Cheval Blanc Courchevel · France
La Terrasse sits beside the Jardin Alpin piste. The danger is deciding afterward whether you are still going skiing. Image courtesy of Cheval Blanc.
Cheval Blanc Courchevel is the sort of hotel that makes skiing feel suspiciously easy.
Your boots are dealt with. Your skis are waiting. The piste is outside. You ski back in for lunch. Your bathroom has its own hammam shower. Eventually you begin to wonder why anyone has ever carried their own skis anywhere.
This was the original Cheval Blanc, opened in Courchevel in 2006, and it remains one of the brand’s most intimate Maisons, with just 36 rooms and suites in the Jardin Alpin at Courchevel 1850. It is genuinely ski-in/ski-out, with direct access to Les Trois Vallées and nearly 600 kilometers of skiing beyond the door.
There is also a Guerlain spa, a serious children’s club, a separate teen space, more than 200 works of contemporary art and Le 1947, the only restaurant in Courchevel with three Michelin stars.
It is extravagant.
It is also exceptionally good at the practical parts of a ski vacation, which is ultimately why I think it is worth talking about.
Why stay at Cheval Blanc Courchevel?
There are quite a few extremely expensive hotels in Courchevel.
Cheval Blanc earns its place on the shortlist because the luxury is not limited to cashmere throws and very good lighting.
The hotel is directly on the Jardin Alpin slopes, so skiing is not an expedition involving a car, a shuttle and four people asking where someone’s other glove is. You leave from the hotel and ski back to it. Condé Nast specifically highlights the ski room as one of the property’s defining experiences, with staff handling equipment before guests step directly onto the piste.
That convenience matters enormously with children.
It also matters enormously with adults who insist they are ready to leave at 8:45 and somehow are still looking for goggles at 9:20.
Cheval Blanc takes much of the irritating admin out of skiing.
At this price, it should.
At a glance
- Where
- Le Jardin Alpin, Courchevel 1850, directly on the slopes rather than in the village center
- The hotel
- The original Cheval Blanc, opened 2006. Just 36 rooms and suites, and a French Palace
- Skiing
- Genuinely ski-in/ski-out, with direct access to Les Trois Vallées and close to 600 km of pistes
- Best for
- Families who want the skiing to be easy, couples who care as much about the hotel as the mountain, and food-focused travelers
- Start with
- The Deluxe Superior Room, 45–48 sq m, south-facing toward La Saulire. Prioritize the exposure and the view over jumping straight to a suite
- For families
- Certain Deluxe Superior Rooms and Junior Suites connect through shared private entrances, and the Duplex Suite connects with one or two more. Book the configuration, not the headcount
- The Chalet
- 315 sq m over four floors, three bedroom suites for up to six, with its own screening room, treatment room, sauna, hammam and Nordic bath
- The Apartment
- 650 sq m, four bedrooms for up to eight, with three reception rooms, a private kitchen and bar, wellness studio, round-the-clock Majordome team and its own lift to a private ski room
- Children and teens
- Le Carrousel for children and Le Paddock, a separate lounge for teenagers, both open daily 11:00 AM to 8:00 PM
- Spa and pool
- Guerlain spa with five treatment rooms and a couples salon, a pool facing the slopes, sauna, chromotherapy hammam, ice fountains and an outdoor Russian banya
- Dining
- Le 1947 by Yannick Alléno, three Michelin stars in the 2026 guide and the only three-star restaurant in Courchevel, plus Le Grill Alpin and La Terrasse on the piste
- Season
- Winter only, generally December through April
- Ideal stay
- Six or seven nights for a family flying from the US. Four can work inside a larger winter trip
- Book by
- Early for Christmas, New Year’s, Presidents’ Week and February half term. The useful family configurations go long before the hotel does
Sleeps four and works beautifully for a family of four are not remotely the same thing.
Which rooms connect, and through which entrances, is not something a booking engine will tell you. Send me your dates and your children’s ages and I will work out the configuration before we talk about rates.
What Cheval Blanc Courchevel actually feels like
Do not let the mustard-yellow chalet exterior fool you.
Inside, this is not an old-fashioned Savoyard hotel filled with cowbells and carved hearts.
The interiors by Sybille de Margerie are contemporary and colorful, combining wood, leather, cashmere and traditional mountain materials with polished metal and a substantial modern art collection. Cheval Blanc says there are more than 200 works throughout the Maison, including pieces by Jean-Michel Othoniel and Bruno Peinado.
There is a giant mirrored horse outside.
