HFO members have been passed by skiers dressed up as gorillas, spacemen, sheiks, and giant rabbits. The HFO's first trip to the Three Valleys ski area found us staying in Courchevel . There are several villages at Courchevel, distinguished by their altitude. We stayed at Courchevel 1550. You can also stay at Courchevel 1650 or at the highest of the three, Courchevel 1850.
Skiing is, of course, tremendous.
Courchevel seems to be full of little back bowls and wooded runs, and we were continually discovering new parts of the valley we hadn't skied before. The following year we tried the highest of the Three Valleys resorts, Val Thorens . At an altitude of 2300m, it's the highest ski resort in Europe. The altitude can have a serious effect on people, and if you're not used to it, it's safest to take things easy until you acclimatise. The middle valley contains the resorts of Meribel and Mottaret , well-placed for getting anywhere else on the circuit, and easier to get back to at night.