Courchevel celebrates 80 years of sport in 2026

The year 2026 marks a milestone for Courchevel, which will be celebrating 80 years of sport and innovation in the mountains.

History of Courchevel

The history of Courchevel began in 1908 with the opening of the first hotel in Saint-Bon, the main town in the commune, which at the time was mainly focused on summer tourism. It was in 1946, based on plans by Laurent Chappis, architect and urban planner, that the resort really took off. With the installation of two ski lifts, a cable car to La Saulire, a golf course and a ski jump, Courchevel became the first French ski resort to be built from scratch, embodying a new vision of mountain development.

The evolution of the resort

Since then, Courchevel, a pioneering resort and model of modernity, has continued to develop. In the 50’s, the link between Méribel and Courchevel marked the birth of the Trois Vallées ski area. The acquisition of the Sno-Cat, a revolutionary tracked vehicle, led to the introduction of mechanical snow grooming. From the 60’s and 70’s onwards, the resort experienced rapid growth, notably with the creation of the altiport - a world first - and gradually established itself as an internationally renowned destination. Inaugurated in the 80’s, the new Saulire cable car embodied modernity and was the largest cable car in Europe at the time.

Several decades of competitions

For more than half a century, Courchevel has been at the heart of major international sporting competitions.

In 1966, the resort hosted the Grand Prix downhill race on the Jean Blanc piste, the first skiing competition to be broadcast on television. In 1979, Courchevel organised a men's giant slalom and officially joined the World Cup circuit.

In 1992, it hosted the Winter Olympics with the ski jumping and Nordic combined events. This momentum continued in 2011 with a stage of the Women's Alpine Skiing World Cup, then in 2023 with the Courchevel–Méribel Alpine Skiing World Championships. All these events have established Courchevel as a leading sporting destination.

2026: an exceptional programme

As part of its anniversary celebrations, Courchevel will offer a particularly rich sporting calendar:

Millet Ski Touring: every Wednesday evening from December to the end of February, a unique ski mountaineering event

14 and 15 March 2026: Men's Alpine Skiing World Cup, an event not seen in Courchevel for over 45 years

5 April 2026: 5th edition of Winter Legacy, a competition created by Alexis Pinturault

12 to 18 April 2026: French Ski Instructors' Championships, better known as the Challenge des Moniteurs

12 April 2026: Dynastar X3, 13th edition of this challenging vertical triathlon

19 April 2026: Derbike, new edition of this iconic event

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