the 3Valleys pass in a week. Given that Courchevel has plenty of easily accessible off-piste, a family park with an airbag and fun park with jumps, there’s enough to keep you entertained.

One of the other advantages of staying in Courchevel, rather than one of the smaller French ski resorts, is the choice of ski schools. There are several here, in addition to the state-run ESF, including New Generation. It has offices in both Moriond and Courchevel 1850.

Lift queues, weren’t a problem, even during February half-term. There were a few notable bottlenecks, mainly at the main gondolas every morning, but we never waited more than five to 10 minutes for a ride and much of the time there were no queues at all.

Courchevel doesn’t offer a lot for non-skiers, and it’s not the prettiest of resorts (although the mountain scenery is stunning), but for winter sports enthusiasts it’s pretty unbeatable.