 Poster: A snowHead
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Headed over to Courchevel for the first time and a few quick questions. I've stared at the piste maps but it's a bit hard in some circumstances to determine direction of the traffic, so a little human help would be much appreciated.
We are staying in 1650 but my kids have lessons at 1850. I'd prefer to ski (rather than the bus) but...
1. How long would it likely take (we are staying right at the base of the Ariondaz bubble).
2. I know this is a pain, but can someone recommend specific pistes for lower-to-mid intermediates to get to La Croisette?
3. Is it easier, harder or the same to ski in the other direction at the end of the day?
Thank you and happy skiing!
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Follow up question to my own question....is there a good app for piste-by-piste directions? The Zermatt app allows you enter your starting point and destination along with ski level and it gives you a specific route. I'm not seeing that on the Courchevel or 3V app but might be looking in the wrong place (or, perhaps it knows that I'm in the US currently).
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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I'd probably bus first thing if the lessons are at the start of the day.
From 1650 - New Ariondaz bubble up (supposed to be much quicker this year!), petite bosse (keep your speed up, as it can mean poles), then gravelles - this is a track so narrow - depending on how confident you are this could put some people off, aigiulille de fruit, then altiport (has a drop at the start but nice and wide so can traverse before turning), down to bellecot.
Alternative to petite bosse is drop down the blue to the petite bosse drag lift.
No idea on time depends how quick you ski, but the 2 lifts will slow you down, much quicker to just jump on the bus it won't take long to get to 1850 for the start of the day.
Going back is easier, you need to ski round the bottom of the altiport on Prameruel (can get there from a number of routes), then get the lift up and ski back down any of the blues back
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The bus is likely to be quicker and easier than skiing. It's only a few minutes, and they are pretty frequent along that section. The easy route to ski is Arondiaz gondola, then piste Petite Bosse down to the Aiguille de Fruit chairlift, and from the top of that the Altiport piste down to Couchevel 1850. These are all blue runs, and fine for intermediates, though there can occasionally be icy sections on Petite Bosse if the snow cover is not so good. I would guess about half an hour to an hour to ski depending on how fast you travel and how much faffing about there is. If you've got morning lessons you'll almost certainly not be able to ski it in time for the start of the lesson.
I don't know of a route finding app, but that doesn't mean one doesn't exist, just that I've never thought to need one.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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Yes, I would recommend bus too, works well. Gravelles is narrow and often icy and it opened later than first lifts last year when we tried to get over to 1850 after a large overnight snowfall.
Way back is easier as said above. You want to get to the top of Biollay and then can see the Altiport and follow that. Lovely at lunchtime or end of day.
If lessons are with New Gen or school like that, you could try to change to 1650 as that would be so easy for you. 1650 is great place.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Thanks so much for the feedback everyone.
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Agree with what the others say about taking the bus. The route on skis might be an unecessary early morning stress getting there on time for the lessons. Do you still have an option to switch ski school to 1650 though? That would be even more relaxing.
1650 is a great part of the resort with some lovely runs that are less crowded than further over.
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Long story short is that the 1650 school did not have as many levels/age groups as the 1850 school, so we went with 1850.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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| billycwhatup wrote: |
| Follow up question to my own question....is there a good app for piste-by-piste directions? The Zermatt app allows you enter your starting point and destination along with ski level and it gives you a specific route. I'm not seeing that on the Courchevel or 3V app but might be looking in the wrong place (or, perhaps it knows that I'm in the US currently). |
Isn't part of the fun in planning the route? I really enjoy finding my way around a ski area, looking at the map to plan where to go and then completely ignoring it and spend some time in the evening trying to work out what I've actually done during the day 
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Bus, then try the ski route when the pressure is off.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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OK - I'm convinced...bus it is. Thanks.
On the route planning part, I totally agree. Except...if my kids are in ski school for half of the day, knowing the fastest way to get to a little coffee break or back to the lesson is best not left to chance given my less-than-Megellan navigation skills. If we're all together in the afternoon, I'm with you 100%.
As long as everyone is being so helpful, one last question. Again, I've looked at the maps but still have the question. How practical would it be to get from 1650 to Val Tho for lunch and back with the whole family at the end of the week (on intermediate slopes)?
Thanks and let the snow fall!
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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@billycwhatup, ah yeah, kids. I haven't got the same problem so always bumble around with no real purpose.
Simple enough to get over to VT, but is one to plan (contrary to my previous post!) might be better to start out from 1850 though. A couple of the pinch points can be a bit busy, but pistes are mostly straight forward. Plenty of options for a route but can take a while working up the VT valley.
I was in La Tania a few years ago and took about two and a half hours to get across, less to work back over. Just be careful not to leave VT too late as it can get quite busy, also avoid if weather isn't great.
