Hiring a Photographer in Courchevel: Prices, Spots and How It Works (2026)

How much does a photographer in Courchevel cost in 2026-2027?

With Riva Photography Courchevel, a private session costs from 590 € for one hour and 30 edited photos, up to 2,970 € for a two-day weekend with more than 500 photos. Prices include VAT and apply to the whole 2026-2027 winter season, from the opening of the Courchevel ski area on 4 December 2026 to its closing on 18 April 2027.

One hour suits a single setting, such as a family portrait on the snow front or a couple on the chalet terrace. Two hours leave time to move between two places, for example the slopes in the morning light and the village afterwards. The half day and full day are built for groups, ski days followed from first lift to last run, or a proposal followed by a celebration. The weekend format covers a whole stay: skiing, the chalet and an evening out.

Riva Photography Courchevel is a booking platform: the partner photographer who carries out your session issues the invoice and receives the payment directly.

What is added on top of the session price?

For any session on the slopes, the photographer's lift pass is added to the quote at the public price. Nothing else is added for a session in the village or at your chalet.

For the 2026-2027 season, the official Courchevel ski pass office lists an adult one-day Les 3 Vallées pass at 84.20 € in high season (19 December 2026 to 9 April 2027), and a four-hour pass at 75.10 €. The exact amount on your quote follows the public rate for the day and the duration of your session.

If one of your party does not ski but wants to join the session at altitude, the Les 3 Vallées one-day pedestrian pass costs 31.40 € for the 2026-2027 winter (5 December 2026 to 18 April 2027), the same price for adults and children. It gives access to the lifts that pedestrians may use to reach summits and mountain restaurants.

• First photos: within 48 hours of the session.
• Full gallery: within 7 days, or 14 days for weddings.
• Weather: postponement is free if you ask more than 72 hours before the session; below that, 10 % of the price is due.

For sessions on the slopes specifically, see our page on booking a ski photographer in Courchevel.

How does a session on the slopes differ from one in the village or at the chalet?

On the slopes, the photographer skis with you and works between lifts; in the village, you walk; at the chalet, the light and the pace are entirely yours. Each setting asks for a slightly different plan.

On the slopes

The photographer meets you at a lift or on a snow front, often at La Croisette in Courchevel 1850, where the ski pass office stands and the Verdons gondola starts from the snow front. You ski as you normally would. The photographer goes ahead, stops below you on a bend or at the edge of the piste, and photographs you as you come down, then catches up. You do not need to be an expert skier: wide, gentle blue runs give the most natural pictures because you are relaxed.

In the village

Village sessions are on foot and suit young children, non-skiers and evening pictures. Courchevel 1850 has its snow front and the pedestrian hub of La Croisette; Courchevel Village, Courchevel Moriond, Courchevel Le Praz and Courchevel La Tania each have a different character, from the forest edge of Le Praz to the sunny slopes of Moriond, which Les 3 Vallées describes as "sunny Moriond".

At the chalet

Chalet sessions are the most relaxed: getting ready before an evening, a long lunch, children by the fire, a group on the terrace at dusk. The photographer works around your schedule and your staff, and you never need to dress for the cold.

What time of day gives the best light in Courchevel?

The best light comes in the first hours after the lifts open and in the last hour before sunset, when the sun is low and the snow takes on colour. In midwinter the days are short, so the timing matters more than in spring.

Sunrise and sunset times for Courchevel from sunrise-sunset.org for the 2026-2027 season (local time):

These are astronomical times. In a mountain valley, surrounding ridges hide the sun earlier than the official sunset, so plan the golden-hour part of a session to start well before the time in the table.

Lifts close in the late afternoon: the Les 3 Vallées opening page shows typical lift hours of roughly 9 am to 4:30 pm, varying by lift. In December, sunset comes shortly after the lifts close, so a sunset session takes place in the village, at the Altiport or at your chalet, not at a summit. From February, longer days give you more afternoon light on the slopes.

What happens if the weather is bad on the day?

