Courchevel Le Praz (1300): A Guide to the Historic Village (2026-2027)

Where is Courchevel Le Praz and what is it like?

Courchevel Le Praz is the historic village of Courchevel, set at 1,300 m in the Savoie, and the lowest of the resort's five ski villages. Courchevel Tourism describes a village with a more local heart, built around its lake, its bell tower and its narrow streets, where village life and Savoyard traditions still set the pace. The tourist office booking platform adds that it is bordered by forests, with traditional chalets, wood-fired ovens and an active cheese dairy with maturing cellars, a reminder of the area's farming past.

Many visitors still call it Courchevel 1300. The France.fr history of the resort records that on 8 September 2011 the council dropped the altitude names, and Le Praz officially became Courchevel Le Praz. Our Courchevel villages guide explains the other renamings.

How do you get from Le Praz to Courchevel 1850 and the slopes?

The Praz gondola is the quickest way up. According to its manufacturer POMA, the lift opened in 2019 with 47 ten-seat cabins, runs 2,090 m with a vertical rise of 478 m, carries 2,400 people per hour in each direction and reaches the centre of Courchevel 1850 in about 6 minutes. Its base station sits in the Alpinium, which also houses a tourist office desk, a ski pass office and a 500-space car park on two levels.

The Forêt lift also starts in the village, next to the gondola, as the tourist office listing for Le Bistrot du Praz confirms. Outside the lifts, Courchevel Tourism notes that free shuttles connect Le Praz with the other villages all year round, so you can manage without a car.

For the 2026-2027 season, Les 3 Vallées gives 4 December 2026 to 18 April 2027 for Courchevel, and the Le Praz Alpinium ski pass office lists daily opening across exactly those dates.

Which ski runs come down to Le Praz?

Two famous black runs finish in the village, both through the forest, and both are for strong skiers only.

• L'Eclipse: Les 3 Vallées describes it as the longest black run in the area, about 3.3 km with a 970 m vertical drop and an average gradient of 30%. It starts near the Col de la Loze and was rebuilt, under its former name of the Jockeys run, for the speed events of the 2023 World Ski Championships. Access is by the Plantrey or Bouc Blanc chairlifts or the Chenus gondola.
• Jean Blanc: a narrow, winding run from the top of the Plantrey chairlift down to Le Praz. Les 3 Vallées notes that it is a former World Cup run named after one of the founders of Courchevel, and the France.fr history records that Léo Lacroix passed 100 km/h on it in 1966.

Less confident skiers simply ride the gondola back down from Courchevel 1850 at the end of the day.

What is the story of the Le Praz ski jumps?

The Le Praz ski jumps were built for the 1992 Albertville Winter Olympics, when Courchevel hosted the ski jumping and Nordic combined events. The France.fr history of the resort records that on 12 February 1992 Fabrice Guy became the first French Olympic champion in Nordic combined on the Le Praz hill, with Sylvain Guillaume in second place, and that the site hosts an international ski jump Grand Prix in summer.

The complex, known as the Tremplin du Praz, has four hills. Its large hill is rated K125 (HS132) and its normal hill K90 (HS96), with two smaller training hills.

You do not need to jump to enjoy them. Courchevel Tourism lists the Boucle du Praz, an easy 1.5 km cross-country ski loop that starts from the plateau facing the Olympic jumps, free of charge, from 6 December to 19 April, snow permitting.

What can you do in Le Praz besides skiing?

Le Praz suits a mixed group well, because its lake, walks and shops work without skis, as Courchevel Tourism points out. A few verified options:

• Le Tour du Praz: an easy, marked 2.5 km winter walk with 70 m of climb, about one hour, free, from 1 December to 30 April. It passes the Hôtel Les Peupliers and the chapel, then follows the signs to the Olympic ski jumps.
• Ice diving in the lake: the tourist office booking platform lists diving under the ice of Le Praz lake in winter, a short walk from the centre.
• Sainte-Madeleine chapel: the Fondation Facim describes a large chapel on a plateau in the heart of the village, with a small tabernacle and colourful statues by Baroque-era artists. The village still honours Mary Magdalene each July with the Madelon festival. Its listing gives summer opening dates, so check access in winter.

