Practical info & advices for your skiing holidays in Courchevel
BEFORE YOUR TRIP - OUR ADVICE
The preparations
1. Order online : arrive in resort ready to hit the slopes! Yes, it’s true that skiing is an activity that requires a bit of logistical organisation: renting equipment, accommodation, buying ski passes… But you can make your life easier by reserving these things in advance. Then, when you arrive, you only have the practical things to sort out!
For example:
Rent your ski equipment: If you are staying in Courchevel during the school holidays, think about reserving in advance! The rental shops are very busy, and it could happen that they run out of the best equipment to suit you, if you arrive late…
- Collect your ski passes:
Avoid queuing up in the lift pass office on your first day skiing when the sun is shining, and your group are all impatiently waiting to get on the slopes: order your lift passes on our website skipasscourchevel! The advantages: - delivered directly to your home, or you can collect from the automatic machines in resort
- cancellation possible up until the evening of your first day skiing
all paid passes are available to reserve online, only the -5 years and 75+ years passes must be purchased in a lift pass office.
Ski schools and ski instructors: Whether it’s your first time on skis, you’re coming back to the sport after a break, or you simply want a guide to show you around the resort without having to constantly check that your route will take you to your favourite mountain restaurant… book your instructor through one of the ski schools prior to your arrival in resort!
2. Journey to the mountains Avoid busy roads: judge your arrival and your departure times carefully. It is so frustrating to get stuck in a traffic jam on your way up the mountain... Adapt your journey to avoid them, even if it means thinking outside the box!
Try booking your accommodation from Sunday to Sunday (more and more agencies and hotels offer this as an option). Opt for the train or ‘TGV’: our resorts are accessible via the bus network from our nearest station, Moutiers-Salins. The big bonus of travelling by train: it is less tiring, more ecological and not at all restrictive once you arrive in resort, as Courchevelis served by a regular and extensive bus network which can take you from village to village, depending on which restaurant, entertainment and shopping experience you are looking for!
Stay up to date with the snow forecast and the state of the roads. All information is available HERE
Please note that suitable equipment, eg. snow tyres or snow chains, are now compulsory to access the resort, as of 1st November 2021. (called the ‘Loi Montagne’ in French).
3. Pack your bags according to the weather forecast
From -15°C to +10°C: around here, we ski, whatever the weather! In the mountains the weather can completely change in days or even in just a few hours, no matter what season it is. It can be mild in February and very cold in April, there are no rules! To avoid any surprises, we advise you to check the weather forecast for the week you are visiting which will help you when packing and not forget anything important! Check the forecast
4. Get into shape with our special ski workout You don’t need to be an elite athlete to enjoy skiing? That’s true, but it’s actually more enjoyable if you prepare a little in advance. It’s good to take care of yourself and doing a few exercises builds anticipation for your approaching holiday! Stretching, yoga, building muscle… Every little helps! Some ideas to get you in shape: Lucile Woodward put together a routine of 7 muscle building exercises (thighs, core, buttocks) to do at home.
During your stay - our top tips
Best tips for your stay!
Which category do you fall into: are you a planner, who prefers to get out the piste map and plot your exact route the day before, or are you happy to be carried wherever the wind takes you? Whichever is more your style on the slopes, here are our top tips to make sure your day runs smoothly and is full of fun.
1. The piste map - pop it in your pocket Are you a carefree type who likes surprises, always looking to see what’s around the next corner? It’s wise to head out on your adventure with your piste map, anyway. Why? It will help you if you’ve lingered in another valley and need to find the fastest route back, or if your friend had a lie-in and wants to catch you up. Help yourself, free piste maps are available in all our sales offices as well as the tourist office.
2. The 3 Vallees app - a complete guide on your smartphone The 3 Valleys app provides everything you need to know about the ski area, in real time, of course: lift and slope openings, the pistes that were groomed the night before, mountain restaurants, webcams, technical incidents, notifications of the 3 Valleys links closing due to high winds… It’s all there. The app is free to download, so use and share it to your heart’s content!
3. Our team on the slopes - at your service! Got a question, a doubt, a problem? Our teams are there to help and inform. The ski patrol, lift pass operators, ski instructors, sales team: they are happy to advise and help you out!
4. Skiing with your children If they’re too young for a smartphone, we suggest that you put a card with your phone number in their pocket. Tell them in advance that should you become separated, they should head to one of the lifts and talk to a person wearing a blue uniform with a ‘STAFF’ label, or find one of our ski patrol, who wear yellow outfit with a yellow cross.
5. On the slopes, always respect the safety rules
- A helmet is essential for everyone
- The correct spees is the one you can control
- Slow down an look around when you change direction
- Always stop atthe side of the slope
- The slopes are not for après-ski, piste groomers are at work
- Offpiste is better with a peofessional
6. Ready for an off-piste adventure? Nice one! That means you’ve put in some practice on the slopes. But don’t head out alone… Mountain guides and ski instructors are at your service to show you the very best off-piste areas in the 3 Valleys, IN TOTAL SAFETY.
7. Stretching and hydratation #healthy When it’s cold, it’s easy to forget to drink water. Even for the sportiest of people, skiing is a physical activity, and the muscles need water. Don’t forget to take a bottle of water in your bag to stay hydrated. Another tip to avoid aches and pains: take 10 minutes to stretch every evening, before sitting down at the table to tuck into your raclette, fondue or other Savoyard delicacy! It’s not too much of a hardship and your thighs will thank you, the following day!
PRACTICAL INFO IN THE SLOPES
- Poor weather? Stay on the lower part of the ski area, in the forests, the visibility is much better!
- Foggy day? If visibility is bad and you want to find your way down to resort (for a hot chocolate!), keep the piste poles with the orange tips on your right, they indicate the right-hand side of the marked slope.
- Piste markers: The round, coloured signs on the edge of the slope tell you what colour piste you are on. The numbers inside the circle decrease from the top of the piste, so the closer you are to number 1, the nearer you are to the end of the slope! If you need to contact the ski patrol for an injured person, let them know the number written on your nearest piste marker and it will help them to find you more quickly.
- Add these ski patrol numbers to your mobile phone contacts, just in case: Courchevel : + 33 4 79 08 99 Please note that there are different numbers for each different resort. The paper piste map has all the numbers marked for each valley.