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Courchevel Apres Ski Report: 28th January 2013

Entertaining and Overindulgence

Firstly I should apologise for my lack of après report last week. I had two friends out to visit. Which, whilst very exciting, left me with the task of devising a schedule of events to keep them occupied during the stay and to demonstrate what an incredible resort Courchevel is.

I had four days in which to impress and entertain and I'm not one to disappoint. What would two girls from the big smoke look for in a ski mini break........? After a few moments of contemplation some key spots and events soon popped to mind whilst others came to me throughout the week. So here it is in a nutshell if you like, a whistlestop tour of my favourite things to do in Courchevel.....

First stop Geneva, white board in hand I eagerly awaited their smiley faces as they entered the arrivals hall. Having managed to forget that Geneva was not in fact France I was not in possession of my passport so I was greatly relieved when I drove through the border point, back safely onto French soil, having snuck through twice. Phew! This is not advised and I will certainly make sure I bring it next time! Having said that, we made it back to Courchevel, next stop après….

After hooning it back up the mountain in a desperate attempt to catch the last half hour of funk and groove band Papa Groove who were playing at The Bubble Bar, we arrived for the last few rifts to an overly merry crowd. With Wednesday being a day off for many staff in resort, drinking games were in full flow and, far too sober, we headed over to The Schuss for a quiet drink in a more Savoyard setting. Vin chaud in hand we discussed the days ahead and my plans for their visit.

With such incredible snow at the moment my friends had arrived at a perfect time. Perfectly groomed pistes, bright sunshine and blue skies, they were in for a great few days. We were on the quest for the perfect vin chaud and so worked our way around the Courchevel valley. My favourite spot for vin chaud is without a doubt the Bel Air restaurant. At the top of the Ariondaz bubble it's the perfect setting for the perfect vin chaud. Perfectly sweet but not overly so with just the right burst of fruitiness. With a terrace which catches the last of the sun it's ideal for a stop on the way home, taking in the gorgeous view.

It was a long weekend of eating and no visit to the Alps is complete without a cheese feast - fondue it was! And where else to indulge but the Petit Savoyard in Moriond for fondue with cepes...nom, nom, nom. Other food fests during their stay included an incredible lunch at the La Boulotte for steak sandwiches, burgers and falafel wraps. Perfectly placed in the centre of Moriond it's always packed out for lunch and highly recommended for your next stay. Another favourite was lunch at The Schuss. The burger was immense - big, juicy and perfectly cooked. For lunch on the piste though we opted for the Bouc Blanc above the La Tania bubble. Another beautiful setting which enjoys the sun until around 14:00, it serves up a great mix of Savoyard specialities and service is super speedy if you’re keen to get back out skiing. We weren’t so we lolled about by the roaring fire enjoying desserts and coffees.

Having consumed vast quantities of cheese and frites it was time to burn it off so we headed to La Boulotte for après. This really is one of the best nights in Courchevel and guests and season workers alike travel from all the surrounding villages for Thursday’s après session with Rich and Westy. Granted it’s packed out, you can barely move and it’s guaranteed to bring your core temperature up 5 degrees but the atmosphere is great and the tunes are real crowd pleasers making even the most stoic move their feet. My friends loved it - as did the crowds.

After days of overindulgence my pick for their last night was a more low key evening at the Cave des Lys in Le Praz. This beautiful wine cave is perfect for a relaxed evening recounting our jam-packed days and boozy nights. As we sipped away at our Apremont and tucked into some incredible tapas I felt relaxed for the first time in days, I’d done well. They loved Courchevel and were already planning their next visit. After years of touting Courchevel as not just a world class ski area but also great for après my point had been proven. Although this might mean our sofa bed gets more use next year…..