Nestled at 1,300 m, Courchevel Le Praz - also known as Courchevel 1300 - is the most authentic of the five villages that make up the Courchevel resort. Far from the glittering bustle of Courchevel 1850, Le Praz still feels like a true Savoyard village: cobbled lanes, stone-and-timber chalets, an olympic lake and a bulb-topped bell tower watching over a community that lives here all year round.
A preserved Savoyard village in the heart of Les 3 Vallées
Le Praz is the historic birthplace of Courchevel. Long before the resort grew up at 1850, mountain life revolved around the church and the lake here. To this day you'll meet Savoyard families, wood and stone artisans, and on winter evenings you can still hear the local patois being spoken. Newly built chalets - such as Chalet Les Cochettes - respect local architectural codes: rough stone, solid larch, lauze stone roofs.
Direct access to Les 3 Vallées via the Praz gondola
The great asset of Le Praz is its gondola. In just six minutes it links the village to Courchevel 1850 and gives direct access to the largest ski area in the world: 600 km of slopes across Les 3 Vallées, connecting Courchevel, Méribel, Val Thorens and Les Menuires. Beginners and experts alike find their happiness, without the lift queues of 1850's snow front.
Why choose Le Praz over 1850?
- —Quiet and authenticity: a real village, not an artificial luxury resort
- —Best value for money on luxury chalet rentals in Courchevel
- —Identical ski access to Les 3 Vallées via the gondola
- —Savoyard traditional restaurants, cosy bars, local atmosphere
- —Ideal for families: safety, calm, lake and forest right next door
What to do in Courchevel Le Praz off the slopes?
The Lac du Praz, a protected natural site, welcomes snowshoe walks in winter and swimming in summer. The village is home to several Michelin-starred restaurants and mountain bistros, an artisan cheese maker, and its olympic ski jump - a legacy of the 1992 Albertville Games - remains one of the most iconic in Europe.
Where to stay in Courchevel Le Praz?
To experience Le Praz at its most authentic, rent a private chalet. Chalet Les Cochettes, completed in 2022 in the purest Savoyard tradition, welcomes up to 12 guests across 330 m² with indoor pool, cinema room and central fireplace - three minutes' walk from the village centre and five minutes by free shuttle from the gondola.
Courchevel 1300 or Le Praz: which name is right?
Both refer to the same village. Courchevel 1300 is the older name based on its altitude (1,300 m) and is still used on road signs, GPS systems and by regulars. Since 2011 the resort officially calls it Courchevel Le Praz. So if you are searching for a chalet in Courchevel 1300, you are looking at Le Praz: the lowest, most wooded and most authentic of Courchevel's five villages.
How to get to Courchevel Le Praz
- —Geneva airport: 2 h 15 drive (145 km), the best served in winter.
- —Lyon-Saint-Exupéry airport: 2 h 30 (185 km).
- —Moûtiers-Salins station: 25 minutes away, direct TGV from Paris and the Eurostar Ski Train from London on Saturdays.
- —Courchevel altiport: 10 minutes away for helicopter or private jet arrivals.
- —By car: A43 then N90 to Moûtiers, then the Le Praz road — it is the first village you drive through on the way up.
Skiing from Le Praz: direct access to the 3 Valleys
Two lifts leave from the heart of the village: the Forêt gondola, which reaches Courchevel 1850 in a few minutes, and the Croisette cable car. From there the 600 km of 3 Valleys pistes open up without touching the car again: Courchevel, Méribel, Val Thorens, Les Menuires and Saint-Martin-de-Belleville on a single pass. Ski home to Le Praz on the Jean Blanc piste or the legendary Olympic downhill run.
Why Le Praz rather than another Courchevel village
- —A genuine year-round village with shops, a school and a lake.
- —Wood and stone chalets rather than resort apartment blocks.
- —Quiet and spruce forest, four minutes by gondola from the buzz of 1850.
- —The Olympic ski-jumping hills, a legacy of the 1992 Albertville Games.
- —Noticeably gentler prices for dining and services than at 1850.
Where to eat and go out in Le Praz
The village has a handful of characterful addresses, from Savoyard bistros to a Michelin-starred table, around the square and the lake. For a gastronomic dinner, Courchevel 1850 and its starred restaurants are minutes away by gondola or free shuttle. A private chef at the chalet remains the most comfortable option for large groups: dinner is served at home, with no booking and no journey back through the snow.
When to book a stay in Le Praz
Christmas, New Year and February weeks are usually booked 6 to 12 months ahead. January and March offer the best snow-to-crowd ratio: empty pistes, beautiful light and more accessible rates. Spring skiing through mid-April appeals to families for the sun terraces and long days.
Staying at Chalet Les Cochettes
Chalet Les Cochettes sleeps up to 12 adults in the heart of Le Praz, with a 10-metre indoor pool, spa, cinema room and concierge service. It is an ideal base to explore the 3 Valleys by day and return to the calm of the village at night. From €1,600 per night, limited availability.