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January in Courchevel: What's on and weather

Quiet slopes, great atmosphere and some special events

featured in News & reviews Author Tracy Wise, Destination Editor Updated

It's very cold and the days are short, but the skies are blue and the pistes are quiet.

After the Christmas holidays are over, January is the quietest part of the main winter season in resort. This means you have the slopes to yourselves, rarely have to queue for a lift and can enjoy pistes in great condition. So wrap up warm and get outside to find new year adventures.

The quiet conditions on the mountain don’t translate to quiet nights in the town. There are fewer families and more adult visitors, meaning it can be easier to get a table at a restaurant, and the bars are buzzing with plenty of live music and party nights to keep you entertained whilst you warm your hands on a glass of vin chaud.

Read on for a look at what we like to do in resort throughout January.

Courchevel in January 2020 - What weather to expect & what to do

What are the weather and snow conditions like

There is regular snowfall - on average 12 days - and subzero temperatures keep it nice and fresh. In January the average daytime temperatures generally fall between a high of 1°C and a low of -7ºC, getting around five hours of sunshine. Definitely pack those thermals!

The Biollay piste is spectacular at this time of year, a perfect blue run for warming up those ski legs.

Courchevel in January 2020 - What weather to expect & what to do

What's on in Courchevel in January?

You'll find a wide range of activities apart from alpine skiing in each village, including cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, dog sledging, ski touring, tobogganing, Nordic walking.

Après-ski parties
Join the Silver après-ski party in Courchevel 1850 for a great fun atmosphere, DJ's live music and entertainment.

Women's Alpine ski world cup
Watch the women compete for the alpine ski world cup in night time slalom races

Courchevel in January 2020 - What weather to expect & what to do

Skiing

With all those empty pistes, no lift queues and perfect conditions, we like to get out into the mountains on our skis and snowboards as much as possible.

If you visit the resort in January you can buy a lift pass and join one of the local ski schools' many ski or snowboard lessons taking place around the resort.

Courchevel in January 2020 - What weather to expect & what to do

Things to do

Water slides
Aquamotion, a €63 million centre opened in 2015, is situated between Courchevel Village and Moriond. There’s a whole host of activities available with a leisure pool area including rapids, slides, indoor and outdoor heated pools, a 25m training pool and a wellness centre with spa and treatments.

Alternative winter sports
It doesn't just have to be piste based adventures you take part in. Ski-touring and split-boarding have become extremely popular in recent years, and there's nothing that gets the heart pumping like gaining altitude under your own steam. When it's a 'white out' you'll find us changing tack entirely, pulling on some raquettes (snowshoes) and venturing forth into the wilderness on one of the many snowshoeing routes around the valley, all the while dreaming of tomorrow's bluebird powder day.

Relax and unwind
Courchevel is well known for its luxurious spas. One of the most high-end wellness centres is located in Le Strato luxury hotel, spread over two floors featuring a heated pool with fantastic views of the mountains, as well as three treatment rooms where you can book an exclusive treatment service.

Courchevel in January 2020 - What weather to expect & what to do

Bars and clubs

Party on the pistes
If the sun shines, it's the perfect place to enjoy a drink on the slopes. The ultimate party place has to be La Folie Douce. If you're looking for cheap drinks with an awesome balcony seating area, then look no further than Hotel La Pomme de Pin just off the Stade de Slalom. Another top spot with a 360° panoramic view of Courchevel is Les Chenus at the top of Chenus gondola, a good place to meet non-skiers if there are any in your group.

Live music
At this time of the season we can look forward to some live music sessions, whether from local bands or even one of the open mike nights and jam sessions that the local bars often hold. So, whether you fancy yourself an Adele, Bob Dylan or a Satriani, there's definitely somewhere you can 'entertain' the crowds.

More inspiration...

This is only a small selection of events taking place in Courchevel during the first month of the year. Take a look at our events calendar for a full rundown and to find some accommodation for your stay.