There is an enormous bear sculpture beside the pool.
There are rooms in plum, orange, deep red and green.
Courchevel has enough beige shearling to last several lifetimes. I appreciate that Cheval Blanc has decided to have a little fun.
Which room should you book at Cheval Blanc Courchevel?
This is where I would not simply choose by square footage.
Most rooms here are already large by European ski-hotel standards, starting around 40 square meters, and all come with a balcony or terrace, substantial dressing space, a bathtub and a separate hammam-style rain shower with chromotherapy.
The differences in outlook, exposure and ability to connect matter more.
For a couple
I would start with the Deluxe Superior Room.
It is 45 to 48 square meters, faces south and looks toward La Saulire. You get a private balcony or terrace, proper dressing room, bathtub and separate hammam shower.
That south-facing mountain view is something I would happily prioritize over jumping automatically into a suite.
Because if you are paying Courchevel prices to wake up in the Alps, I would like you to see the Alps.
The Junior Suites
The Junior Suites run around 50 sq m, and some connect with neighboring rooms through shared private entrances. Image courtesy of Cheval Blanc.
The Junior Suites are about 50 square meters and each has a slightly different color personality rather than identical hotel-room décor. They also have private outdoor space and the same bathtub plus hammam-shower setup.
More importantly for families, certain Junior Suites share private entry areas with neighboring rooms, allowing the hotel to create connecting configurations.
This is the sort of detail I care about much more than whether the coffee table is marble.
For a family of 4, the right two-room combination can be considerably better than trying to find one enormous suite where everyone technically fits but nobody particularly enjoys sleeping.
The Deluxe Junior Suite
At 65 square meters, the Deluxe Junior Suite gives you a more substantial living room, dining area, powder room, separate dressing room and a balcony overlooking the slopes.
This is where the hotel begins to feel almost residential rather than like a ski room you happen to return to at night.
I particularly like this category for a couple staying a full week.
Seven nights creates luggage.
Ski clothes create more luggage.
Somewhere around day four, a real dressing room becomes less of an indulgence and more of a public service.
If the packing is the part you dread, this is how I get ski gear from the East Coast to the European slopes without losing my mind.
For families, connecting rooms may be the smart choice
This is one reason I would book Cheval Blanc carefully rather than simply entering “2 adults, 2 children” online and seeing what appears.
Several room and suite categories can connect through shared private entrances, including Deluxe Superior Rooms and Junior Suites. The Duplex Suite can also connect with one or two additional rooms or suites.
That gives families quite a bit of flexibility.
For younger children, I might want everyone close together.
For teenagers, I very much want everyone close together but behind different doors.
Both can be arranged.
The Chalet is where this gets very interesting for families
For a family or small group with a serious budget, I would look at The Chalet before automatically booking several suites.
It is a completely private three-bedroom ski-in/ski-out residence spread across four floors, with 315 square meters of space for up to six guests.
And this is not a chalet where the selling point is merely “you get a kitchen.”
You get three substantial bedroom suites, a living room with fireplace, dining room, screening room, private spa treatment room, sauna, hammam and an outdoor Nordic bath. There is also a private lift connecting the floors, while the chalet still has direct access to Cheval Blanc’s restaurants, spa, pool, kids club and ski service.
This is one of my favorite ways to do an ultra-luxury family ski trip.
You have the privacy and space of a chalet.
Someone else is still dealing with breakfast.
That distinction cannot be overstated.
And then there is The Apartment
he Apartment seats ten at dinner, which tells you what kind of week it is built for. Image courtesy of Cheval Blanc.
The Apartment is for when The Chalet somehow feels insufficient.
It spans 650 square meters over the upper floors of the Maison and has four bedrooms for up to eight guests. There are three reception rooms, a fireplace, grand piano, private kitchen, dining room for ten, private bar and wraparound balconies overlooking the slopes.
The primary bedroom has two separate bathroom and dressing wings.
Two.
Apparently even marriage has limits.
There is also a private wellness studio for treatments, yoga or training and a dedicated private lift directly to the Apartment’s own ski room at slope level. A Cheval Blanc Majordome team is available around the clock.
For a multigenerational family, two families traveling together or a very special ski week, this is one of the most extraordinary hotel residences in Courchevel.
It is also exactly the kind of accommodation that should be discussed before booking rather than discovered after everyone has already reserved four separate rooms.
Is Cheval Blanc Courchevel good for families?
Very.
And not in the usual “we have a coloring book at reception” sense.
