The Red Bull 400 – La Tania Invented This Sport!

The Red Bull 400 is one of the toughest races in the world…

Although at first sight it appears straightforward, the aim of the Red Bull 400 is to run 400 metres as fast as possible… over a steep climb with a gradient of up to 36°!

The races take place individually or in teams of 4 (4×100 metres) and the Courchevel event takes place this Saturday 21st July up the Le Praz Ski Jump. Official Event Info

However not many people know that La Tania invented this sport way back in 2004. Following the Summer Ski Jumping World Cup Competiton we held a race up the slope – Sensible Si from South Africa winning (not sure where bro Ollie was that night – the race did start at 1am after security had drifted away!).

It’s also the big Fête de la Madelon in Le Praz this weekend and this year’s Summer Ski Jumping World Cup & Patrouille de France Aerial Show takes place on 10/11 August 2018.

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Winter 2019 Lift Pass Prices & Dates. Aquamotion Access Included in Courchevel Passes!

Confirmation of the opening dates and the main news on lift passes for Winter 2019 is the inclusion of Aquamotion access.

Confirmation of the opening dates of Courchevel and La Tania (and more importantly the closing date which was subject to some discussion). La Tania opens as expected on Saturday 15 December 2018 and now closes on Easter Monday 22 April 2019. Quite a late Easter next year!

All the dates and prices at www.latania.co.uk/skiing/passes.htm

Also interesting to note is that Courchevel Village 1550 will not open until 15 December – normally it’s a week earlier for access to 1850 but the new Grangettes Gondola is not scheduled to be ready until the 15th apparently.

Aquamotion access is included in Courchevel Valley Lift Passes for Winter 2019
The Courchevel Valley Lift Pass (includes La Tania) of 2 days or over will include a trip to Aquamotion for Winter 2019. This doesn’t include Season Passes which seems a bit tight!

The €63m Aquamotion Centre opened in December 2015 and is situated between Courchevel 1550 and 1650 (with a scheduled bus stop direct from La Tania). There’s a whole host of activities available with a leisure pool area including rapids, slides, indoor/outdoor pool & a 25m training pool, a wellness centre with Spa and treatments, a climbing wall, surf wave pool and aqua fitness with underwater exercise bikes, mini trampolines, aqua boxing etc etc.

Aquamotion may be included but it does come at a cost with a bigger increase seen this year… (main season prices)
Courchevel 6-Day Adult 2018: €256
Courchevel 6-Day Adult 2019: €272 (+6.3%)
Meribel 6-Day Adult 2018: €249
Meribel 6-Day Adult 2019: €255 (+2.4%)
3 Valleys 6-Day Adult 2018: €300
3 Valleys 6-Day Adult 2019: €306 (+2%)
3 Valleys one-day extension for single valley pass of 2 days or more 2019: €37

So for the first time a Courchevel Valley 6-day pass plus one 3V day extension (272+37=€309) is more than a standard 3 Valleys 6-day pass (with no Aquamotion access €306). It used to be the case that visiting other valleys had to be done at least twice on a single valley 6-day pass to make it better value than a 3 Valleys pass.

A 3 Valley “Wellness Pass” of 6 days or more is available with 2 trips to Aquamotion starting at €369 for 6-days.

Due, Tribu and Famille discounts are all available on these passes as well – for example in 2019 two adults with four kids who are aged 13 to 17 (buying 6 x 6 day Wellness 3 Valleys passes pay €1794 with a family pass rather than €2214 – a saving of €420.

Normal start and end of season discounts also apply.

Key Prices Winter 2019
1 Day Courchevel €54.50
6 Day Courchevel €272 = €45.33/day
1 Day 3 Valleys €62
6 Day 3 Valleys €306 = €51/day
3 Valleys Extension €37
Courchevel Season €1110 = €8.22/day
3 Valleys Season €1310 = €8.03/day
(Courchevel open 135 days, VT 163 days)

All the passes, prices, options, discounts, pedestrian passes, opening and closing dates etc here:
www.latania.co.uk/skiing/passes.htm

Lift pass prices may look a lot but it is the biggest ski area in the world and pence per km of skiing the 3 Valleys is still the cheapest in the world. Another 3 lifts going in this Summer too and another €50m or so invested in ski area infrastructure.

Click on images for full size

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Courchevel Golf Course now open for Summer

That’s the Biollay and Coqs chairlifts in the background where the Courchevel 9-hole par 3 course is located.

A beautiful setting and quite challenging – the first tee has you playing over the corner of the lake!

Clubs and balls are available for hire and there’s a practice / driving range too (currently open from 09:00-12:00 and 14:00-19:00 with a bucket of 30 balls costing €3).

Green fees start from €22 for 9 holes and €27 for 18 holes off-peak.

Plans for an expansion to a “real” 9 hole golf course of 2700m length in addition to the compact par 3 course have now been approved with work expected to begin in the Spring of 2019 to be completed for Summer 2021.

Special rules if you hit any of the lift infrastructure! More info at Golf Club de Courchevel

There is of course a full 18-hole championship course above the Méribel Altiport – Golf Club de Méribel (buggy recommended!)

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2018 Ferrari Cavalcade Monte Bianco – Courchevel 20/21 June 2018

Around 100 Ferraris will be on display in Courchevel on Wednesday & Thursday at the start of the 2018 Ferrari Cavalcade Monte Bianco.

