Smith tip
Expert skiers should tackle the Courchevel couloirs, if they dare. Take the Verdon’s gondola and head to the top of the Saulire cable car. There are four descents from the small plateau on the left. Sous le Télépherique and Emile Allais are red runs, while the Grand Couloir is a black and reached via a narrow path. A mountain guide is a good investment, for reassurance if nothing else.
Chalet Hermine
Courchevel, France[view map]
Slope off for lunch
The Bergerie is just above 1850, to the right of Bellecote. It doesn’t have a terrace but the rustic interior of this former sheep shed is a great place for hot chocolate and a hearty lunch on an overcast day.Activities
Courchevel is part of the Trois Vallées ski area – the largest in Europe. There are over 200 ski lifts and almost 350 ski runs in the immediate area, offering suitable terrain for both beginners and experienced skiers. The resort’s high altitude usually guarantees excellent conditions and serious skiers will love the black Les Suisses run and the off-piste couloirs near The Saulire. Try to ski the black runs at the beginning of the week as they become crowded towards the weekend, as people build up their courage. Courchevel is also great for snowboarding and you can arrange heli-skiing trips over the border to Italy. You can also try skidooing, hot-air ballooning, parapenting, ice-skating, tobogganing and snow shoeing. For really extreme sports, take a transfer to nearby La Plagne to shoot the bobsleigh run or head to Tignes for some ice-diving. Contact Whitetracks on +33 (0)686 12 34 17, www.whitetracks.co.uk.
Ski services
If you wish, the chalet manager can arrange everything before arrival. For those of you staying for a week, your ski passes can be ready and waiting for you. In-chalet equipment fittings, ski lessons, mountain guides, skidooing, snowshoeing and parapenting can be be organised and booked in advance. Chalet Hermine uses hand-picked mountain guides and activity providers and make recommendations based on years of experience.Restaurants
The Bateau Ivre
(+33 (0)4 79 00 11 71)Courchevel 1850 is the only place in the Alps where you’ll find a brace of two-Michelin-star restaurants right next to each other. This restaurant at the Pomme de Pin hotel has the best views of the slopes.
Le Bateau Ivre, La Pomme de Pin Hotel, Courchevel 1850
Chabichou
(+33 (0)4 79 08 00 55)Right next to the Bateau Ivre is the gastronomically spectacular Chabichou, also with two Michelin stars. There’s no shortage of fantastic ways to blow your cash at 1850.
Chabichou, Rue des Chenus, 73121 Courchevel 1850
Le Farçon
(+33 (0)4 79 08 80 34)This restaurant in La Tania has one Michelin star, which may be low by Courchevel standards but is still high enough to guarantee an unforgettable meal. The nine-course tasting menu is excellent.
Le Farçon, La Tania, Courchevel