Le Carrousel is the dedicated children’s space, with slides, secret passages, play areas and supervised activities led by the hotel’s children’s team. It is currently open daily from 11:00 AM to 8:00 PM.
Then there is Le Paddock, a separate lounge for teenagers with interactive games, custom table football and a screening room. It also operates from 11:00 AM to 8:00 PM.
I really like that distinction.
An eight-year-old and a fifteen-year-old should not be expected to enjoy the same kids club simply because they share parents.
The hotel also provides baby equipment, children’s robes and slippers, baby purées and children’s menus, and can arrange family activities from dog sledding to snow experiences.
The skiing
This is where Cheval Blanc becomes particularly compelling.
The Maison sits directly in Le Jardin Alpin in Courchevel 1850 with ski-in/ski-out access to Les Trois Vallées, which encompasses close to 600 kilometers of pistes.
For beginners, the Jardin Alpin area provides gentle skiing near the hotel, while stronger skiers can quickly connect deeper into Courchevel and the wider Three Valleys network. Condé Nast specifically notes that the hotel works well for beginners accessing the green runs while also giving intermediate and advanced skiers straightforward access to the broader terrain.
This matters for families with mixed abilities.
Nobody wants to spend €4,000 a night at a ski hotel and then discover that half the family needs a 25-minute shuttle before the skiing even begins.
Here, you are already there.
That combination, real terrain for strong skiers and gentle runs by the hotel, is what I look for in the best ski resorts for families.
The ski room may ruin other ski hotels for you
The ski service is one of the details guests repeatedly remember.
Equipment is prepared and handled at slope level, and Condé Nast describes ski staff helping guests into their equipment before sending them directly onto the Jardin Alpin piste.
It sounds like a tiny thing.
It is not.
Ski boots are among life’s least elegant objects.
Anything that shortens the period during which you are clomping around in them deserves respect.
For families, it is even better. Someone besides you is helping manage the small mountain of helmets, poles, skis and boots required to move several people onto a mountain.
Worth its weight in gold.
Or, this being Courchevel, probably truffles.
The spa
After skiing, Cheval Blanc goes in completely the opposite direction.
The Guerlain spa has five treatment rooms plus a couples treatment salon, a swimming pool overlooking the slopes, sauna, chromotherapy hammam, whirlpool, ice fountains and an outdoor Russian banya.
This is a proper spa rather than a couple of treatment rooms added because luxury hotels are apparently required to own massage tables.
The altitude-specific Guerlain treatments are designed around pre- and post-ski recovery, which is exactly what I want from a mountain spa.
It also holds up against the best hotel spas in France, which is not something I say about most mountain spas.
I would book something late afternoon.
Ski. Lunch. Ski a little more if virtue demands it. Guerlain.
A very balanced lifestyle.
The pool
Ski. Lunch. Ski a little more if virtue demands it. Guerlain. Image courtesy of Cheval Blanc.
The indoor pool faces the slopes and has become one of the hotel’s most recognizable spaces, thanks partly to Xavier Veilhan’s enormous blue bear sculpture. Condé Nast calls out the artwork as one of the defining pieces of the hotel.
I particularly like having a real pool at a family ski hotel.
Children somehow finish six hours of skiing and immediately ask whether they can swim.
No adult understands this.
But at least here the answer can be yes.
Le 1947
You do not have to care deeply about tasting menus to know that having Courchevel’s only three-Michelin-starred restaurant downstairs is fairly impressive.
Le 1947 is led by Yannick Alléno and remains a three-star restaurant in the 2026 Michelin Guide.
The restaurant is tiny and intentionally theatrical, with the dining room arranged around an open kitchen. There are five tables and roughly 22 seats each evening, which also makes it one of the smallest three-star rooms in France.
If eating here matters to you, this is a reservation I would make early.
This is not the evening for wandering downstairs at 7:45 and asking whether they have anything around eight.
Le Grill Alpin
This is probably the restaurant you will use more often.
Le Grill Alpin is the hotel’s all-day restaurant, with breakfast, lunch and dinner built around Yannick Alléno’s more relaxed mountain cooking and live-fire grilling.
It is polished without requiring the level of emotional preparation involved in a three-star tasting menu.
After skiing all day, there are evenings when culinary theater sounds wonderful.
There are others when everyone needs something grilled and an early bedtime.
Cheval Blanc understands both.
La Terrasse
On sunny days, La Terrasse sits directly beside the Jardin Alpin piste around a large outdoor fire, with a menu centered on flame cooking.
This is where I would plan a long lunch when the weather cooperates.
