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Courchevel

 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
Is it as expensive to eat and drink out?

Any other tips on this resort?
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 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Renry, we've been there a few times, and stayed in 1850 and we aren't made of money.

My general experience is that 1850 is more expensive than 1650, 1550, La Tania and Le Praz. BUT if you look there are cheap places to eat, or at least cheap-er places, and 1850 has the advantage of having some stunningly good restaurants if you want to splash out once on your holiday. It is extremely expensive if you go to the trendy night spots where you can pay 12 Euros (not kidding!) for a beer. We stayed in the chalet and paid 75c for a beer brought up on a regular basis from Moutiers. You also need to avoid the swisher mountaintop restaurants and the ones by the altiport, because they are expensive. There is also an expensive but good restaurant on the mountain above 1650.

The cheaper places to eat include the Sno Limit bar right by the ski school meeting point at the Croisette, the pizza place in the Forum, and best of all the hole in the wall next to the Chalet Pierre Restaurant (on the green piste from the Biollay chair lift that goes down to the Croisette). Don't go into the Chalet itself, or you'll end up paying 12 Euros for a plate of chips and sitting next to Michael Winner (been there, done that, very hard to resist saying "It's only a commercial, dear!"). There is a little hole in the wall just past the restaurant proper, in the side of the building, that does nice Paninis, gallettes and crepes for 3 to 4 Euros, and vin chaud in plastic cups. You can spot it because there are deckchairs outside.

I don't know what the restaurants in 1550 or 1650 are like, but the two we tried weren't very good, nor were they any less expensive than 1850. There is the possibility of getting the bubble lift from 1550 to 1850 in the evening if you want to stay there instead.

If you are able to, try and stay on one of the side streets that gives you access to the Plantrey chair, rather than queueing up for the main lift in the morning. The chair is much less crowded and gets you up high and away much quicker.

I like Courchevel - it is a nice resort, you can do things relatively cheaply if you look around, and you have so much varied skiing available. That's why we're going back again this year!
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Quote:

Is it as expensive to eat and drink out?

Is the Pope a Catholic....

Generally varies between pricey and second mortgage territory

But one notable exception is Bel Air restaurant. Good value rather than cheap, and worth every penny, or cent. We arrived in a blizzard once when it was full inside. They tucked us under the eaves outside, gave us blankets, served us in about 10 minutes flat then gave us all a free eau-de-vie. Took away all my prejudices about the French being useless at customer service!
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No, it's not particularly expensive unless you want it to be. We lunched well most days on a restaurant terrace opposite La Croisette (it might have been the Cafe de la Poste but I'm not convinced) at a reasonable price - excellent pizzas, steaks, fish, pasta, soups - leave La Croisette by the left hand end as you look at it from the snow, cross the road and go up some steps, you're there. When we lunched elsewhere, we did perfectly OK. Had a few fairly expensive coffees, but on lovely terraces, great views, table service, so no complaints. We stayed in 1550 and only dined out once, but that was good and good value, can't remember the name, it did fondues and hot rocks (but then they almost all do).
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 Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
As said before it doesn't need to be expensive no. I've been three times staying in 16 and 15, each time was at a fully catered chalet so didn't do so much eating out, just the one night each time. Didn't have any problems finding decent food, not sure how expensive it was but it wasn't ridiculous.
Beers not too bad - does get expensive particualrly at some places in 18 though. In 15 you can get a demi for 2 euros at Pleisure's 'The Bar' (it can get a bit crowded mind!)
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The only time I stayed in C1850 we were catered, so we didn't eat out. But the cheapest place we found for drink was TJs under the Catina hotel in the centre. Rammed full, as you'd expect, as it is under probably the cheapest place to stay in C1850. If you go in the wrong bar you can easily get clobbered for £8/pint so don't order anything til you've checked out the price list!

Nothing is "cheap" in the 3V, but for a reasonable ski lunch try Bar le Jump, or Pub Le Ski Lodge over in La Tania.
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 Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Renry, I've been twice, highly recommended. See resort reports under Courchevel and La Tania.

Renry, I assume you mean 1850? Depends what your budget is. It is a expensive as you want it to be. Book half board, that 'll save you some. Choose the bars recommended by the ice perv, those are as cheap as it gets. 1650', 1550, Le Praz and La Tania get gradually cheaper, (lower down the valley). For proper meals it can get pricy. Other advice mentioned above, pretty much say it all.

Have fun... snowHead
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 After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
It can be very expensive if you want it to be - but there's some spectacular food on offer. For really good food, try Le Chabichou - a meal you really won't forget in a hurry. Just try not to think about the price!

There are plenty of more reasonably priced places - IMHO prices may be generally relatively high, but the quality is good. docsquid is right about the hole in the wall next to Chalet de Pierre for a cheap lunch. Julian T is also right about the Bel Air - a great setting for a restaurant and no need to spend silly money there. One of my favourite lunch stops.
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Id recommend La Tania, been there a few times, much cheaper than 1850, Great Pub ( le ski lodge) and only a Gondola ride and short ski across to the centre of 1850. There is a few nice restaurants too, and the pub does its usual grub, at fairly reasonable price. Theres a great site which has everthing you need to no www.latania.co.uk and its always up to date, with the latest info, whatever you do enjoy.... Cool
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Ski the Net with snowHeads
Renry wrote:
Is it as expensive to eat and drink out?

Any other tips on this resort?



The higher you go in the Courchevels, the more it costs. La Tania 1350 is dirt cheap. 1300, 1550 and 1650 are reasonably priced. 1850 charges above-average, but it is not exorbitant.

Courchevel 1850 is by far the best station in the 3 Valleys. It is chicer, prettier and sunnier. Suck up the extra cost and go.
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Renry, I'd say that Courchevel is an excellent place to go. This skiing is brilliant and there are plenty of good ski schools.

In terms of price I'd say it is quite expensive, but there are ways around this. The Jump bar, by the meeting point and TJs under La Catina are both cheaper places to go.

In terms of going out for a meal, I would suggest that if you are staying in 1850, drop down to 1550 for the evening as it is a bit cheaper and the bubble lift only takes 5 minutes.

I agree with Whitegold that 1850 is the best, but if your budget won't stretch that far try 1550. It is very accessible to 1850 unlike 1650 which is more of a stretch and La Tania which is much further away.
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
Renry, there's a thing called the 'Forum' in 1850. It has a few tedious shops and cafes and a large and (when we were there) largely empty ice rink, and an enormous indoor rope swing (harnesses provided) and a sort of via ferrata thing, which if you're blessed with kids, or even if you're not, are great.

In 1550, we dined in 'L'oeil du bouef', which was fine and not expensive. The link 1550 - 1850 is good; there's a gondola and a chair, and runs down. The gondola runs until 7 or 8, IIRC, then you have to walk or slide down the piste (or road, I presume) or take the (free and reasonably frequent) bus. There are a couple of pleasant little bars in 1550 and a creperie, if you care for such things.
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 So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
Having stayed in 1850 last year, my view is that if you are sensible and don't walk in to the wrong restaurant its not much different to any other ski resort ie its more expensive than back here but not unusually so. Tat said , there are some places where you could put a serious dent on your credit card. Some of the mountain restaurants are perfectly reasonable. ITs a great place to ski
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