Courchevel at Christmas and New Year 2026: What to Know Before You Go

When does Courchevel open for the 2026-2027 winter season?

Courchevel's lifts open on Friday 4 December 2026 and close on Sunday 18 April 2027, according to the official lift opening page of Les 3 Vallées. Not every sector starts on the same day, which matters if you are staying lower down the valley.

In practice, anyone arriving for Christmas will find the whole area open, provided snow conditions allow. Opening dates are announced in advance, but the number of runs actually open on a given day depends on the snow, so check the live lift status before you head out. Courchevel Tourism lists 150 km of marked slopes in Courchevel itself, connected to the 600 km of the 3 Vallées.

How busy is Courchevel over Christmas and New Year?

The festive fortnight is one of the busiest periods of the season, largely because it coincides with the French school holidays. For 2026-2027, the Christmas holidays are the same for every zone of mainland France: classes stop on Saturday 19 December 2026 and resume on Monday 4 January 2027, according to the official school calendar published by the French Ministry of Education.

If your dates are flexible, the period between the opening and 19 December, and the weeks of January after the 4th, fall outside the French holidays. During the holiday fortnight itself, expect the most demand for accommodation, ski lessons and restaurant tables, and book accordingly.

What events are confirmed for Christmas 2026 in Courchevel?

The one major event confirmed so far is the FIS Women's Alpine Skiing World Cup slalom on Tuesday 22 December 2026, held at night on the Émile-Allais stadium in Courchevel. It appears on both the FIS calendar and the Courchevel Tourism events page.

The programme published by Courchevel Tourism is as follows:

For the rest of the holidays, the detailed Christmas and New Year programme for 2026-2027 had not yet been published when we checked in October 2026. The official calendar describes the kind of entertainment the resort usually puts on, including family entertainment, guided tours, torch-lit descents, a fireworks festival and end-of-year festivities, but specific dates and times for this season were not listed. The reliable places to check closer to your trip are the winter events page and the events calendar on courchevel.com. Courchevel Tourism also notes that 2026 marks the resort's 80th anniversary, so it is worth keeping an eye on both pages.

How do you get to Courchevel in late December?

Most international visitors fly into Geneva or Lyon and transfer by road, which takes about two hours according to Courchevel Tourism. The nearest train station is Moûtiers, from where the resort is around 30 minutes by road.

• By train: Moûtiers station, then taxi or bus.
• By bus: Altibus runs transfers from Moûtiers, Chambéry, Lyon and Geneva.
• By helicopter or private plane: helicopter transfers operate from nearby airports, and the Courchevel Altiport accepts certain private and commercial flights.
• Road conditions: Courchevel Tourism lists +33 4 79 37 73 77 for road information from abroad.

In winter, check road conditions before setting off from the airport, and make sure your transfer company or hire car is equipped for snow on the final climb from Moûtiers.

How should you plan bookings for the festive fortnight?

Book the elements that have fixed capacity first, and leave flexible ones for later. A sensible order for Christmas or New Year in Courchevel:

1. Accommodation: chalets and hotels are the first thing to sell out for the school holiday weeks.
2. Ski school or private instructor: lessons for the school holiday weeks are worth reserving as soon as your dates are fixed.
3. Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve dinners: ask each restaurant how it handles those two nights, as formats and booking rules vary.
4. Ski passes: passes can be bought or reloaded online, on the Les 3 Vallées app, at ticket machines or at the resort's ticket offices.
5. Anything else you want to remember the trip by, such as a photo session, before the holiday weeks fill.

Once you are in the resort, a car is optional. Free shuttles link all the villages of Courchevel in winter, with real-time stops on the Mobilité Courchevel app, and Courchevel Tourism notes that all the villages are connected by slopes and lifts during the day. If you are still deciding where to stay, our guide to Courchevel's villages compares altitudes and atmosphere.

Can you book a private photographer for Christmas or New Year in Courchevel?

Yes. Riva Photography Courchevel connects visitors with private photographers who ski, so a session can take place on the slopes with the whole family, on the snow front at dusk, or around a festive dinner at your chalet. The partner photographer invoices you directly.

For sessions on the slopes, the photographer's lift pass is added to the quote at the public price. First photos arrive within 48 hours and the full gallery within 7 days. If the weather turns, rescheduling is free when requested more than 72 hours before the session; below that, 10% of the price is due.

Photographer availability over the school holidays is limited by the calendar itself, so it is worth fixing your session as soon as your travel dates are set. To check availability, send your dates and village to Riva Photography Courchevel on WhatsApp at +33 6 30 85 92 05, or use the contact section.

Frequently asked questions

When does Courchevel open for winter 2026-2027?

Courchevel's lifts open on Friday 4 December 2026 and close on Sunday 18 April 2027. The Village, Moriond and La Tania sectors open on 5 December, the full 3 Vallées area opens on 5 December, and Moriond and La Tania close earlier, on 11 April 2027.

Is there a New Year's Eve fireworks display in Courchevel in 2026?

The official 2026-2027 programme for New Year's Eve had not been published in October 2026. Courchevel Tourism's calendar mentions fireworks and end-of-year festivities among its usual entertainment, so check courchevel.com closer to the date for confirmed times and places.

When are the French Christmas school holidays in 2026?

For the 2026-2027 school year, the Christmas holidays run from Saturday 19 December 2026 to Monday 4 January 2027, when classes resume. The dates are the same for zones A, B and C of mainland France.

What is happening in Courchevel on 22 December 2026?

Courchevel hosts a FIS Women's Alpine Skiing World Cup night slalom on the Émile-Allais stadium. Courchevel Tourism lists the partners' village opening at 4.00 pm, the first run at 5.45 pm and the second run at 8.45 pm, followed by the flower ceremony.

How far is Courchevel from Geneva airport?

Courchevel Tourism gives 179 km from Geneva International Airport, about two hours by road. Lyon-Saint-Exupéry is 176 km away, also about two hours. The nearest train station is Moûtiers, around 30 minutes from the resort.