Nestled among the majestic landscape of the French Alps, Courchevel attracts adventurers and luxury seekers alike, and never ceases to amaze us with its unique charm and energy. Whether it is the World Ski Championships or the frequent royal visits, Courchevel always has something exciting to offer, especially for those who want to venture into the call of the mountains. In this article, I will take you on a journey. Come along to cycle in Courchevel - from its picturesque villages to its challenging cols, with a touch of luxury and gastronomy. Let's discover the wonders of Courchevel together!
Courchevel
Courchevel is a village in the middle of the French Alps. The village is known for its winter sports and luxury visitors such as British royals. Last year, Courchevel was the face of the World Ski Championships. So you could say that Courchevel and winter go well together.
My stay in Courchevel was in Courchevel 1850, one of Courchevel's villages at an altitude of 1850 metres. During my time in Courchevel, it was not yet the season, so the streets were very quiet (the seasons are around the summer holidays (July - September) and all winter), which is very nice if you want to explore Courchevel at your leisure.
Not just bikes
One of the days I was in Courchevel I went to Lac du Rosiere for a walk and evening meal. Lac du Rosiere is part of the Vanoise national park in which Courchevel is located. This park is the first national park in France and a wonderful place to unwind. So besides being great for cycling here, you also have wonderful hiking trails and lakes to swim in.
Besides the beautiful nature, Courchevel has some great restaurants including several Michelin restaurants (and a 3-star restaurant). So if you are looking for a more luxurious cycling holiday, this is definitely the place to be.
As in all of France, there are several markets you can go to. I myself went to a market in Aime and got some delicious French honey. So this is a nice outing on a rest day or a morning after you go cycling.
Col de La Loze and the Tour de France
In this edition of the Tour de France (2023), one of the last stages will go over the Col de la Loze. The stage starts in Saint-Gervais Mont Blanc and will finish at Courchevel airport. It is expected that after this stage it will be clear who won the tour. See below the stage's route.
That, of course, is a challenge I would love to take on, conquering the Col de la Loze. You can go up this climb in 2 directions, from Courchevel and from Meribel. The tour will go up via Meribel so we will take that side. That climb has only recently been built and has seen a tour stage before in 2020.
The climb starts in the valley and takes you up through a gradual gradient to Courchevel Moriond. From there, you turn off to La Tania to continue to Meribel. This bit is still unimpressive with percentages between 5% and 8%. From Meribel onwards, it really starts to get tough. I remember thinking: this is not so bad, I can do this. But I cheered too soon.
Sensation in the Tour de France
This part of the climb, I am told, was constructed with the aim of making exciting tour stages. For that reason, you don't have a consistent climb but one where you keep skimming between percentages of 10% and 23%. So the final stretch is a monster climb that should not be underestimated.
With great difficulty, I reached the top and took a photo by the big 'polka dot jersey' bike that stands there. In the Tour, they will descend from there to the Courchevel airport, which was also once featured in a James Bond film (link). The descent is technically tricky and so this will be seen in the tour, after a short descent the pros will enter Courchevel airport which with a gradient of 18% is also not to be underestimated. That will be fireworks for the classificationists.
I recommend doing the Col de La Loze once in a lifetime from Méribel to climb it, then you quickly find out that you are not a pro and that this side is little fun. The times after that, just climb it from Courchevel 1850. But you did experience how the pros can go wild here.
Climb, climb, climb
Courchevel is part of 'Les Trois Vallées', or the 3 Valleys, a region that includes Val Thorens. The name already indicates that you can do great cycling and thus climbing here. In the Courchevel region, you can find legendary climbs such as the Cormet de Roselend, Petit St. Bernard and the Col 'd Iseran. Looking for a challenge for the legs? Then you're in the right place in this region.
Courchevel is also relatively close to villages like Tignes and Val Thorens. Chances are you will run into Jumbo-Visma or other pro teams when they are training. Want to discover more regions nearby? Then also check out the Mont-Blanc region in this blog.
Why you should cycle in Courchevel?
My experience of Courchevel is very positive. You are in a great position to do several wonderful tours by bike, you can combine this with the Vanoise national park where you can also do some wonderful hiking. Combine your visit to Courchevel with some great tours in the area and you will have a great cycling holiday. For example, I combined my visit to Courchevel with a ride near Chamonix and a visit to the Alpe 'd Huez, Galibier and the Col du Croix de Fer.
Want to know more about Courchevel? Then take a look at the website of the tourisme organisation of Courchevel.
Have you been to Courchevel? Let us know by sending us a message at @cyclingdestination.cc.
