What’s New in the 3 Valleys? Winter 2022-2023
The whole 3 Valleys ski area will open on 10 December 2022, with La Tania and Moriond lifts also opening. Courchevel 1850 and Le Praz lifts open a week earlier on 3 December.
… The big news for this winter is about the FIS Alpine World Ski Championships which take place in February, with the Women’s racing in Meribel and the Men’s in Courchevel, on the new Eclipse piste. Aside from this exciting event, there’s a new black run for advanced skiers in Meribel, and two more routes set aside for ski touring, which is growing in popularity each year. Last year the beginner’s area in La Tania worked really well, with a separate, safe space for children and total beginners to make their first turns before heading up the main gondola. There aren’t any new lifts this year, with all focus being on the Ski Championships, but there is action on green energy, with solar panels being installed on some lift stations to feed into the lift company’s energy grid.
FIS Alpine World Ski Championships 2023
This major ski competition in the winter sports calendar will run from 5-19 February 2023 in the 3 Valleys. There will be Men’s and Women’s races in Alpine Combined, Super G, Slalom, Parallel, Giant, and Slalom.
Preparations have been going on for the last few years, with the new Praz gondola and arrival area in Courchevel le Praz Alpinium, as well as the new piste ‘Eclipse’ which goes from the top of La Tania right down into Le Praz.
All this is exciting news for our guests who are on holiday during these weeks who will get to experience the atmosphere of this big competition in which skiers such as Mikaela Shiffrin, Matthieu Bailet, Beat Feuz, Sofia Goggia and Vincent Kriechmayr will be racing in their individual disciplines.
Competition Schedule 2023:
5 February: Opening Ceremony, Courchevel Le Praz Alpinium
6 February: Women’s Alpine Combined, Meribel
7 February: Men’s Alpine Combined, Courchevel
8 February: Women’s Super G, Meribel
9 February: Men’s Super G, Courchevel
11 February: Women’s Downhill, Meribel
12 February: Men’s Downhill, Courchevel
14 February: Team Parallel, Meribel
15 February: Men’s & Women’s Parallel, Meribel
16 February: Women’s Giant, Meribel
17 February: Men’s Giant, Courchevel
18 February: Women’s Slalom, Meribel
19 February: Men’s Slalom, Courchevel
‘Ibex’ black run in Méribel Mottaret
Under the Bouquetin chairlift, several years ago there used to be a black run… It is being re-opened for 2022-23 under the name Ibex (the English name for Bouquetin!) Starting at 2700m, it is 600m long and descends 300m and will be marked ‘Vertical Experience’ the same as the infamous Grand Couloir and the newer Couloir Tournier, making a trio of steep runs to tick off for those who enjoy a challenge!
These runs are secured, meaning the avalanche control team will work to make sure they are safe for skiers.
New solar panels to power ski lifts
This winter 450 solar panels have been installed on the roof of the Ariondaz gondola lift in Courchevel Moriond, which should be enough to power itself through the winter season with a production of 188 megawatt hours.
If this test goes well then further solar panels are planned for other roofs and even floating on the mountain reservoirs.
New for ski touring
The new ‘Géné’piste’ by Snowleader in Courchevel is a challenging ski-touring route, 2.8km long and with 528m altitude gain. The start is next to the Granges drag lift in Moriond, and the top is the summit of Signal chairlift.
A little further afield is an easier ski touring route, from the top of the Chalets gondola: 2km long and 370m of altitude ascent, going towards the Chalet du Lac.
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