The 2018 route first stage is on Thursday and heads for La Thuile and on to the Aosta Valley.

Traffic restrictions are in place on Thursday and the road to the Courchevel Altiport will be closed to all traffic during the hill climb time trials from La Résidence Les Balcons de Pralong to La Ferme de Pralong from 12:00 until 14:00.

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New Mountain Biking Trails in Courchevel for Summer 2018

Good news on some new work (at last) on Courchevel Mountain Biking Routes or VTT as they call it here. Courchevel was falling well behind Méribel after all the investment in facilities they put in for the Mountain Bike World Cup competition a couple of years ago.

Since the beginning of June, the Courchevel Mairie has recruited a team of workers to mark up, maintain and create some new mountain bike routes.

For Summer 2018 there will be 2 new bike patrols to carry out the marking and maintenance of the trails and install new signage to the approved standards of the French Cycling Federation.

Two new downhill tracks have been created for this Summer (graded red):
1. La Louza – From the top of Loze down to Courchevel 1850.
2. Le Betchet – From the top of Loze down to the top of the La Tania Gondola.
We’re still waiting for news of lifts open up to the Loze however (Chenus used to open in Summer)

Two new enduro / downhill tracks have also been created:
1. Le Retcher from the top of the Loze to the Saulire cable car.
2. La Bozé from Courchevel 1850 to Bozel.

In addition a pumptrack (up and down rollers on a circular(ish) specially constructed track) has been installed in the centre of 1850 on the snow-front and a new walking path named La Foré from the summit of the La Tania Gondola to Courchevel 1850 has been created.

In total there will be 15 enduro / downhill courses including 3 Funny Tracks, 2 Downhill Tracks, 5 Walking Trails and 1 VAE (Electric Assisted Mountain Bike) course will be marked and maintained in Courchevel.

The Courchevel / La Tania Summer Brochure online here and remember the Courchevel and La Tania lifts are free this Summer!

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Ski Lodge Opens for Summer on Thursday 28 June 2018

Pub Le Ski Lodge opens its doors for Summer on Thursday 28th June in time for the 3rd of England’s World Cup group games v Belgium.

The Ski Lodge England Flag will be flying high in the Kalninigrad Stadium – keep an eye out for it!

As usual the original Alpine Fish n Chip Special will be served every Friday throughout Summer until the end of August.

And the official opening party is on Saturday 30th June with music from Gypsy Soul

Come on England!

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S3V Wins Green Initiative Award in Les Trophées de la Montagne 2018

S3V, the Ski Area Management and Lift Company for Courchevel, La Tania and Méribel Mottaret has won a Green Initiative Award at Les Trophées de la Montagne 2018.

In Partnership with IRSTEA (The National Institute for Research in Science and Technology for the Environments and Agriculture) the re-seeding of new piste areas using locally sourced seed mixes to protect the soil erosion and to promote biodiversity has been recognised.

In addition local seeds are more resistant to climatic conditions and altitude when re-vegetation work takes place.

Re-seeding work above Courchevel Moriond 1650 last Summer:

The S3V and IRSTEA Presentation:

The S3V/IRSTEA PowerPoint Presentation available here

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Cascade des Poux Footpath Closed

A new local by-law has been put in place to prohibit use of the path up to the Cascade des Poux following the landslide there this Winter.

This is the track from Lac Rosiere following the stream up to Valée des Avals.

See Mairie notice below (click for full size).

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New Grangettes Gondola – More Info From S3V

NEW GRANGETTES GONDOLA

COMFORT and PERFORMANCE

This lift is the main link for pedestrians, skiers and toboggans between Courchevel Village 1550 and Courchevel 1850.

Dating from 1975 and modernised in 2004, the Grangettes gondola lacked capacity (barely 855 people/hour), comfort and reliability.

The new gondola representing an €11.5m investment is on the same route but with
modern, new, 10-seater cabins (with interior / exterior night lighting and a 2m10cm height so you are able to stand up) replacing the small 4-seater bubbles.

An upload rate of 2400 passengers per hour is an increase of 81% and journey time is 2mins 55secs instead of the previous 5 minutes an increase of over 40%.

In addition, the boarding area will have no ramps or steps and the new cable grip hangars have a new suspensions system making for an even more comfortable journey.

S3V are spoiling us! The new gondola will open in December 2018.

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More on Construction Work in and around La Tania

Latest on some of the Construction Work in and around La Tania this Summer…

The new Chalets in La Tania seen to be going up relatively slowly – will be interesting to see if there’s any kind of path going down from the top of the Grand Bois / Chalet Road.

The chalet at the top that is covered in scaffolding is Chalet Chabirusse, this is refurb work, not part of the new construction work – artists impressions below…

Meanwhile work is progressing on the Saboia “B” apartment block that was closed last Winter due to land slip and foundation subsidence – we’re told it will open for this Winter much to the relief of owners and staff accommodation hunters.

The Olympic Torch / Symbol in Le Praz has been put back in place as the initial work starts on the new gondola base station, underground car park, Tourist Office, ticket counters, crêche, sports facilities etc. More info on this in our What’s New article last year.

The Summer Ski Jumping World Cup event goes on as normal – one of the major (and most entertaining) events during Summer. The 2018 event takes place on 10th & 11th August.

Down the valley in Brides Les Bains the new Thermal Baths and Spa complex is taking shape.

Works on the outside & car parking area is largely completed. Work continues on the tennis courts and public space areas.

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