Inspired by Courchevel's glamorous heyday in the 1960s, when the jet set swarmed the ski resort's sun-drenched slopes, interior designer Tristan Auer (behind some of France's most revered revamps, like Hôtel de Crillon, a Rosewood Hotel) wanted the property to feel more like an intimate chalet than a traditional hotel. "We have reimagined the Alpine estate to create a dynamic and unexpected hub of conviviality,"
The alpine terrain is pure diesel. Jagged peaks, spires, massive couloirs, tons of snow, and hanging platforms all accessible via tram, gondola, and chairlift. I skied a small couloir I spotted under the gondola, then gawked at the terrain attached to the Saulire tram. I was gobsmacked. I zipped up the tram, crossed the "Closed" signs (these are to keep folks out who don't have the gear and training), and delved into the unknown.
I've checked in at a few of the group's lauded hotels over my decade-plus time living in France, but the Alpine locale has long been on my bucket list. Courchevel, the ritzy ski resort in France's Les 3 Vallées-the world's largest interconnected ski area-lives up to its reputation of "Saint-Tropez in the snow." Here, you'll recognize some of the same restaurants (Kinugawa, Bagatelle) and hotels that line the cobblestone streets of the famous French Riviera town.
Settting the pace on run 1 was Germany's Lena Dürr with a time of 50.93 seconds. Dürr was promptly pipped by Camille Rast im bib 2 by 0.33 seconds before Mikaela Shiffrin in bib 7 stormed ahead into the lead, a staggering 0.83 seconds ahead of Rast. The American attacked the course with her trademark precision and aggression, managing the steep terrain and rhythm changes better than anyone else in the field.
