Courchevel is an upmarket ski resort in the Tarentaise Valley of the French Alps. It is part of Les Trois Vallees, the largest linked ski area in the world. Within the Courchevel region there are four towns: Courchevel 1300, Courchevel 1550, Courchevel 1650 and Courchevel 1850, the most famous. The names may sound very strange until you realize they all refer to their altitude, in metres!

Each village has its own characteristics. Courchevel 1300 (Le Praz) offers a traditional mountain village setting with houses and chalet rentals lining the narrow winding streets. It is best known for its Olympic ski jumps. Courchevel 1550 is for the young at heart and is at the bottom of the 1850 sledging run. Courchevel 1650 enjoys a sunny situation, excellent après-ski and plenty of green and blue runs, making it popular with families. Courchevel 1850 is the true gem with unrivalled ski runs, luxury establishments and five star amenities.

Unlike many other ski resorts in the Alps, Courchevel was built from scratch in the 1940s rather than developing around an existing village. It is considered by many to be the best ski resort in Europe. It has 120 slopes with a maximum ski elevation of 2,738m. The longest run is 6km with 1552m vertical descent. The excellent ski lift system ensures that it is virtually queue-free, even at peak times.

Courchevel has 7 Michelin star restaurants and a host of designer shops to rival those of St Tropez! It continues to attract British royalty, Russian oligarchs and wealthy patrons to its upmarket resorts and extensive activities.