Nestled at 1,300 m, Courchevel Le Praz - also known as Courchevel 1300 - is the most authentic of the five villages that make up the Courchevel resort. Far from the glittering bustle of Courchevel 1850, Le Praz still feels like a true Savoyard village: cobbled lanes, stone-and-timber chalets, an olympic lake and a bulb-topped bell tower watching over a community that lives here all year round.
A preserved Savoyard village in the heart of Les 3 Vallées
Le Praz is the historic birthplace of Courchevel. Long before the resort grew up at 1850, mountain life revolved around the church and the lake here. To this day you'll meet Savoyard families, wood and stone artisans, and on winter evenings you can still hear the local patois being spoken. Newly built chalets - such as Chalet Les Cochettes - respect local architectural codes: rough stone, solid larch, lauze stone roofs.
Direct access to Les 3 Vallées via the Praz gondola
The great asset of Le Praz is its gondola. In just six minutes it links the village to Courchevel 1850 and gives direct access to the largest ski area in the world: 600 km of slopes across Les 3 Vallées, connecting Courchevel, Méribel, Val Thorens and Les Menuires. Beginners and experts alike find their happiness, without the lift queues of 1850's snow front.
Why choose Le Praz over 1850?
- —Quiet and authenticity: a real village, not an artificial luxury resort
- —Best value for money on luxury chalet rentals in Courchevel
- —Identical ski access to Les 3 Vallées via the gondola
- —Savoyard traditional restaurants, cosy bars, local atmosphere
- —Ideal for families: safety, calm, lake and forest right next door
What to do in Courchevel Le Praz off the slopes?
The Lac du Praz, a protected natural site, welcomes snowshoe walks in winter and swimming in summer. The village is home to several Michelin-starred restaurants and mountain bistros, an artisan cheese maker, and its olympic ski jump - a legacy of the 1992 Albertville Games - remains one of the most iconic in Europe.
Where to stay in Courchevel Le Praz?
To experience Le Praz at its most authentic, rent a private chalet. Chalet Les Cochettes, completed in 2022 in the purest Savoyard tradition, welcomes up to 12 guests across 330 m² with indoor pool, cinema room and central fireplace - three minutes' walk from the village centre and five minutes by free shuttle from the gondola.