Today we are going to take you onto the ski slopes of Courchevel 1650 for the perfect ski day with our partner ski school, New Generation Ski and Snowboard School.
Most days on the mountain in Courchevel 1650 are what we would describe as a perfect ski day. Whether you’re a beginner or an expert skier, there is plenty of terrain for everyone to learn and explore.
First Lifts
Our perfect ski day in Courchevel 1650 would start on the Ariondaz bubble at 9:00 to get us up and out of the resort centre. We’d hop on the lift with one of our instructors to beat the lift line and ensure we’re some of the first skiers up on the mountain.
From the lift, you can see a lot of the terrain, so we’ll devise a plan of where to go depending on the snow conditions.
For a cruisey warm-up, we’d jump on the Signal chairlift and get our blood pumping by laying some turns over on Grandes Bosses which is a blue run. Granges is also a top pick, as it’s always perfectly groomed, there’s never anyone there and with views of the Dent du Villard mountain ahead of you, it’s a fantastic way to start the day.
But, if there’s fresh snow, we’re heading straight to Chapelets, Bel Air or Roc Mugnier for a few runs before it gets tracked out. The ski runs on the outskirts of the ski area get forgotten, so they’re an excellent place for some turns on untracked snow!
Morning Fun
Mid morning, you’ll find us cruising the blues in Courchevel 1650 (Gentianes, Petit Bosses, Granges, Marquis) We never get bored of carving on the corduroy in 1650, and the network of blue and red runs never disappoints. The pistes interconnect, enabling you to find a new route each day. The pistes in Courchevel are vast and rolling, which is a big confidence booster if you’re feeling a little wobbly first thing in the morning.
Once you reach the top of the Signal chair, make the most of the stunning views down the Les Avals valley. There are no lifts down there as it’s on the edge of the Vanoise National Park, so you’ll only see wildlife and maybe a few ski tourers scribing a line in the snow. It’s a great place to snap your next Instagram post to make your friends and family envious!
Mid Morning Snack Stop
Cabane de Sullys is a cosy little snack bar recently opened in the Plan du Vah Valley (between the Roc Mugnier and Aiguille de Fruit chair). It’s tucked away but gets the sun over lunchtime and is a great place to rest your feet and grab a drink or a snack on the picnic benches. It’s very casual, the service is quick, the food is local and tasty, and plenty of healthy options exist.
We’d recommend the traditional onion soup with garlic croutons, and Beaufort grilled on top. Delicious! A black coffee will set you back €2.80, which is an absolute steal compared to many cafes in Courchevel. And there’s always someone there that you know, it’s very sociable.
Stepping It Up Before Lunch
Our favourite red runs in 1650 are Chaplets and Roc Mugnier. Roc Mugnier only gets a little sun, so it’s often firm all day. The start of the run is pretty steep, so take your time and try and ski in a slim corridor instead of zig-zagging across the width of the piste, as it can be icy.
If you’re up for a challenge, Tetras becomes a bumpy, rutted half-pipe at the end of the morning, which can be a real leg burner (in a good way!) It starts off quite narrow but fear not, it gets much wider towards the bottom so you can open up your turns a bit and cruise back down into the Chapalets bowl.