The danger, obviously, is that after lunch you have to make a decision about whether you are going skiing again.
No judgment here.
What about the location?
Cheval Blanc is in the Jardin Alpin rather than directly in the center of Courchevel 1850.
I consider that mostly an advantage for the traveler I would put here.
You get immediate slope access, trees, mountain views and a quieter setting rather than being right in the center of the boutiques and restaurant scene. The village is still close, but the hotel feels like a retreat once you return.
If you want to walk out of the lobby and immediately begin shopping, there are more central choices.
If you came primarily to ski, I prefer this.
Cheval Blanc Courchevel vs. Airelles Courchevel, Les Airelles
These are two of the biggest names in ultra-luxury Courchevel, and I would choose between them based largely on personality.
Les Airelles is exuberant, fairytale-ish and extremely elaborate, particularly for families. It is the maximalist version of Courchevel.
Cheval Blanc is smaller, more contemporary and feels more private.
I would lean Airelles for a family that wants the full theatrical resort experience.
I would lean Cheval Blanc for someone who wants exceptional skiing logistics, contemporary design, a quieter atmosphere and very high-touch service without quite as much spectacle.
Both are wildly luxurious.
They simply arrive at it by different routes.
Cheval Blanc Courchevel vs. L’Apogée
L’Apogée is another excellent Jardin Alpin option, particularly for families, and also has direct ski access.
Cheval Blanc feels more intimate and more design-forward, with only 36 rooms and suites and a very distinctive art collection. It also has Le 1947 and the Cheval Blanc service culture.
For clients considering both, I would compare the exact room configuration, rates and family needs rather than choosing purely by reputation.
At this level, the wrong €5,000 room is still the wrong room.
Who I would book Cheval Blanc Courchevel for
Families who want the skiing to be genuinely easy.
Couples who care as much about the hotel as they do about the mountain.
Food-focused travelers.
Families with teenagers, thanks to Le Paddock.
Multigenerational trips where The Chalet or The Apartment makes sense.
Experienced skiers who want direct access to the Three Valleys.
And anyone who likes luxury but does not particularly want their mountain hotel to look like a very expensive lumberjack moved in.
Who might prefer somewhere else?
If you want to be directly in the center of Courchevel’s shopping and nightlife, I would look at a more central property.
If you love extremely traditional Alpine interiors, this may feel too contemporary.
And if you expect to be out of the hotel from first lift until midnight every day, I would at least question whether Cheval Blanc is where the accommodation budget needs to go.
You are paying for the ski service.
The spa.
The restaurants.
The room.
The kids spaces.
The staff who somehow make the entire week feel much easier than skiing has any right to feel.
Use them.
How long should you stay?
For an American family flying to Europe specifically to ski, I like six or seven nights.
Four nights can work as part of a larger winter trip, but once you account for travel, rental equipment and ski-school logistics, I prefer not to rush this one.
Courchevel also gives strong skiers access to the entire Three Valleys, so there is far more terrain than you could realistically exhaust during a week.
It is also worth checking where Courchevel sits on the Epic and Ikon passes in Europe before you book, particularly if you already hold one.
Cheval Blanc itself operates seasonally from December through April.
Is Cheval Blanc Courchevel worth it?
For the right trip, yes.
But I would not tell someone to stay here simply because it is one of the most expensive hotels in Courchevel.
The reason to pay for Cheval Blanc is that you will use what makes it expensive.
You want to ski straight out of the hotel.
You care about the ski service.
Your children will use Le Carrousel or Le Paddock.
You want a serious spa after skiing.
You appreciate having exceptional dining without leaving the property.
And you value being in a 36-room hotel where service can be intensely personal.
If all you need is a beautiful bed near a lift, we can spend much less.
Pairing Courchevel with the rest of France
A ski week rarely stands alone for my clients flying from the US.
Two or three nights in Paris before or after Courchevel is the easiest addition, and the train makes it simple.
For Paris, I would start with Four Seasons Hotel George V, Paris.
And if you want the summer version of this same brand, Cheval Blanc St-Tropez is the Cheval Blanc Maison on the Gulf of Saint-Tropez.
Booking Cheval Blanc Courchevel through Sebastian Luxe Travel
This is exactly the kind of hotel where I would not simply send you a link and tell you to pick a room.
The difference between Superior and Deluxe Superior can be the exposure and mountain view.
A family may be better with connecting Junior Suites.
Six people may make much more sense in The Chalet.
Eight may belong in The Apartment.
