Winter Wedding or Elopement in Courchevel: A Practical Guide for Foreign Couples

Can foreigners legally get married in Courchevel?

Yes, but only if French residency rules are met. According to service-public.fr, the official French administration website (last verified by the administration on 16 September 2026), a marriage is celebrated in a commune with which at least one of the future spouses has a lasting link. That link can be:

• the domicile of one of you in the commune, meaning the place where you are established;
• the residence of one of you in the commune, which may be a second home, established by at least one month of continuous residence on the date the banns are published;
• the domicile or residence of a parent (father or mother only) of one of you, under the same one-month rule for a residence.

Being born in a commune without living there is not enough. The same page adds a rule that matters for many visitors: if you are both foreign nationals and neither of you lives in France, a marriage in France is only possible at your country's consulate, or in a commune of a French overseas collectivity or New Caledonia.

Which town hall handles weddings in Courchevel?

Weddings are handled by the Mairie de Courchevel, the town hall of the commune of Courchevel. The commune was created on 1 January 2017 when Saint-Bon and La Perrière merged, and its seat is in Saint-Bon, at 1,150 m. The resort villages of Courchevel 1850, Moriond, Village, Le Praz and La Tania are all within the same commune.

• Address: 228 rue de la Mairie, Saint-Bon, 73120 Courchevel
• Opening hours: Monday to Friday, 8.30 am to 12 pm and 2 pm to 5.30 pm
• Telephone: +33 4 79 08 24 14

The town hall's own wedding page asks couples to send a written request to the mayor at least two months before the date they want, with proof of domicile or residence in the commune, less than three months old, in their own name or a parent's name. Couples are then invited to an interview, at which the date and time of the ceremony are confirmed.

What documents does a foreign partner need?

The exact list depends on nationality, and the town hall gives each couple a booklet listing the required documents. Based on service-public.fr and the Courchevel town hall page, expect the following:

• Identity document for each of you.
• Birth certificate with parentage. For a certificate issued abroad, service-public.fr sets a maximum age of six months, counted from the day the marriage file is submitted.
• Certificat de coutume (certificate of custom), usually issued by your embassy or consulate, setting out the marriage rules of your country and proving you are not already married.
• Certificate of celibacy or marital capacity where your country cannot provide up-to-date civil status documents.
• Sworn translations of any document in a foreign language.
• Apostille or legalisation, depending on the country that issued the documents.
• Proof of domicile or residence in the commune, dated so the one-month rule can be checked.
• Witness details and a copy of each witness's ID. The Courchevel town hall states that each spouse may have up to two witnesses.

Once the file is complete, the timeline runs as follows:

If either of you does not understand French, the registrar may require an interpreter, at your expense if the interpreter is paid.

What is the difference between a civil wedding and a symbolic ceremony?

Under French law, a marriage must be celebrated at the town hall, in a room open to the public, by the mayor or a deputy, in the presence of both spouses and their witnesses. A ceremony held anywhere else, led by a celebrant, a friend or a family member, is therefore symbolic: it can be as personal as you like, but it does not create a legal marriage. French law also forbids a religious wedding before the civil one.

For most couples who live abroad and have no home in Courchevel, the practical route is to complete the legal marriage in their home country, or at their consulate, and then hold the ceremony that matters to them in the mountains. An elopement in the French Alps works the same way: the legal part happens elsewhere, and Courchevel is where you exchange vows with only the people you choose.

Where can a winter ceremony or elopement take place in Courchevel?

For a symbolic ceremony or an elopement, the realistic options fall into a few types of setting, each with its own permissions to arrange:

• A private chalet, where you control the guest list, the timing and the setting, and can step outside onto the snow for portraits.
• A hotel, for a ceremony and dinner in one place, subject to the hotel's own event rules.
• A mountain restaurant reached by lift, by private arrangement with the owner.
• Outdoors on the snow, for a short exchange of vows and photographs, ideally in a quiet spot reachable on skis or on foot.

Whatever the setting, confirm in writing with the venue what is allowed, and check how guests who do not ski will reach it. Lift-served locations depend on the season: Courchevel's lifts run from 4 December 2026 to 18 April 2027, with the Moriond and La Tania sectors closing on 11 April. If you want quieter slopes and easier logistics, avoid the French school holidays (19 December 2026 to 4 January 2027, and the February weeks), as explained in our Christmas and New Year guide. To choose a base, see our comparison of Courchevel's villages.

How do you photograph a winter wedding or elopement in Courchevel?

A winter ceremony in the Alps usually means moving between a warm interior, the snow outside and, for many couples, a few runs on skis. Riva Photography Courchevel connects couples with private photographers who ski, so the photographer can follow you from the chalet to the slopes without the shoot stopping at the lift. The partner photographer invoices you directly.

For a wedding, the half day or full day usually fits best, as it covers preparation, the ceremony and portraits outside. 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 wedding gallery within 14 days. If the weather is against you, rescheduling is free when requested more than 72 hours ahead; below that, 10% of the price is due.

To check availability for your date, write to Riva Photography Courchevel on WhatsApp at +33 6 30 85 92 05 with your date, village and the kind of ceremony you are planning, or use the contact section.

Frequently asked questions

Can two foreigners who live abroad get married legally in Courchevel?

Not unless one of them, or a parent, has a lasting link to the commune: a home there, or at least one month of continuous residence when the banns are published. Service-public.fr states that two foreign nationals who do not live in France can otherwise only marry at their country's consulate, or in a French overseas collectivity or New Caledonia.

How long do you need to live in Courchevel to get married there?

If you rely on residence rather than domicile, French rules require at least one month of continuous residence in the commune on the date the banns are published, with dated proof in your name or a parent's name.

Where is the town hall for weddings in Courchevel?

The Mairie de Courchevel is at 228 rue de la Mairie, Saint-Bon, 73120 Courchevel. It is open Monday to Friday, 8.30 am to 12 pm and 2 pm to 5.30 pm, and its telephone number is +33 4 79 08 24 14.

Is a symbolic wedding ceremony legally binding in France?

No. A French marriage must be celebrated at the town hall by the mayor or a deputy. A ceremony led by a celebrant elsewhere has no legal effect, so couples marry legally at home or at a consulate and hold the symbolic ceremony in Courchevel.

How far ahead should you contact the Courchevel town hall?

The town hall asks for a written request to the mayor at least two months before the desired wedding date. After the file is complete, the banns are posted for 10 days, and the wedding can take place from the 10th day after publication.