In short
The Courchevel ski World Cup race in 2026-2027 is a women's night slalom on Tuesday 22 December 2026 at the Stade Émile-Allais, Courchevel 1850. The first run starts at 5.45 pm and the second at 8.45 pm. Entry is free, the finish area is 150 m from the Croisette, and the Le Praz and Grangettes gondolas run free from 4 pm.
When is the Courchevel ski World Cup in 2026?
The Courchevel ski World Cup race is a women's night slalom on Tuesday 22 December 2026, at the Stade Émile-Allais in Courchevel 1850. The first run starts at 5.45 pm and the second at 8.45 pm. Entry is free.
The FIS calendar for 2026-2027 lists one World Cup event in Courchevel this winter: this slalom. It falls in the first week of the French Christmas holidays, which run from 19 December 2026 to 4 January 2027, so expect a busy resort.
Key facts: date, times, venue and entry for the 2026 Courchevel slalom
| What | Detail |
|---|---|
| Race | FIS Alpine Ski World Cup, women's slalom |
| Date | Tuesday 22 December 2026 |
| Format | Night slalom, two runs under floodlights |
| 1st run | 5.45 pm |
| 2nd run | 8.45 pm, then the flower ceremony and prize giving |
| Venue | Stade Émile-Allais, Loze sector, Courchevel 1850 |
| Entry | Free |
| Free lifts that evening | Le Praz and Grangettes gondolas, from 4 pm to 11.30 pm |
Source: World Cup Courchevel, programme, FIS calendar and practical information, checked October 2026.
If you are staying in Courchevel 1850 for Christmas, you can walk to the race. The organiser puts the finish area 150 m from the Croisette, the centre of the resort.
What happens on race evening?
The evening runs from 4 pm, when the partners' village opens, to the prize giving after the second run. Courchevel Tourism describes it as a spectacular and festive night slalom, with a DJ set between the two runs.
Programme: race evening hour by hour, 22 December 2026
| Time | What happens |
|---|---|
| 4.00 pm | The partners' village opens |
| 5.45 pm | First run of the slalom |
| Between runs | DJ set |
| 8.45 pm | Second run, then the flower ceremony and prize giving |
Source: Courchevel Tourism, winter events, checked October 2026.
A slalom is decided over two runs, and the combined time wins. Plan for about five hours outside if you stay for everything. With a child, you can watch the first run, warm up over dinner in the village, then come back for the second.
Is the Courchevel World Cup free, and can you buy VIP tickets?
Watching from the finish area costs nothing: the organiser announces free entry for the 2026 slalom. There is no ticket to buy and no published grandstand plan, so the best spots go to those who arrive early.
For a heated seat and dinner, the organiser sells hospitality packages at the INEOS Club House, inside the stadium. Its VIP page does not state the race date next to the prices, so confirm that they apply to 22 December when you book.
Where to book: VIP hospitality at the INEOS Club House, with prices
| Package | Price (VAT included) | What the organiser lists |
|---|---|---|
| VIP Stadium | 130 € per person | Buffet dinner, soft drinks and wine, official beanie |
| Crystal Globe, individual seat | 250 € per person | Seated dinner, gourmet buffet by Julien Machet of Le Farçon, soft drinks, wine and champagne, official beanie |
| Crystal Globe, table for 10 | 2,000 € per table | Buffet by Julien Machet, drinks, official beanie |
| Crystal Globe, VIP box for 25 | 5,500 € per box | Buffet by Julien Machet, drinks, official beanie |
Source: World Cup Courchevel, VIP places, checked October 2026.
The organiser does not publish a children's rate, so ask when booking.
How do you get to the Stade Émile-Allais?
From Courchevel 1850, walk to the Croisette and take the lifts inside the INEOS Club House building up to the finish area. From the other villages, the resort's two gondolas into 1850 are free that evening.
From the other villages
- Courchevel Le Praz: park at the Alpinium car park, then take the Le Praz gondola.
- Courchevel Village: park at Grangettes or Dou du Midi, then take the Grangettes gondola.
- Courchevel Moriond: park at Cimes Blanches, then take the free ski bus.
- In Courchevel 1850: the Croisette and Bellecôte car parks are within walking distance.
The Le Praz and Grangettes gondolas run free from 4 pm to 11.30 pm on race day. The resort's free shuttles also run, with extra services announced by the organiser.
On skis, in the afternoon
You can reach the finish area from the La Loze run, using the Plantrey chairlift or the Chenus gondola. One lift is off limits:
"During World Cup ski races, the Loze ski lift is strictly reserved for athletes and technical staff." Source
Where should you stand to watch a night slalom?
Stand in the public finish area, as close to the barrier as you can, and arrive before the first run at 5.45 pm. From there you see the last gates, the finish line, the timing board and the reactions of each racer.
- Arrive around 4 pm, when the partners' village opens, to choose your place on the barrier.
- Keep the same spot between runs if you can: the crowd is at its largest for the second run.
- Stay for the flower ceremony and the prize giving, which follow the second run.
"Since 2020, the stadium has been equipped with lighting, enabling skiers to train and compete at night." Source
Why is this race special for a young American racer?
Courchevel is where Mikaela Shiffrin won her 105th World Cup race, in a night slalom on 16 December 2025. She finished 1.55 seconds ahead of Camille Rast of Switzerland. It was her 68th World Cup slalom win.
The same night, the American Paula Moltzan moved up from ninth to fifth with the fastest second run. A second run can change everything.
"I'm just pushing. I'm not asking questions." Mikaela Shiffrin, Courchevel, December 2025. Source
The slope in numbers
- Slalom start: 2,015 m. Finish line: 1,795 m.
- Vertical drop: 220 m, over a course length of 614 m.
- The stadium has hosted the women's World Cup every year since 2010.
