Location and Access
Courchevel Saint Bon is part of the famous Courchevel Ski resort and linked to the Three Valley Ski area which is one of the largest in the world. The Three Valleys offers 650km of groomed pistes so there's plenty to explore! Chalet Belle Vue, Courchevel can be found at an altitude of 1150 metres and for most of the season you can ski back to the village via the red 'St Bon' piste.
The excellent free ski shuttle bus runs every 20 minutes from 07.40am until 02.00am the following morning. The shuttle stop is 2 mins from our door and it runs like clockwork. The more frequent buses run to Le Praz where you can catch the fast gondola right up into 1850 in 7 minutes.
You will find the timetable for winter 2011/2012 HERE .
If you arrive by car, due to the age of the village, you will find that the streets are very narrow! In good conditions you will be able to park your car to within 10 metres of the front door, unload your luggage, and then park the car in the village. There is plenty of free parking in the village.
Three Valleys - Facts and Figures at a Glance
650km of marked pistes
563 snow cannons
26 Piste Bashers
65 Gazex Avalanche Release Systems
4 Catex Avalanche Release Systems
63 Chair Lifts
27 Green Runs
44 Blue Runs
38 Red Runs
10 Black Runs
453 Staff
Lots of Mountain side restaurants!
Season is beginning of December to end of April.
A Tough Run
One of the 8 toughest runs as written by Peter Hardy of the Daily Telegraph. ‘Strangely, none of them are wickedly steep. Indeed, whole sections of some are even graded “easy” on the local piste map. You don’t have to be a brilliant skier to tackle them - if you’ve tucked just a few weeks of turns under your belt and have learnt to ski parallel you can have a go. You don’t need World Cup skills. You just need strong legs and a dogged determination because there’s a catch to my post-Christmas challenge. The tough part is that you have to ski them without stopping for a single breather along the way.’
La Saulire to St Bon – Vertical drop of 1,638m
You start with a ride on the cable-car to the top of the lift system at 2738m on the ridge separating Courchevel from Méribel. The finish is at St Bon at 1100m, a vertical drop of 1638m. Again, this is a good final run of the day. The classic route from the top starts steep for a few turns and then eases off to a pleasant gradient all the way. Carry on down to 1850, leaving the lift stations on your right, go under the bridge, and cut left onto the Brigues run. Shortly before Le Praz drop off to the right onto the St Bon piste. The main problem, apart from the those legs, is finding your way without stopping to consult the map - find a local willing to guide you.
Getting there
By Train
One of the most relaxing ways to travel is on the Eurostar which runs, regularly in the ski season. The direct trains leave every Friday evening from Kings Cross St Pancreas for the night service and every Saturday morning for the day service. The direct daytime service leaves St Pancreas at approximately 10.00am and arrives in Moutiers at approximately 18.00 (local time). As Moutiers is only a 20 minute drive from the house you could be sitting down in the Chalet in less than 8 hours from London. Alternatively there are trains which run from London and stop in Paris where you change for the rest of the journey to the Alps. This is a cheaper way to travel on the Eurostar. Please click for the Direct Services and for the Eurostar Websiste.
By Plane
The nearest airport is Chambery 1 hour away, then Grenoble 1 ½ hours away, then Lyon which is 2 hours away. You can also fly into Geneva which is approximately 2 hours away. We can help with airport transfers if needed or car hire services. Please note that if you are hiring a car from Geneva aiport make sure you hire from the Swiss side. It may seem a little more expensive but, from our own experience, it is a lot less hassle than hiring from the French side.
By Car
More and more people are choosing to drive to the Alps. This is the way we choose to travel to the house, also due to the fact that we have 2 small children. This offers you freedom and flexibility. It enables you to take as much luggage as you like, and also gives you the advantage of having your own car to explore the local areas. You can take the train or ferry from Folkstone to Calais and from there it is an 8-9 hour journey on excellent French motorways. The tolls along the way are approximately 80 Euros. If you wish to have an overnight stay en route there are plenty of inexpenive hotels near to the motorways, most of which are child friendly. Please ask at the time of your travel as we have used a few of them ourselves. While there is no dedicated parking at the Chalet there is plenty of free parking around the village. Please click here for directions from Calais.