Best Time to Visit
The season runs early December to mid-April. Each two-week window has a distinct character — and a price tag that swings by 4× between them.
Six windows worth knowing
Opening week
First Saturday of December
Empty pistes, cold snow, party-light atmosphere. Some restaurants and high-altitude lifts may still be ramping up.
Christmas / New Year
Dec 22 – Jan 5 · Peak
The most expensive two weeks of the year. Russian, Gulf and South American clientele. Book Palaces 9–12 months ahead.
Mid-January
The connoisseur's week
Lowest prices, coldest snow, no crowds. Often the best objective skiing of the season. Quieter restaurants take walk-ins.
February half-term
Mid Feb – early March · Peak
French, British and Russian school holidays overlap. Densest crowds; book instructors and Michelin tables months ahead.
Powder March
Early March – week 1
Deepest snowpack, softening pistes by afternoon, long days. Beloved by repeat visitors.
Spring skiing
Late March – mid April
Sun terraces, T-shirt lunches, T-bar laps on the glacier. Lifts close mid-April and the resort empties overnight.
Courchevel 1850, month by month
The same mountain reads very differently across the season. Snow, crowds and price each move on their own clock — here is how they line up December to April.
| Month | Snow | Crowds | Price | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| December | Building, cold & dry | Quiet — then peak at NYE | Low → Peak | Empty early-season pistes; festive New Year |
| January | Excellent, coldest | Very quiet mid-month | Lowest of the season | Connoisseurs, best value, serious skiing |
| February | Deep base | Busiest — school half-terms | Peak | Lively atmosphere, families (book ahead) |
| March | Deepest base, softens p.m. | Moderate | Mid | Powder + sun, long days, repeat visitors |
| April (to mid) | Spring snow, glacier up top | Quiet | Low | Sun terraces, relaxed pace, T-shirt lunches |
2026/27 season: lifts open ~5 December 2026 and close mid-to-late April 2027 (confirmed dates publish in autumn). Price swings up to 4× between mid-January and the Christmas and February peaks.
Frequently asked
When does Courchevel open for the 2026/27 season?
Les 3 Vallées has announced an early-December opening — around 5 December 2026 — in line with recent seasons, which opened on 6 December 2024 and 5 December 2025. Lifts run to mid-to-late April (Courchevel closed on 21 April 2025 and 19 April 2026). Final dates depend on early snow and are confirmed in the autumn.
When is the cheapest time to visit Courchevel 1850?
Mid-January (between New Year and February half-term) and the last week of the season. Palace hotels run rates 40–60% below Christmas peak.
When is the best snow?
Statistically: late January through early March. The combination of cold temperatures and accumulated base depth peaks then.