A survey has just placed Courcheval 1850 at the head of the ‘top ten most expensive European ski destinations’. ‘Wealth Bulletin’ based their survey on the cost of a weekly liftpass, the price of a beer (ok so far) and the average prime property price. Ah… now there’s a criteria that rarely features in my wintersports destination decision making process. The A, B, C (that’s Armani, Beckham, Clooney) of celeb-land have pounded the powder of Courcheval; here’s how to take to the manicured slopes and keep the bank-manager happy.

Like Les Arcs, Courcheval has a number of distinct ‘villages’, with the altitude tagged on the end. So, we have Courcheval 1850, Courcheval 1650, Courcheval 1550, and Courcheval 1300 aka Les Praz (venue for the 1992 Winter Olympics Ski Jump). We have two excellent chalets in Courcheval 1650, offering access to the Trois Valées at accessible prices.

The Michelin Starred Restaurants, designer boutiques and 1980s ‘greed is good’ era hotels of Courcheval 1850 may well grab the gossip pages’ but, there is a wealth of good skiing to be had in other areas. Courcheval 1650 is well known for the less frenetic and relatively underpopulated Blue and Red pistes, and provides an affordably good base for the ever popular Trois Vallées.

600 kilometres of well maintained pistes, with views from the Mont Blanc massif to the north all the way south to the Les Ecrins massif. Thanks to an excellent rapid lift system, the 3266 metre high summit of the Pointe de Thorens is easily reachable. With 11 mountain restaurants there is no excuse for feeling hungry when you’re skiing (unless it’s poverty!). Unique in the French Alps is the 2km long toboggan run, which drops all the way from Courcheval 1850 to Courcheval 1550.

There’s always something happening in Courcheval, from the Women’s European Cup GS (29.Feb.2010) and the FIS WOmen’s GS (30.Feb.2010) to the International Festival of Pyrotechnic Art (10.Feb.2010 – 11.March.2010). Even in 1850 Restaurants don’t have to be too expensive, try Le Jump for great service and good value.