Shops

Perhaps more than any other ski resort, Courchevel offers you the opportunity to ‘shop till you drop’. Haute couture fashion names such as Sonia Rykel, Christian Dior and Channel sit alongside the more expected sports brands like Gant USA, Lacoste, Blanc Bleu and Hugo Boss. Clothing, perfumeries, lingerie, fine foods, art galleries and souvenirs. Whatever you’re looking for, you’ll find it in this haven for shopaholics. The two main shopping galleries are the Forum and the Espace Diamant, both located in the centre of 1850, however if you’re in the mood, shop around, the whole resort offers some fabulous opportunities to spend, spend, spend.

In the resort of 1650 itself, there are many shops which sell a wide range of goods, and the prices are generally cheaper than in 1850. Close to the Sherpa minimarket is a delicatessen, which sells some delicious meals—many of our friends buy their dishes here, and heat them up when they get back to the apartment.

Further afield, the town of Albertville is a 45 minute drive away. There, you will find a large retail shopping park, including a Géant hypermarket, a Decathlon store, the inevitable McDonalds, and numerous other shops. If you drive into the main town itself, you will find some charming shops, and a tempting array of pâtisseries, selling some mouth watering cakes and pastries. If you are looking for somewhere to eat, there is a wide choice of restaurants, all reasonably priced—just aim for the market square.

If you haven’t visited Courchevel before, and don’t wish to start your holiday shopping for food, you may be interested in a service from a company called Chaletfood, which specialises in delivering groceries and drinks direct to you in our apartment, shortly after you arrive in the resort. Before leaving on holiday, you go to their website, and in just a few minutes you can order from a choice of packages, including breakfast, packed lunch, dinners, and drinks. Booking can be done in under 5 minutes, and Chaletfood claim that their prices are around 10% cheaper than buying in the resort. Deliveries can be arranged between 7:00am and midnight—you just advise your estimated arrival time, and Chaletfood aim to deliver within 1 hour. If your arrival time changes, you can call them to change the delivery time. Further details are available from their website.