 Poster: A snowHead
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Hi all been trying to do some digging about Courchevel 1550, tips advice etc and not really finding out a huge amount that is useful at present!
Going self catering with group of 10, real mix of abilities. Keen to get some decent skiing and decent apres in, still on a budget though (not so much so that we just want to sit in our apartment with a bottle every night!)
Is it really ski in/ski out to les brigues apartments or is this usual T.O speel? Is there a supermarket in 1550 we could do a food shop? Any recommendations for quality and good value restaurants should we opt out from a 'cooking rota' for a few meals out? Is the apres ski in 1550 any good? If we ski to another area for the apres there i.e 1850/1650 is it then easy to get back and also could we get out and about in the evenings easily say by bus (if the apres in 1550n is poor) or is it going to cost us a bomb?
Any general info primarily on 1550 would be great (have found loads on stuff up on the slopes of courchevel/ 3V and the resort runs themselves)
Thanks, Fiona 
(apologies for 20 questions!!!)
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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I've no idea, but interested in replies, we go to 1850 on Feb 26th, interested to knw if it's as expensive as some people would have us believe?
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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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Yes there is a small food (spar type shop but can't remember what it is) in 1550. There is a run down to the bottom of the main gondala in 1550 from 1850. When we were in 1850 (before christmas) we went down it a few times to have lunch in 1550 as it was so much cheaper than 1850. We also bought my daughter some snow boots there (quite a lot cheaper than we had found in 1650 and 1850), then skiied back with one in my jacket and one in hubbies jacket.
When we stayed in 1550 it was late season season and the slope down from 1550 was very thin so we used to just come down the gondala rather than ski back but before Christmas the snow was good and they also had the snow canons on that run. We stayed in a Les Sapins (it was run by Inghams then but I don't think they run it anymore) it was a few steps to the stairs, which when you climbed them it was opposite the gondala entrance.
I don't know where your apartments are though.
the ski bus links 1550 to 1650 and then 1850 from memory (we didn't use it when we were there before christmas, we used it when we went about 10yrs ago and stayed in 1550)
Have a great time.
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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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NickyJ, thanks for info, thats all really helpful!!
Standee, that's all I have been hearing is how expensive 1850 is!
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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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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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I stayed in 1550 a few years ago, and as another poster has said there is a small supermarket for your provisions & beer. There were a couple of bars too, but both were pretty small and seemed quite quiet, although it was just my Wife and I and we ate in the hotel most nights. There was quite a nice & reasonably priced savoyard restaurant in the main street, who's name escapes me but it is fairly big.
1550 is a good base though, the gondola up to 1850 takes 6 or 7 minutes and runs late enough so you can have a couple of drinks directly after skiing, but for later drinks you're better off getting the bus.
1850 is pricier than 1650, which is pricier than 1550, and so on as you go down the various heights. Even 1850 though needn't cost an arm and a leg if you shop around.
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Damien
Damien
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If someone has a car it's really worth your while to go down to Moutiers for your grocery shop. it's about half the price and there's a much wider choice. They even have a little "étrangers" section which sell Mc Vitie's Choc Digestives, worth going all the way down for those alone. That's where you'll see the seasonaires shopping. 1550 is also at the bottom of the luge run from 1850, the best fun and the sorest bum you'll ever have.
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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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It's a few years since I've been to Courchevel but when I have been we've always tried to go to a really nice little restaurant in 1550 (name escapes me) where they cook on an open fire. If it's still there the food was good, not too exorbitantly priced (although our last visit was before euros were worth so little) & very friendly. I'll see if I can drag the name back from recesses of my memory.
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| FiFi_Trixibell wrote: |
| Is it really ski in/ski out to les brigues apartments or is this usual T.O speel? |
Les Brigues is about 5-10 mins walk down the road from the main 1550 gondola.
The buuilding itself run up and down the hill rather than across it, so is made up of laods of floors. If you stay in the top portion then the ski locker room is up a short grass bank on to the red piste down to La Praz. You can ski back down the narrow grass track from the edge of the piste if theres enough snow, and therefore ski back to the locker room door.
See this link:
http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=LA+TANIA,+France&aq=2&sll=53.800651,-4.064941&sspn=11.644408,43.286133&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=La+Tania,+La+Perri%C3%A8re,+Savoy,+Rh%C3%B4ne-Alpes,+France&ll=45.424864,6.635351&spn=0.001687,0.005284&t=h&z=18
You'll see the main building in the centre ish, and the piste to la praz running on the left.
The top half is also nearest the main car park if you are driving. So basically ask for a room in the top half. Ring them in advance and see if they can help.
| FiFi_Trixibell wrote: |
| real mix of abilities. |
The piste down to La Praz is red - it's ok but steepish on the first bit as you leave the appartment then a long narrow track down to the la praz gondola. It can be hard park and icy in the morning if there's been freeze thaw conditions which your timid intermediates won't like. That said you can get a free mini bus shuttle from the car park to the 1550 gondola.
| FiFi_Trixibell wrote: |
| Going self catering with group of 10 |
Theres another thread on this in the resort reviews. I stayed in the appartments that sleep 6 (one twin bedroom, bunk hallway and pull out bed in the lounge). Fortunately there was oly two of us. The kitchen was very small and basic. Fine for basic stuff but not great for much else. That said the reception had a raclette grill so we borrowed that one night.