Edit: Obviously depends on how quick everyone skis too 
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| billycwhatup wrote: |
| As long as everyone is being so helpful, one last question. Again, I've looked at the maps but still have the question. How practical would it be to get from 1650 to Val Tho for lunch and back with the whole family at the end of the week (on intermediate slopes)? |
Can be done in 6 lifts for intermediates but you'll have to go through Meribel which lengthens it somewhat. It's quicker through Mottaret but Aigle is a deeply unpleasant piste for intermediates. Some of the paths/pistes on the route will not be very obvious to a stranger. I'd allow 2.5-3 hours each way to allow for faffing, getting lost, wrong lift etc. Ariondaz- Aigille de Fruit-Marmottes-Tougnette 1-Platieres-Cote Brune. Coming back, you just need to make Pas du Lac in Mottaret and after that you can get the bus if anything goes wrong.
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You know it makes sense.
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@billycwhatup, re route planning, you have looked at the 3vs interactive piste map app I assume?
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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@billycwhatup, I agree with what people have said about getting to lessons. If they are morning lessons you are very likely to miss them. The buses run roughly every 10 minutes and take 5 to 10 minutes depending where in Courchevel 1650 you are staying. You will definitely find it less stressful.
Re piste directions you may find these itineraries useful in planning a route https://www.seecourchevel.com/ski-area/itineraries
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Poster: A snowHead
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| billycwhatup wrote: |
| As long as everyone is being so helpful, one last question. Again, I've looked at the maps but still have the question. How practical would it be to get from 1650 to Val Tho for lunch and back with the whole family at the end of the week (on intermediate slopes)? |
Depends on what you mean by "intermediate slopes" ... and how fast you ski as a family.
| Raceplate wrote: |
| Can be done in 6 lifts for intermediates but you'll have to go through Meribel which lengthens it somewhat. ... Ariondaz- Aigille de Fruit-Marmottes-Tougnette 1-Platieres-Cote Brune. Coming back, you just need to make Pas du Lac in Mottaret and after that you can get the bus if anything goes wrong. |
Agree with this. If you want blue pistes only then:
Ariondaz lift. Petit Bosses and Gravelles pistes (or see above re Petit Bosses drag lift)
Aigille de Fruit lift. Either left on Rama piste followed by Marmottes lift, or right on Altiport piste followed by Suisses lift. Both lifts take you to the same place. Then Biche, Marmotte and Doron pistes to Meribel centre.
Tougnette 1 lift. Perdrix piste to Mottaret centre. (Or Plan de l'Homme chair, followed by Grive and Perdrix pistes can sometimes be quicker and avoids having to remove and carry skis)
Plattieres lift. Bouvreuil piste
Cote Brune lift. Either Pluviometre or Mont de la Chambre (cutting left onto Traverse du Montaulever) will take you to the bottom of Val Thorens.
For the return you want the Plein Sud / Pionniers chairs from the bottom / top of the Val Thorens, followed by either of the "3 vallees" lifts to the ridge. Then the Lac de la Chambre piste (regraded Blue for 2018).
Plan des Main chair and Sitelle / Martre pistes to Mottaret centre. Or no lift and just Mures Rouge and Ours pistes, but the latter is very flat.
Pas du Lac 1 and 2 lifts, followed by Creux piste.
Roc Mugnier chair followed by any of the Blues back to 1650.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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| ecureuil wrote: |
| Aigille de Fruit lift. Either left on Rama piste followed by Marmottes lift, or right on Altiport piste followed by Suisses lift. Both lifts take you to the same place. |
Suisses is a better shout for a family. Although you may have no choice but to go that way anyway - the (short) red to Marmottes is closed half the season and lumpy rocks and grass the other half 
| ecureuil wrote: |
| Tougnette 1 lift. Perdrix piste to Mottaret centre. (Or Plan de l'Homme chair, followed by Grive and Perdrix pistes can sometimes be quicker and avoids having to remove and carry skis) |
Which one of these I take depends entirely on whether I want to use the facilities at the bottom of Tougnete or not!
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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| Raceplate wrote: |
| ... - the (short) red to Marmottes is closed half the season and lumpy rocks and grass the other half |
In previous years I would have agreed. But this year's piste map shows it as a Blue, with the reintroduced Rama name, so I was thinking some improvements might have been made!
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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When pistes are regraded as blue they get way more crowded - vis Creux 
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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| billycwhatup wrote: |
| Long story short is that the 1650 school did not have as many levels/age groups as the 1850 school, so we went with 1850. |
We found a similar thing. We wanted to use New Gen or Sweet and our choices of where to meet were limited. In Courcheval it was 1850 or La Tania. In Meribel it was only the Chaudanne as a meeting point. We ended up finding an apartment in Meribel, not too far from the Chaudanne.
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