Travel to: Courchevel 1850

Looking for a ski destination? Add Courchevel 1850 to your bucket list

A ski playground to the elite, luxury ski paradise in France, the ultimate ski resort village, Courchevel 1850 has garnered plenty of interest over the last couple of years, and rightly so. Six Senses Residences Courchevel invited me (Nicola) on a press trip to tour the newly launched residential complex at the heart of Courchevel 1850. Safe to say, or probably not? The trip turned me into the kind of woman on the hunt for glamorous ski outfits, ski destinations to flock to later this year, and of course, a raclette devotee.
Driving into Courchevel is dreamy. Soft powdery snow adorns each surface, making the picturesque cluster of villages at the end of the world’s largest lift-linked linked ski area, the Trois Vallées, a ski resort village comparable to none other. Courchevel comprises of four distinctive towns – Courchevel 1850, Courchevel 1650, Courchevel 1550 and Courchevel 1300. The four are linked by lifts, pistes and a windy path, taking you all the way to the top to Courchevel 1850 – our destination and home to the newly launched Six Senses Residences, Courchevel.
Expect to see plenty of fur, Birkins, teacup puppies popping out of handbags, women decked in the best of ski gear available, and the finest designer stores in every nook and corner. Your days will most likely begin with a hot chocolate or freshly brewed coffee, followed by a trip to the slopes, French onion soup and vin chaud for lunch, more skiing and leisure time for spa and shopping, and finally, dinner with cheese fondue, raclette and more vino. There’s never a dull moment in Courchevel 1850. For those looking to get the latest collections in stores, be quick to buy. I visited Louis Vuitton to check if a certain bag was in stock, and returned hours later to purchase it, only to find out they sold all three in stock– so, make sure you reserve your pieces in advance.
 
STAY HERE…
A warm cosy chalet experience awaits guests at Six Senses Residences Courchevel. My three-bedroom apartment offered pine aromas that wafted through the air, an open-layout kitchen, comfy couch – where I spent most mornings sipping Nespresso – and a home automation system that plays everything from Sinatra to Drake. I usually judge an apartment/hotel by the appearance and amenities in the bathroom, and here, it didn’t disappoint. Showers are fitted with three types of options (including rain-showers), while The Organic Pharmacy amenities keep skin soft, supple and moisturised – ready for the weather conditions at the slopes.

Oh! Did we mention they have a Club Lounge serving the best local cheese, smashed avocado with poached eggs for breakfast, smoothies, fresh juices, and a nutrient-packed menu free from gluten and dairy? If that’s not enough to impress, you can also find a spa, sauna, steam room and outdoor Jacuzzi (pictured here) within the premises. We’re not done yet. Residents/guests can beat the hassle of lugging around ski equipment, and visit the shop located within the premises to get fitted out with boots and Lacroix skis, amongst other brands. Services such as the ski concierge at the slopes – where your gear is transported to from the in-house ski shop – is what sets this property apart. Trust me! You do not want to be walking to and fro with that gear.
 

 
Quick facts: The European-style property is the first residential project in the continent from Six Senses, nestled at the heart of the crème de la crème of the French Alps. The brand combines the finest of freehold apartments with the luxuries of a hotel and concierge services. 53 penthouses and apartments, designed by the architect Alain Foeillet, showcase a neutral complementing palette of taupe, beige, tan and grey hues, organic materials and a whole lot of timber, blending in with the alpine aesthetic. The units are available from two-bedroom apartments, to duplex penthouses that feature five bedrooms, a wine cellar, hammam, a terrace boasting mountain views, fireplace, and art work that lends an element of sophisticated quirkiness. Residents have the option of choosing furniture packages carefully curated by the award-winning Morpheus London.
 
DINE AT…
Leave the premises to experience an authentic French dinner at Courchevel 1850
 
LE CHALET DE PIERRES
The sight of Chef Gerber Alvim roasting meat on the spit meets the eye as you enter this traditional Alpine restaurant on the Verdons slope. Ski in, take a seat at the heated terrace and enjoy an alfresco lunch of hearty French onion soup, cheese fondue and fresh seafood or meat (order ahead). Don’t miss the dessert table featuring pistachio-cream filled profiteroles and a divine lemon curd tart. Visit chaletdepierres.com
 
LE GENEPI
When a restaurant is headed by natives from the village, you know you are in for a great meal. This fireplace-clad all-wood interior restaurant headed by chef and owner Thierry Mugnier and his wife Cecile, since 1994, is apt for an elegant fine dining experience. Fresh local char tartare with blini and whipped cream and a side of oysters are highly recommended as an appetizer. Follow this with beef fillet Rossini, a succulent generous portion doused in a beautiful reduction, topped with a slice of foie gras and perfectly paired with warm pillow-textured bursts of gnocchi. And to end, the hot baked pippin apple and salted caramel ice cream guaranteed to be polished off within minutes. legenepi-courchevel.com
 
NEED TO KNOW

• Prices for apartments at Six Senses Residences, Courcheve, range from €1.5m (Dhs6,640,450) to €8.8m (38,957,309). And, you can rent it out when not in use. Visit sixsenses.com/resorts/courchevel/destination to book a stay.
• I took my first lesson on the slopes and highly recommend the patient Olivier Sadargues or Nicolas Germain at Le Cercle Private Ski School. Visit lecercle-ski.com

 
All images supplied by Redleaf.