A shared legacy
Nestled within Les Trois Vallées in the French Alps is the awe-inspiring destination of Courchevel. Once an area of agricultural hamlets, it became one of the first super ski resorts in France. This immaculate wonderland is renowned today as the ski capital of the world, and a dazzling escape for relaxation and adventure.
L'Apogée Courchevel
Inaugurated in December 2013, L’Apogée Courchevel marked a new chapter in alpine elegance. Conceived by renowned designers India Mahdavi and Joseph Dirand, the hotel was envisioned as a haven of warmth and refinement amid Courchevel’s immaculate snowy peaks - a home where authenticity and effortless sophistication meet after a day on the slopes.
The development of the railroad station in Moutiers and the Brides-les-Bains thermal spa created summer tourism in the region at the beginning of the 20th century. The first restaurant opened, Le Chalet Curtet, which soon became the iconic Hotel du Lac Bleu.
Still characterised primarily by agricultural fields and small hamlets, Courchevel was only visited by skiers who were familiar with its slopes. With no access to chairlifts, adventurous mountaineers had to climb the hills on foot in order to ski back down.
Hotel du Lac Bleu opened its doors for its first winter season, attracting only winter sports enthusiasts with the fitness level and courage to scale the slopes on foot. The Lyon ski club was created to accommodate the increased interest and began offering lessons and competitions.
At the beginning of the 1930s, several chalet-hotels were built in Courchevel 1550 and Moriond to meet the rising popularity of skiing. Sheep barns were often converted for a few weeks to house enthusiastic skiers, giving them access to the very best slopes.
During the Second World War, the original idea of Courchevel as a “super ski resort” was conceived. The French Commission of Tourism envisioned an international ski area that would compare to Italian, Swiss, and Austrian resorts.
It was this pivotal year that Courchevel was officially born. Laurent Chappis toured the Trois Vallées on skis while planning a resort that was "as close to nature as possible." The construction of the first ski lift broke ground, and a chairlift between Courchevel and Les Tovets was created.
As Courchevel became increasingly fashionable in the early 1960s, the area’s altiport was constructed. Mountain aviation expert Michael Zieger established the first international mountain airport renowned for having one of the shortest runways in the world.
During the 1970s, Courchevel's reputation as a world-class mountain resort spread to global travellers. Following the first 3 Vallées ski pass, neighbouring resorts were connected to Courchevel, creating the world's largest ski area.
In the 1992 Olympics, Le Praz hosted the ski jumping and Nordic combined events producing double French Olympic champions. Around the same time, a rush of hotels popped up in the area totalling eleven 4-star resorts.
On December 12, 2013, L'Apogée Courchevel opened its doors in the heart of the Jardin Alpin. The impressive structure sits on the very top of the former Olympic ski jump installed for the 1992 Winter Games.