For the wider resort, see our things to do in Courchevel guide.

Where can you eat in Courchevel Le Praz?

Two restaurants are well documented by official or recognised sources. Opening periods change each season, so confirm with each one before you plan around it.

For a wider choice, including the starred tables higher up, see our Courchevel restaurants guide.

Where can you stay in Le Praz?

Staying in Le Praz usually means a chalet, an apartment or one hotel in the centre. The best known is the Hôtel Les Peupliers, a 4-star hotel at 119 rue du Lac, which Courchevel Tourism places at the edge of the forest by the lake, with a spa, sauna and massages.

The tourist office booking platform lists chalets and apartments in the village, from farm-style cabins to chalets for ten or twelve guests, some with a pool, sauna or hammam. Its reservation team answers on +33 (0)4 79 08 88 39, Monday to Friday. For the palace hotels, look at our Courchevel hotels guide.

How does Le Praz compare with the other Courchevel villages?

Le Praz is the lowest, oldest and most traditional of the five ski villages, while Courchevel 1850 is the busiest. The descriptions below are those of Courchevel Tourism.

Courchevel Tourism says Le Praz is appreciated by families who want a human-sized stay away from the bustle, as well as by athletes. Those who want the palace hotels and the busiest après-ski are better placed in Courchevel 1850, six minutes away by gondola.

Where are the best photo spots in Le Praz?

The lake, the chapel plateau and the Olympic ski jumps are the three settings that make Le Praz pictures recognisable. A few practical notes:

• The lake shore: chalets, forest and frozen water in one frame, easy for grandparents and small children.
• The plateau facing the ski jumps: the start of the Boucle du Praz gives open snow with the jumps behind, good for wide family portraits.
• The old streets and the chapel: wood, stone and narrow lanes for couples who prefer a village look to the pistes.
• The forest runs: for strong skiers, action pictures among the trees on the way down.

The forest also helps on grey days, when the high viewpoints are flat. Our best photo spots in Courchevel guide covers the rest of the resort.

Can you book a photo session in Courchevel Le Praz?

Yes. Riva Photography Courchevel connects visitors with private photographers who ski, and a session in Le Praz can begin at your chalet or by the lake, then continue on the slopes; the details are on our Le Praz photographer page. Sessions start at 590 € for 1 hour and 30 photos, all taxes included, and the photographer's lift pass is added at the public price for time on the pistes. First photos arrive within 48 hours and the full gallery within 7 days. See all options on the pricing page and ideas for the snow on our ski photoshoot page.

To check availability, write to us on WhatsApp through the contact page with your dates and where you are staying.

Frequently asked questions

What altitude is Courchevel Le Praz?

Courchevel Le Praz sits at 1,300 m, according to Courchevel Tourism, which is why it is often called Courchevel 1300. It is the lowest of Courchevel's five ski villages.

How long does the gondola take from Le Praz to Courchevel 1850?

About 6 minutes. The Praz gondola, opened in 2019, has ten-seat cabins and climbs 478 m over 2,090 m to the centre of Courchevel 1850, according to its manufacturer POMA.

Were the Le Praz ski jumps used in the Olympics?

Yes. They were built for the 1992 Albertville Winter Olympics, when Courchevel hosted the ski jumping and Nordic combined events. Fabrice Guy won Nordic combined gold for France there on 12 February 1992.

Is Le Praz good for beginners?

Le Praz is a calm, family-friendly base, but the runs that end in the village, L'Eclipse and Jean Blanc, are black runs. Beginners usually take the gondola up to Courchevel 1850 to ski and ride it back down.

When are the lifts open in Le Praz in 2026-2027?

Les 3 Vallées gives 4 December 2026 to 18 April 2027 for Courchevel, and the Le Praz ski pass office in the Alpinium lists daily opening over the same dates.