And during Christmas, New Year’s, Presidents’ Week and February school holidays, the most useful family configurations can disappear long before the hotel itself is technically sold out.
I can compare the room and suite options for your dates, look at available advisor amenities and offers, communicate your preferences directly to the Maison and help coordinate the hotel with ski school, guides, equipment, restaurants and the rest of your Courchevel stay.
There is no planning fee for my hotel bookings.
More importantly, I know that “sleeps four” and “works beautifully for a family of 4” are not remotely the same thing.
Planning a stay at Cheval Blanc Courchevel?
Tell me your dates, who is traveling, your children’s ages and everyone’s ski level. I can compare the room, connecting-room, Chalet and Apartment options for your week and tell you which one actually fits, rather than which one technically sleeps the right number.
Over Christmas, New Year’s, Presidents’ Week and February half term, the useful family configurations disappear long before the hotel is sold out. That is the part worth planning early.
No planning fee · Client reviews · About Kate
Cheval Blanc Courchevel FAQs
Is Cheval Blanc Courchevel ski-in/ski-out?
Yes. The hotel sits directly on the slopes in Le Jardin Alpin at Courchevel 1850 and offers ski-in/ski-out access to Les Trois Vallées, with nearly 600 kilometers of skiing.
How many rooms does Cheval Blanc Courchevel have?
Cheval Blanc Courchevel has just 36 rooms and suites, making it one of the more intimate Palace hotels in Courchevel 1850.
Is Cheval Blanc Courchevel a Palace hotel?
Yes. Cheval Blanc Courchevel holds France’s official Palace distinction and is one of the seven Palace-designated hotels in the Alps in the 2026 selection.
Is Cheval Blanc Courchevel good for families?
Very. Le Carrousel provides a dedicated supervised children’s space, while Le Paddock is designed specifically for teenagers. The hotel also offers connecting rooms and larger private accommodations for families.
Does Cheval Blanc Courchevel have connecting rooms?
Yes. Certain Deluxe Superior Rooms and Junior Suites can connect through shared private entrances, and the Duplex Suite can connect with one or two additional rooms or suites.
Where can a family of 5 or 6 stay at Cheval Blanc Courchevel?
The Chalet is the cleanest answer for six, with three bedroom suites across 315 square meters and its own spa, screening room and lift. For five, connecting Junior Suites can also work well. For seven or eight, The Apartment is the category to price.
Does Cheval Blanc Courchevel have a private chalet?
Yes. The Chalet is a 315-square-meter, three-bedroom ski-in/ski-out residence for up to six guests with a screening room, private treatment room, sauna, hammam and outdoor Nordic bath.
What is The Apartment at Cheval Blanc Courchevel?
The Apartment is the hotel’s 650-square-meter, four-bedroom private residence for up to eight guests. It includes multiple living rooms, private kitchen and bar, wellness space, round-the-clock Majordome service and its own lift to a private slope-level ski room.
Does Cheval Blanc Courchevel have a Michelin-starred restaurant?
Yes. Yannick Alléno’s Le 1947 holds three Michelin stars in the 2026 Michelin Guide and is the only three-Michelin-starred restaurant in Courchevel. It seats roughly 22 guests a night across five tables.
Does Cheval Blanc Courchevel have a spa and pool?
Yes. The Guerlain spa includes treatment rooms, a swimming pool, sauna, hammam, whirlpool, ice fountains and outdoor Russian banya.
Is Cheval Blanc Courchevel in the center of town?
No. It is in the quieter Jardin Alpin area of Courchevel 1850, directly on the ski slopes rather than in the center of the village.
When is Cheval Blanc Courchevel open?
The Maison operates during the winter ski season, generally from December through April.
What to read next
10 Reasons to Ski in Europe, if you are still deciding between the Alps and out west
Epic vs. Ikon in Europe 2026, for where Courchevel sits on the passes
The Best Ski Resorts for Families, for mixed abilities and ski school
White Lotus, Megève and the Glamour of Skiing in France, for the wider French Alps
Related hotels
Cheval Blanc St-Tropez, the summer Cheval Blanc Maison
Four Seasons Hotel George V, Paris, for Paris
Airelles Gordes, La Bastide, for Provence
Villa San Michele, Florence, for Florence
Fouquet’s Courchevel, in the Alps
Formerly Hôtel Barrière Les Neiges, Fouquet’s Courchevel is the livelier, more social Palace in 1850, with direct Bellecôte ski access, a serious spa and an Alpine Club that works particularly well for families whose children ski during the day.