The Courchnet.Com Courchevel Snow Report

A terrific addition to Courchevel = the new Verdons Restaurant

Sunday 25th April

The winter season in Courchevel is now over but the resort will re-open for summer on 3rd July until 27th August 2010.

If you're thinking about booking up for next year, or just fancy reliving last winter all over again, why not check back over our archive reports to see how conditions changed throughout the season.

Don't forget to keep an eye on our sister site - Merinet.com - over the summer, as our local reporter there will be keeping you posted on the summer activities available in the 3 Valleys. Until then, we're off for a rest! Thanks for reading and see you again in December! :O)

Wednesday 21st April

Lovely spring snow conditions can be found throughout the 3 Valleys. There is only partial lift opening in the Meribel and Courchevel valleys this week, and all the other resorts except Val Thorens close after this weekend.

Thursday 8th April - Final words from Alan

So after Monday’s ‘Best Day of the Season Award’, Wednesday and today have been a bit disappointing. It’s been much too warm and low cloud today has kept me away from the slopes. There is plenty of snow but you definitely need to stay high and get out early to enjoy the best conditions. We were promised some snow today by the local weather forecast but I’m afraid it hasn’t materialized so with the Channel Tunnel beckoning for our return to the UK, we’re in full ‘clean, wash and pack’ mode getting ready to shut down the chalet until the snow returns next season.

So this will be the last of my snow reports for this season and I thought it might be good to review a few things with hindsight to maybe help you next year in picking a good time to be here or some good places to go.

When was the best time to be in Courchevel this season. Well it was different to the last 3 seasons – the first week of February and the middle 2 weeks of March get my vote. The resort was relatively quiet as in the case of February, half term hadn’t started and in the case of March, half term was almost over. The snow was fantastic and so was the weather with cold air and bright sunshine!

I often mention restaurants in my report as you will know if you read my reports throughout the season. Well my award for the best meal of the season goes to the new Verdons Restaurant at the start of the giant Saulire Cable Car. Their brilliant starter called ‘Assiette de nems’ for €12 is fabulous. 5 wonderfully crispy prawn & chicken spring rolls (‘nems’ in French) served with a selection of spicy & soy sauces and sliced ginger. Great as a shared starter or big enough as a main for one. This place also gets my award for the best menu, as although they do all of the Savoyard Specialities like Tartiflette and Boite Chaude, the owners recognise that there are other dishes in the world that customers find attractive.

What about best value? That one is a 3 way tie. The 3 restaurants we went to most often were the Bouc Blanc at the top of the La Tania bubble (the €13.30 Plat du Jour is consistently excellent), L’Eterlou 20 metres off the piste in Courchevel 1650 (great pizza from €9 & PDJ at €11) and Chenus at the top of the bubble of the same name (Courchevel's last surviving self service with 15 different home cooked dishes each day, served by the Chefs who cooked them). All serve excellent food at sensible prices.

Actually, the best value was not a restaurant at all. In Courchevel 1300 there is a butcher. Above his door it says ‘Boucherie –Traiteur’. Well ‘Traiteur’ means that he employs a chef and prepares meals. Every day there is a Plat du Jour ( eg Braised leg of duck, Pommes Dauphine, Haricot Verts or Stuffed Tomato Provencale for around €8.50 a person). The dishes change every day and he produces a list every week which he will email to you every Friday to help you plan ahead. He also does standard things every day (Gratin, tartiflette etc). So if you happen to be self-catering in Le Praz next year, give the Boucherie du Praz a try. Everything is fully prepared and you just pop it in the oven for half an hour and voila – a fabulous meal for the same price as a pint of beer per person. Definitely the best value in town and if you enjoy cooking, he sells fantastic quality meat too. You can contact them to get on their 'Plats du Jour' mailing list at boucheriedupraz@orange.fr

So that’s it. We’ll be back around Tuesday 14th December to bring you all the snow & weather reports, restaurant reviews and anything that I feel might help you enjoy your next visit to the ‘Greatest Ski Resort in the World’.

Au revoir from Courchevel.

Update Friday 9th April.

False Alarm! Bright blue skies and blazing sunshine made me put cleaning & packing way down my list of priorities today. A cold northerly wind and huge snow depths made this morning a fantastic way to end the skiing season with lunch at Bouc Blanc the icing on the cake......on the other hand it may be nice tomorrow too...and it is changeover day.




Don't forget you can find out what events are on during the coming season with our What's On Calendar.

[1] Generally described in more detail in the resort avalanche bullettin (e.g. altitude, aspect, type of terrain etc.)
[2] Additional load:

• High: e.g. group of skiers, piste machine, avalanche blasting
• Low: e.g. skier, walker
• Steep slopes: Slopes with an incline of more than about 30°
• Steep extreme slopes: Particularly unfavourable in terms of the incline, terrain profile, proximity to ridge, smoothness of underlying ground surface.

This is an indication of status at time of writing. Please check latest situation at the lift stations before setting out.