If the forecast is poor, you can move the session at no cost as long as you ask more than 72 hours ahead; after that, 10 % of the price is due. Snowfall itself is not a reason to cancel, since falling snow often gives the most atmospheric pictures.

The real problems are low cloud, which flattens the light and hides the peaks, and strong wind at altitude, which can close the upper lifts. A few practical rules help:

• Follow the Météo-France mountain forecast in the days before your session. Météo-France also publishes avalanche risk bulletins for the French massifs.
• Keep a lower alternative in mind. Forested areas around Le Praz and La Tania keep contrast when the summits are in cloud.
• Book early in your stay. If the first day is grey, you still have room to move the session.
• Have an indoor plan B: the chalet, a hotel lounge or a restaurant you already planned to visit.

Which places in Courchevel work best for a photo session?

The strongest backgrounds are high viewpoints with the Vanoise peaks behind you, wide snow fronts in the villages and the forest edges lower down. Our full list, with best light and access, is in The Best Photo Spots in Courchevel (2026-2027 Season). A short selection:

• La Saulire: at 2,740 m according to Les 3 Vallées, reached from Courchevel by the Saulire cable car, with a 360-degree panorama that Les 3 Vallées says includes La Grande Casse (3,855 m) and the Vanoise glaciers.
• Le Signal, above Courchevel Moriond: at 2,250 m, reached by the Chapelets or Signal chairlifts, with a view of Mont Blanc in the distance.
• Col de la Loze: at 2,304 m, between the Courchevel and Méribel valleys, reached by the Dou des Lanches chairlift.
• The Altiport area: above Courchevel 1850, where an easy marked winter walk descends from the Altiport past the Pralong farm to the resort centre, with panoramic views and chalets along the slopes.
• Courchevel Le Praz: the Olympic ski jumps, the lake and the forest.

If you are planning a proposal, the timing and the hiding are a subject in themselves: see How to Propose in Courchevel.

How do you book a photographer in Courchevel with Riva?

Booking takes place only on WhatsApp, at +33 6 30 85 92 05. You send your dates, the village where you are staying, the number of people and the kind of pictures you want; you receive a proposal with the session length, the meeting point and the total, including the photographer's lift pass when the session is on the slopes.

1. Write as soon as your dates are fixed, so the photographer can be reserved for the day and time you want.
2. Choose the format. One or two hours for a portrait, a half day or full day for skiing and events.
3. Agree on the meeting point and time, using the light and lift hours above.
4. Keep an eye on the forecast and move the session more than 72 hours ahead if needed.
5. Receive your first photos within 48 hours and the full gallery within 7 days.

If you already know your dates, the simplest step is to write to Riva Photography Courchevel on WhatsApp with your village and the moment you want to keep. We will come back to you with a clear proposal.

Frequently asked questions

How much does a private photographer cost in Courchevel?

With Riva Photography Courchevel, sessions for the 2026-2027 season cost 590 € for one hour and 30 photos, 790 € for two hours and 60 photos, 1,290 € for a four-hour half day, 1,970 € for an eight-hour day and 2,970 € for a two-day weekend. Prices include VAT. For sessions on the slopes, the photographer's lift pass is added at the public price.

Does the photographer need a ski pass in Courchevel?

Yes, for any session on the slopes. The pass is added to your quote at the public price. For winter 2026-2027 the official adult one-day Les 3 Vallées pass costs 84.20 € in high season, from 19 December 2026 to 9 April 2027. Village and chalet sessions need no pass.

When are the Courchevel slopes open in 2026-2027?

The Courchevel ski area opens on 4 December 2026 and closes on 18 April 2027, according to Les 3 Vallées. Courchevel Village, Courchevel Moriond and Courchevel La Tania open on 5 December 2026.

How quickly do you receive the photos?

The first photos arrive within 48 hours of the session. The full edited gallery follows within 7 days, or within 14 days for a wedding.

Can a session be moved if the weather is bad?

Yes. Moving the session is free if you ask more than 72 hours before it. Closer to the date, 10 % of the session price is due. Falling snow is usually fine for pictures; low cloud and strong wind at altitude are the real reasons to move.