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Courchevel goes under the surgeon's chisel

 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
Clearly stung by criticism of 1960s French architectural prowess, Courchevel village centre is being given a new look - stone, wood and slate, the work taking place over a two year period. The old post office has been demolished, to be replaced by the new bureau de tourisme, opening May 2005. A new apartment block in the same style, with three luxury boutiques (Cartier, Hermès etc) on the ground floor, is close to completion opposite the Grandes Alpes Hotel. It will be ready in December 2004.

Next spring work begins on a facelift for existing buildings around the centre. According to the director of the tourist office, the overall effect will be far more harmonious and "seductive"....

You can watch the progress of the work on the tourist office here... http://www.courchevel.com/hiver/fr/news-ot.html
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 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
I think it will be an improvement, in my limited experience of French resorts, many have struck me as being very grey due to the amount of concrete in the construction, a nice bit of stone and wood cladding should make an improvement in the appearence, if the surroundings are grey, people feel grey, with nicer surroundings people feel happier, happy people spend more money in resorts so it's a sound idea
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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?
In my limited experience of Courchevel, getting people to spend money is not one of their major problems Toofy Grin
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Have stayed in Courchevel 1850 quite a lot over the last seven seasons and the village has improved a lot in that time. The works now going on should also help.
What they also need to do is inject some life into the place in summer........
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 Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Hmmm... I'm not so sure. I've never been to Courcheval, but I think that this destruction of our 1960s heritage is a dangerous fad that we'll soon regret. The biggest problem that the Alps have with modernist architecture is a lack of conviction in its execution - a wood-clad tower block can look as ridiculous as a bull in a party frock.

Take Tignes, for example. The magnificent drama, form and structure of the huge Bec Rouge development is ruined by some twee chalet-style developments across the central square. I've nothing against traditionally styled buildings, but can't we have somewhere where we can appreciate a pure modernist environment.
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Having skied in Courchevel for the first time this year, I agree that some form of improvement would be beneficial. Having skied in Austria and Switzerland, the concrete coldness of the charmless French resort leads to little appreciation of the village/town. When you walk through Saalbach or Saas Fee you appreciate the whole atmosphere as well as some superb skiing. In Courchevel, you have even better skiing, but this is spoilt at the end of the day by uninspiring surroundings. Is that why the Apres-ski in Austria is so much better than in France?( IMHO), or is it that you can still get a beer in Austria that does not require you to seek a re-mortgage!
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 Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
I have seen a lot of facelifts in corchevel Smile For such a fab place it is quite ugly
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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!
Perhaps they could give the name a facelift too - and make it easier to spell. Wink
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Hi Jonny Jones. There is no "horse" in Courch.... Laughing It is COURCHEVEL. I reckon it is one of the most common mis-spellings of all resorts. Nothing personal and you are not the only one Wink Best regards
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 Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Makes sense to me, get rid of concrete - horrible grey and replace it with stone and slate ... what colour are they?
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 snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
Ray Zorro, "Stone-clad" would perhaps be more accurate (and there is a little colour mixed in!)
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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.
The multi storey blocks in Belle Plagne are clad in dark 'creosoted' wood panels which doesn't sound great but they still manage to look much better than the dreary concrete monstrosities in Plagne Centre and some other parts of the resort.
Pitched roofs definitely also helps the scaled-up 'alpine chalet' style of BP's architectural treatment.
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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
DAVID SNELL, my copy of Bridget Jone's Diary spells the resort name "Courcheval" (!!!)
Any reason why not? Doesn't 'Marseille' become 'Marseilles' in English? (or is it only in American?!?)
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 You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
[Moderator (DG): As this is a significant story I've shifted it to the news section, where you can add further comment. This is just an experiment to boost the new News section, and we're looking for skiing guinea pigs]


Last edited by You know it makes sense. on Wed 6-10-04 6:38; edited 1 time in total
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 Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Skiing Guinea Pigs.
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 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
David Goldsmith, I would agree that this is probably the best section for this story, but surely to describe the rebuilding of a tourist office as being "significant" is stretching it a tad?

On the other hand, I would applaud your efforts to find skiing guinea pigs, but all I can add to the search is this.

As a household, our pets aren't very sporty at all, the fish are pretty good swimmers, but that is about it. Maybe in the winter months I can coax the hamsters into something other than the treadmill, would they be better on a board or skis?
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 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
The great thing about hamsters are their packed lunches. They rarely need to stop at mountain restaurants.
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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?
Hi Cee Bee haven't visited for a time. Take your point on spelling. However ie Moskva for Moscow, Beograd for Belgrade but Courcheval for Courchevel is just plain wrong, but a very common mistake.
It is strange that a top resort resort like Courchevel 1850 is only marginally better with its architecture than Les Menuires, the lunar landscape of the Tarentaise. Paradoxically some of the smartest (and most expensive) ski hotels are to be found here. I have had a number of great holidays at the Hotel Courcheneige on the Bellecote piste.
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Corchevel has got a bit more historyand infinitely better skiing than Les Menuires. I always prefer it's English deminutive, Les Manures.
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