The stadium is named after Émile Allais, three-time world champion and founder of the French Ski School. Courchevel also co-hosted the 2023 World Championships with Méribel, from 6 to 19 February 2023. The men raced in Courchevel, on L'Éclipse, and the women in Méribel.
How cold is it, and what should you wear?
Dress for a long, cold evening on snow: ten-year averages put December in Courchevel at about -8 °C to 0 °C. The finish area sits at 1,795 m and the race ends well after dark, so it will feel colder than the day.
- Ski boots or insulated snow boots, since you stand on packed snow for hours.
- A down jacket over a base layer, plus ski trousers.
- A hat, a neck warmer and mittens rather than gloves.
Mountain weather can change a race schedule at short notice. Check the organiser's site on the morning of the race.
How do you get to Courchevel for the race?
Fly into Geneva or Lyon, then allow about two hours by road to Courchevel. Courchevel Tourism gives 179 km from Geneva airport and 176 km from Lyon-Saint-Exupéry, each about 2 hours.
- Chambéry: 95 km, about 1 hour 15 minutes by road.
- By train: the nearest station is Moûtiers, 30 minutes from the resort by road, with taxis to Courchevel.
- By bus: Altibus runs transfers from Moûtiers, Chambéry, Lyon and Geneva.
- By air to the resort: the Courchevel Altiport takes private and commercial flights, and helicopters fly in from nearby airports.
Our guide to getting to Courchevel and our altiport guide cover each option.
Is it worth booking a photographer for the Courchevel World Cup?
Yes, if you plan the session around the race rather than during it: a morning on the pistes, or the hour before the first run. During the race the crowd is dense and all eyes are on the course, so the best family portraits happen before it starts.
Photo session: the best times and places around race day
| When | Where | Why it works |
|---|---|---|
| Morning of 22 December | The pistes above Courchevel 1850 | Your daughter skis in daylight, with the family together on the slopes |
| About 4 pm, before the first run | The public edge of the finish area | The gates and floodlights are in place and the crowd is still thin |
| Another evening of your stay | The streets of Courchevel 1850 after dark | Warm lights and festive coats, with no race crowd around you |
Source: Riva Photography Courchevel, session formats for the 2026-2027 season, checked October 2026.
Riva Photography Courchevel is a private photography agency for Courchevel and Les 3 Vallées. Our photographers ski, so they can follow your daughter down a run as easily as they work in the village.
What Riva takes care of
- A photographer who skis and follows you on the pistes, in the village, at your chalet or hotel.
- Timing the session around the race programme and the light.
- Shooting from public spaces only: we have no access to the race course, the reserved zones or the backstage areas.
- First photos within 48 hours, the full gallery within 7 days.
- Free rescheduling for weather if you ask more than 72 hours ahead, 10 % due below that.
How much does it cost?
- 1 hour, 30 photos: 640 €
- 2 hours, 60 photos: 990 €
- Half day, 4 hours, 120 photos: 1,290 €
Prices include VAT for the 2026-2027 season. For a session on the slopes, the photographer's lift pass is added at the public price.
See our ski photoshoots in Courchevel, the full pricing, our family ski photoshoot guide and our Courchevel Christmas and New Year guide.
Frequently asked questions
When is the women's World Cup slalom in Courchevel?
It takes place on Tuesday 22 December 2026 at the Stade Émile-Allais in Courchevel 1850. It is a night slalom, with the first run at 5.45 pm and the second at 8.45 pm, followed by the flower ceremony and prize giving.
Do you need a ticket to watch the Courchevel night slalom?
No. The organiser announces free entry to the finish area. Optional VIP hospitality at the INEOS Club House is listed from 130 € per person, including VAT.
Which lifts reach the Stade Émile-Allais?
On foot from Courchevel 1850, use the lifts inside the INEOS Club House building at the Croisette. On skis, use the Plantrey chairlift or the Chenus gondola via the La Loze run. The Loze ski lift is reserved for athletes and staff during the race.
Are the gondolas free on race evening?
Yes. The organiser says the Le Praz and Grangettes gondolas, which link Le Praz and Courchevel Village to Courchevel 1850, run free from 4 pm to 11.30 pm on race day.
Is the Courchevel race suitable for children?
Yes, as long as they are dressed for a cold evening: December averages are about -8 °C to 0 °C and the race ends after dark. Families often watch the first run at 5.45 pm and return for the second at 8.45 pm.
Planning a session in Courchevel?
Send us your dates and where you are staying. We reply on WhatsApp within the hour with an available photographer and a quote.
contact@rivaphotography.com
Book a photographer in Courchevel
Sources
Facts, times and rules in this guide come from these sources, checked in October 2026.
- World Cup Courchevel, women's slalom programme, checked October 2026.
- World Cup Courchevel, practical information, checked October 2026.
- World Cup Courchevel, stadium access, checked October 2026.
- World Cup Courchevel, Stade Émile-Allais, checked October 2026.
- World Cup Courchevel, VIP places, checked October 2026.
- FIS, Alpine Skiing World Cup calendar 2026-2027 (Courchevel), checked October 2026.
- Courchevel Tourism, winter events, checked October 2026.
- Courchevel Tourism, getting to Courchevel, checked October 2026.
- Associated Press via KSAT, Shiffrin wins Courchevel night slalom, checked October 2026.
- La Télé, Courchevel slalom results, checked October 2026.
- French Ministry of Sport, 2023 World Championships Courchevel Méribel, checked October 2026.
- TechnoAlpin, 2023 World Championships in Courchevel and Méribel, checked October 2026.
- L'Etudiant, French school holidays 2026-2027, checked October 2026.
- BestDateWeather, Courchevel in December (ERA5, 10 years), checked October 2026.
