Courchevel is a quaint ski village located in the French Alps, where thousands of skiers go during the Winter months to enjoy luxurious accommodation as they brave the slippery slopes. However, for quite a few years now, Courchevel has been taken over by Russian visitors who spend startling amounts of money at the resort on designer shopping, parties and alcohol.
The Russian visiting season usually lasts for the first three weeks of the year, and the majority stay for New Year’s eve, Orthodox Christmas (which is celebrated on the 6th and 7th of January) and the Russian New Year. They benefit the ski resort greatly, as their over the top spending can be hundreds of thousands of Euros per week, but some of the other visitors to the resort have different ideas about it.
Although not every Russian who visits Courchevel is going to behave in the same way, many people feel intimidated by the Russians because of their brash and loud behaviour, and their dominance. What might seem like a treat to some people, like a party or a night in an expensive hotel, might not seem like anything special to someone who can afford to pay $10,000 for a bottle of vodka, so most things will be Russian-dominated. Buy you can’t really argue with them; after all, if you’ve got the money, why not enjoy it?
Some of the expensive things the rich can lavish their money on include designer clothing from top brands, jewellery, fur coats and clothing, hairdressing, top-rated ski equipment and more, as well as numerous bars and restaurants where you’ll probably enjoy your meal more if you don’t look at the price until afterwards. There’s even a workshop for hand-crafted chocolates, and an art gallery.
Courchevel is divided into five different “villages”, called 1100, 1300, 1550, 1650 and the extravagant 1850, where you’ll find the richest of the rich. This resort has been visited not only by thousands upon thousands of rich Russians, but also by numerous celebrities including the likes of Prince William and Kate Middleton, Christina Aguilera and the King of Morocco. The other villages are all more affordable, but when you go to Courchevel, you should expect everything there to be expensive. It is the home of luxury and extravagance, and is extremely charming.
Despite the many complaints about Russian behaviour in Courchevel, others have stated that the behaviour is in fact not bad at all, and is limited to a few arrogant individuals. The Russians are generally loud and cheerful, and are likely to enjoy their money by throwing parties and enjoying the finer things on offer, but will not behave rudely towards other people.
Russians have been accused of many things in Courchevel. In 2007, there was a report of the 89th richest man in the world being accused of hiring prostitutes at a party. The 10 women there claimed to be students and models. There are many stereotypes like this which originate in Courchevel, but few or the Russians are actually like this. When you’re visiting, you can certainly expect to see beautiful Russian women and handsome men walking around wrapped up in furs and spending huge amounts of money on the most expensive alcohol and the most exquisite food and clothing, but you don’t need to worry about the Russians being rude and obnoxious (unless of course you encounter some particularly unpleasant people).
Over the years, the credit crunch has affected visitors to Courchevel, leading to a decrease not only in Russian visitors, but also in British visitors, who make up half of the guests there. This means the resort is now quieter than usual, but there are still plenty of people there willing to splash out on the finest items.
If you’re thinking of going to Courchevel in the future, there are lots of different options for you. In some ways, Courchevel is one of the best places to go skiing in the world. It has a brilliant chair lift system which is pretty much queue-free, so you can enjoy skiing for longer without having to wait around, and it is home to some of the most luxurious hotels in the world, including two of France’s eight six-star rated hotels, the only two located on a ski resort. However, you should note that it is a very expensive place, some places in Courchevel being among the most expensive in the world. It can cost around 12 Euros for a pint of beer, so if cost is an issue for you, you should choose very carefully where you go. If cost is not an issue, you can enjoy some amazing French designer shopping, the most luxurious accommodation available on a French ski resort, and some of the best parties you’ve ever been to.
This post has been brought to you by the team at Supertravel. Find out more about luxury ski holidays & chalets in Courchevel at Supertravel Ski.
Image Credits
1. http://www.flickr.com/photos/pr1001/2265074269/sizes/m/in/photostream/
2. http://www.flickr.com/photos/dangoodwin/359715482/sizes/m/in/photostream/
3. http://www.flickr.com/photos/uncle-leo/4473689560/sizes/m/in/photostream/
