Your 7 good reasons to head over to Courchevel during the Alpine World Ski Championships

Winter is set to be more festive than ever in the Alps! In Méribel, very close to the Olympic Park, the Chaudanne district will live to the rhythm of the Alpine World Skiing Championships: bib drawing , presentation of medals, free evening concerts with national and international artists. Courchevel will host the opening and closing ceremonies with a very lively village at Le Praz. For a fortnight, more than 600 skiers representing 75 countries will compete in six different stages: downhill, super-G, slalom, giant slalom, combined and parallel.

Around the tournament sites, artistic performances and brass bands will warm up the spectators. So as not to miss anything of the show, free access to giant screens will be set up around the Eclipse and Roc de Fer slopes to allow skiers to see downhillers and slalom racers racing at more than 75mph! For the final photo, head for the finish racket. If you fancy a bit of racing, put on your skis and go down the Courchevel and Meribel slopes.

This year, Courchevel international are hosting the 20th anniversary fireworks which will be hard to miss. Another good reason to plant your ski sticks in Savoie!

With more than 600 kilometres of slopes, the 3 Vallées domain is a white heaven for skiers of all levels. The french olympic medalist, Alexis Pinturault, will not say otherwise. With the exception of the two tournament sites, mainly reserved for athletes, 99% of the 3 Vallées ski area will be available to holidaymakers. To experience the unique sensations high in altitude, the mountain professionals offer Team Rider courses, night outings with headlamps and aperitif or at sunrise with breakfast served at the top of the Saulire. The 3 Valleys are also a great playground for beginners. Several fun slopes to gain confidence and practice snowploughing. Children from the age of 8 can discover snowboarding and have fun in a renovated boardercross adapted to families.

Discover more of the moutains than just downhill skiing. A multitude of eco-responsible activities are offered in Méribel and Courchevel to enjoy the immaculate landscapes of the 3 Valleys: cross-country skiing in the forest, snowshoeing around the Rosière lake, or an introduction to biathlon and ski touring on a new dedicated track. Even more unusual, grab your skis and ride on horses across the moutains and enjoy bike rides in the snow. Nature lovers can contemplate eagles, roe deer and chamois with a paragliding experience in the Plan de Tuéda or on land with a life-size treasure hunt. Children will also enjoy a sledging descent on the Mission Black Forest run with its 28 bends: thrills guaranteed! Meanwhile, adults can take the pressure off by taking a yoga class at altitude or learning Qi-gong on a meditative snowshoe walk.

No holiday in the mountains without après-ski. An essential rest stop after a day on the slopes. First-class festive resorts, Méribel and Courchevel have many convivial places. Share a drink and a few delicacies while listing the day's sporting achievements, such as the wine bar La Tanière or the iconic Folie Douce. Among the new places to try this year, the Carlina hotel with its incredible new terrace view of the snowy peaks, ideal for enjoying a gourmet snack in a musical atmosphere. Bar de Madame, located in the La Sivolière hotel, renowned for its signature cocktails is also a pleasant spot. For an unusual après-ski, Courchevel Aventure offers to spend the early evening on board of a snow groomer. After a musical ride, head over for some local raclette cheese, charcuterie accompanied by Savoie wines and wild fruit tart. You can also be tempted by an aromatherapy session to recharge at the Aquamotion aquatic centre.

La Folie Douce Méribel/Courchevel The terrace of the Carlina Hotel, Courchevel Le Bar de Madame (Hôtel La Sivolière) in Courchevel Courchevel Aventures Aquamotion Aquatic Centre

From starred restaurants to high altitude restaurants and eco-responsible addresses favouring local products such as Savoy cheeses, charcuterie, wild fruits and génépi, sweet (and salty) eaters are spoilt for choice in Méribel and Courchevel. Of the 40 starred restaurants in the Alps, 9 are in Courchevel. Ski enthusiasts who have come to support the athletes at the Alpine World Ski Championships and are looking for a new culinary experience can visit the newly starred Sylvestre restaurant or the Altiplano, the Peruvian restaurant at the K2 Palace, which specialises in wood-fired cooking. In Méribel, the Pierre et Vacances residence L'Hévana has a new address - Le Partajo - which offers mountain specialities and platters to enjoy on the terrace. The restaurant also has a wine cellar with 350 references and a delicatessen.

Restaurant Le Partajo in Méribel Restaurant Le Sylvestre in Courchevel Restaurant L'Altiplano, in Courchevel

Chalets, hotels, flats, residences, holiday villages, gites, Palaces, guest rooms... In Méribel and Courchevel, the accommodation offer is plethoric and not limited to luxury hotels although the two resorts have nearly twenty 5-star hotels and five Palaces... During the Alpine World Ski Championships, only 15% of the beds will be reserved for the teams and the media, leaving holidaymakers a wide choice to find a cosy nest.

In Courchevel, the Chalet Centenary, part of the Cimalpes Collection, combines traditional architecture with contemporary decoration, while in Méribel, the Le Yana residence offers magnificent views of the snowy peaks, a cocoon accessible by ski for experienced skiers or by gondola from the centre of the resort.

New wellness facilities are also being inaugurated this winter. The renovated Le Mottaret hotel has a new relaxation area, a massage room and a sports room. For a complete health and well-being package, the Antarès residence has an 800m² spa where visitors can enjoy natural and beauty treatments and energising cures.

Stay at Chalet Centenary, Courchevel Stay at Le Yana Residence, Méribel Treat yourself to a well-being or beauty treatment at the Antarès Méribel residence Discover the wellness area of the hotel Le Mottaret, in Méribel

Aware of the challenges of protecting the environment and preserving local biodiversity, the resorts of Méribel and Courchevel are multiplying concrete actions to limit the impact of winter sports activities with the installation of solar panels on the roofs of several ski lifts to provide clean and local energy. In Méribel, the Solaire Express bifacial photovoltaic power plant is expected to produce more than 120,000 kWh/year in summer and winter thanks to the reverberation of the snow.

To reduce CO² emissions and improve traffic conditions around the resorts during the World Alpine Skiing Championships, soft mobility is strongly encouraged to arrive at the sites with the implementation of a mobility plan from several regional cities (Lyon, Grenoble, Annecy, Chambéry, Albertbille) and towns in the Tarentaise valley where park-and-ride facilities will be set up.

Coming to Courchevel and Méribel during the World Ski Championships