We mostly had a nice big lunches out (plat du jour in most the mountain restaraunts around 12-14 euros, though 1850 has a few rip off places to avoid, ie 20 quid for a beer and a coke, so check the menu before ordering food or drink) and then we'd stocked up on beer, wine, gin, bread, cheese, hams etc in the evening.
| FiFi_Trixibell wrote: |
| Any recommendations for quality and good value restaurants should we opt out from a 'cooking rota' for a few meals out? Is the apres ski in 1550 any good? If we ski to another area for the apres there i.e 1850/1650 is it then easy to get back and also could we get out and about in the evenings easily say by bus (if the apres in 1550n is poor) or is it going to cost us a bomb? |
As I say we mainly ate big lunches out. L'Eterlou in 1650 (just down the road at the end of the piste) and the place next door were my favorites, or The Bouc Blanc on the piste down La Tania. The restaraunts in La Tania are generally reasonable too.
1550 is relatively quite compared to 1850, but theeres some apres to be had for a couple of nights. We did apres a few nights at kaliko in 1850 (on the piste just under the road bridge if you ski down from 1850 toward 1550. They have a reasonable happy hour with dj some nights. Other than night dont know much about 1850. Also there's a place called The Bar in 1550 on the main road out of 1550 down the hill toward La Praz - very small but can get quite an atmosphere going. From memory Im fairly sure they do happy hour too.
We did one night go the restaruant a few doors down from The Bar - menu looked reasonable value - but after being seated and ignored for 15 minutes without even so much as offering us a drink we upped and left and never returned. The staff bizarrely seemed surprised.
The free bus service between the courchevel resorts is reliable - get a timetable from the reception or from the tourist office.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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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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There is also a great toboggon track from 1850 to 1550 - take your own or rent them for the evening from any of the ski hire shops ..... come back up on the gondola.
Wrap up and wear a helmet - it is quick and not very controllable, but fab fun.
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Toboggan sounds amazing!!!! Shall certainly be having a go at that one evening methinks!!!
blizt, I this the one?
L'Oeil de Boeuf
Lunch 12-15.00. Dinner. 19.00-22.00.
This small but superb little restaurant faces the bottom of the Tovets piste(blue). It's a converted 200 year old barn, with a beautiful rustic interior, complete with roaring log fire (also used for cooking!). The food is wonderful, with very friendly service. This is a real quality little restaurant. Reservations (Essential) Tel: 04 79 08 22 10.
Gazzza, Thanks for the post! lot of really useful stuff there so cheers. (I think the other thread on the apartment was the one I started!)
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You know it makes sense.
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Fifi Trixibell Yep, it was the L'Oeil de Boeuf. We've really enjoyed it when we've been, but it is 3 or 4 years since we've been so it could have changed or got rather too expensive
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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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Just wondering if anyone has any knowledge of "The forum?" is it, in 1850? I understand it's some sort of centre in 1850 and remember reading somewhere they often have ice hockey competitions among other things (I have no idea if it's like a leisure facility or a rink or what). As a lot of the guys I'm going with play hockey it would be quite cool to go and watch when we have an eve free or something if there was anything on but have no idea if or when this might be.
Any ideas? Cheeeeeers
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Damien
Damien
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FiFi_Trixibell, Yeah, the forum has an ice rink, bowling and lots of other stuff. Last year they had an indoor rope course with lots of swinging and climbing etc. Saw an hockey match there 4 or 5 years ago, there was some sort of junior international on. The Courchevel website should have info on any events.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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We stayed in the old Ski Olympic chalet at 1550 for the week over the millennium.
There was an amazing party at 1850, with DJs, fireworks and free champagne all night long (they had a curtain side truck full of boxes of the stuff). At 2am, we were crashing badly so needed to get back to 1550. The queues for cabs were huge so me and my mate got two bins liners, cut them open long ways and laid on them on our backs, head first. Our wives sat on our bellies and the sledged us down to 1550.
There were a few shops and a supermarket (we were fully catered but bought chocolate bars and fruit etc there). There were also a couple of bars but none were what you would call lively. That said, this was 11 years ago so much will have changed since then.
The lift up from 1550 to 1850 was the best way to get out for the day.
We had a great time at 1550 and I'm sure you will too.
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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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| Quote: |
If we ski to another area for the apres there i.e 1850/1650 is it then easy to get back and also could we get out and about in the evenings easily say by bus (if the apres in 1550n is poor) or is it going to cost us a bomb?
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There's an inter-resort ski bus ("navette") between all the Courchevel resorts, and what's even better is that it's free! I used it a bit when I stayed in Le Praz a couple of years ago in the day and at night and it was pretty efficient. I found a timetable on line.... http://www.courchevel.com/skiworldcup/images/upload/portfolio_img/grille_horaires_bus_courchevel.pdf
Re restaurants - I second the recommendation of L'Eterlou in 1650 for lunch.
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