How to Enjoy Courchevel on a Budget
Despite the amazing snow conditions, an excellent lift system and a variety of skiing to suit all levels of skier, Courchevel has over the years become mostly known as a luxury resort attracting oligarchs, royals and film stars, which we think is a bit of a shame!
But here at Ski Magic, those of us who live here all year round know that it’s not all private jets and champagne lunches! And we also have some top tips on how to enjoy Courchevel on a more realistic budget…
Let us present our ideas on how to save a few Euros on your ski holiday, but still enjoy the fantastic skiing on offer.
1) Stay in La Tania or Le Praz
You don’t need to stay in Courchevel 1850 to access the ski lifts easily. La Tania is well-known as the best value place from which to ski Courchevel, and there are numerous chalets in great piste-side locations, just a short walk from the village. From La Tania you have easy access to both the Courchevel & Meribel valleys – 600km of skiing in total!
Often favoured by locals, Le Praz has an authentic French vibe of understated chic, with twinkly lights and narrow streets. With two lifts – the brand new gondola and a recently-updated chairlift, you can be at the top of La Tania or 1850 in one ride.
2) Opt for a catered holiday
Evening meals with unlimited wine? A catered chalet holiday is an ideal way to cut down on food & drink costs when skiing, especially if you fill up on the plentiful breakfast and tuck into the afternoon tea on your return to the chalet – some of our guests manage to last the whole day without needing lunch! See What’s Included in our chalet service.
3) Picnic on the piste
Rather than factoring in a budget for in mountain restaurant lunches every day, which quickly add up, especially when skiing with the kids, we have put together our favourite spots for a picnic. There are several places, indoor and outdoor, in which you can enjoy a simple ham or cheese baguette from the resort bakery, or a homemade picnic from the local supermarket. A picnic on the piste is truly an unbeatable al fresco experience with truly a stunning 360° panorama!
4) Keep travel costs to a minimum
If you keep an eye on the flight release dates, Geneva airport has some great value options from regional airports which means cheaper parking in the UK. Our transfers are also competitive, or you could investigate cheaper bus options from the airport, for example, Ben’s Bus or Altibus. You could also try Chambery airport which is nearer to resort and flies to seven UK regional airports.
Top tip: Sometimes it is better to organise your transfers BEFORE booking your flight: check out transfers first!
Driving to the Alps is also a good value option, if you fill up your car with people! It takes around 9.5 hours from Calais on the toll roads. Ferries are usually inexpensive in the winter and there’s free parking available in resort.
5) Ask us for recommendations
The good thing about staying with us at Ski Magic is that you can use our exhaustive knowledge of the local area; we can recommend a good lunchtime restaurant at a budget to suit you: Best value coffee? Cheapest option for chips on the slopes? Good kids menu?
Ask us and we’ll reveal our secret spots! In the meantime, we’ve put some mountain restaurant recommendations from budget to blow out here.
6) Get family ski discounts
If you’re travelling ‘en famille’ then we can help make budgeting a little easier. On our Family Weeks, we offer FREE ski and boot hire for all under 12s whose parents are booking ski hire through us. We also provide toys and games, highchairs, cots etc. to make life easier. Get in touch to find out more…
7) Choose our ski hire
Talking of ski hire, we offer our in-house service to help keep costs down AND make life just that bit simpler. Our ski tech will come to your chalet at a pre-arranged time to fit you all with boots and skis, so you don’t even have to leave the chalet and carry them from the shop!
8) The best lift pass deal
The 3 Valleys offers great value for the lift pass price, which is roughly the same as the major French resorts for a 6-day adult price. See our lift pass comparison for winter 2022-2023.
Make your life easier by ordering your lift pass through us before you arrive on holiday. This is a free service that we offer to our guests, and your pass will be delivered to the chalet so that you can head straight out onto the slopes. The price is just the same as you’d pay in the lift pass office – and in some cases cheaper as we benefit from buying ALL adult passes at the lower ‘Tribu’ rate – a 20€ saving on adult 3 Valley 6 day pass!
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