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Le Praz is the first village you reach in Courchevel with a ski lift and is thought of as the start of the ski resort.
Sitting at 1300 metres, Le Praz is a vibrant and authentic feeling Alpine village with its own Michelin star restaurant, hotel and smattering of private luxury chalets sitting on a natural plateau. From the village, you jump straight onto chair lifts and gondolas to whisk you up into the Three Valleys ski area, plus ski home in the afternoon.
Off the snow, there’s plenty to enjoy with Apres ski and activities including cross country skiing or snowshoeing. You can easily access the rest of the villages via a free ski bus, gondola lift link to 1850, or private car.
Le Praz may be a quieter getaway than 1650 or 1850, but it still has excellent access to the three valleys thanks to two new lifts which are a snowball’s throw from the village centre at the new Alpinium building.
The two main lifts are the Le Praz bubble lift, which takes you up to the centre of Courchevel 1850 in just six minutes. And the Foret chairlift which takes you up to the top of the Bouc Blanc piste from here you are just one ski lift away from Meribel, by taking the Loze chair lift. You will also find the Bouc Blanc restaurant which is a great lunch stop.
For advanced skiers, skiing back into Le Praz is either by the epic new Eclipse piste, this is a black run and is for advanced skiers only. It is the course for the Courchevel Meribel Ski World Cup next winter. For intermediate to advanced skiers, the red Brigues/Amoureux pistes bring you out by the Alpinum building.
So where are the green and blue runs I hear you say? Unfortunately, there aren’t any beginner to intermediate runs back into Le Praz, but that shouldn’t put you off choosing Le Praz as a base. As mentioned earlier, the Le Praz bubble lift will also get you up and down from 1850 to the bottom of the pistes in just six minutes, and as this lift doesn’t close until 11pm there’s no risk of you missing the last lift down! You can use this lift to access the rest of the ski area from Courchevel 1850 which suits all abilities.
For beginner skiers, Le Praz boasts a covered magic carpet which is free, and accessed just behind the Alpinium building. You can also take the lift up to 1850 where you have access to the Bellecote and Jardin Alpin pistes although you will need a ski pass to use the Le Praz bubble lift. Alternatively use the free bus service.
You’ll find a wide range of accommodation options in Le Praz from luxury ski chalets to self-catered accommodation and boutique hotels. At first glance, it appears to be a rustic alpine village but look a little closer through the narrow streets to find hidden gems for all budgets.
As you arrive on the main mountain road you’ll see a number of large apartment blocks. Here lies a selection of self-catered accommodation including cheap studio and multi room flats. This gives a choice of accommodation from shorter weekend breaks and longer stays. You’ll also find options to rent for a full ski season which is why many workers choose to reside in Le Praz.
Further into the village is a choice of hotels including the 4-star Les Peupliers which includes the restaurant La Table de Mon Grand-Père.
Set back on among the narrow stone streets is a further selection of catered ski chalets and apartments. These provide a tranquil hideaway while still being able to enjoy the famous luxury the resort is known for.
Happily, the relatively small village means that wherever you decide to stay, you’ll be within 5 minutes’ walk of the ski lifts which give you access to the whole ski area and gondola access to 1850.
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