By Giulia Benedetti · Italy & Swiss Alps Property Editor
The Trois Vallées — the world's largest linked ski domain at 600 km of marked runs across 10 resorts — has Courchevel 1850 as its social and commercial apex. The village sits at 1,850 metres altitude and has long attracted the highest concentration of private jet arrivals of any ski resort in the world. New-build chalets here are exceptional assets — scarce, expensive, and remarkably liquid compared to other ultra-premium European real estate categories.
Developer Landscape: Courchevel 1850 Boutique Developers
Unlike destination resort developments with a single developer, Courchevel's new-build market comprises a small group of specialist Alpine developers who source land, obtain the rare building permits (1850's construction quota is tightly managed by the Savoie municipality), and deliver chalets to bespoke specifications. Key operators include:
Chalet des Ours — a Franco-Swiss developer with 12 completed chalets in 1850, specialising in ski-in/ski-out positions. Average completion time: 24 months from groundbreak.
Novam Construction — Courchevel's most prolific boutique builder, with 30+ chalets delivered since 2005 and a dedicated Alpine architecture team.
White Point Residences — newer entrant (since 2018) focused on eco-certified construction with heat pump systems and triple-glazed timber-frame construction.
Each developer maintains waiting lists for their parcels, which are acquired through the Savoie Foncier agency. Relationships with local notaires and planning officials are the key differentiator in permit acquisition.
Unit Types and Pricing
- Ski Apartments (3–4 rooms, 80–140 sq m) — €1.8–€3.5 million in 1850 village positions; €900,000–€1.8 million in Moriond.
- Semi-Detached Chalets (4–6 rooms, 200–350 sq m) — €3.5–€7 million, ski-in/ski-out essential for premium positioning.
- Private Chalets (6–12 rooms, 400–1,000 sq m) — €8–€35 million for standalone 1850 chalets. The market's most liquid segment at resale.
French LMNP/LMP rental regime: French holiday property owners can elect the Loueur en Meublé Non Professionnel (LMNP) status, allowing depreciation of the property value over 30 years to offset rental income tax. On a €5 million chalet, this can eliminate French income tax on rental revenues for up to 30 years. Management agencies (Courchevel Luxury Chalets, Consensio) handle premium charter rentals — peak-week rates for a 6-bed chalet run €60,000–€150,000.
Ski and Destination Appeal
The Trois Vallées' 600 km of pistes — spanning Courchevel, Méribel, Val Thorens, Les Menuires, and smaller satellites — represent an unmatched skiing resource that cannot be replicated by any new development. Val Thorens, at 2,300m, provides the highest guaranteed snow reliability in the Alps. The ski season typically runs from late November to late April — an exceptional duration that maximises rental weeks.
Chambéry Airport (CMF) is 90 minutes away; Lyon (LYS) is 2 hours; Geneva (GVA) is 2.5 hours. All serve 1850 during ski season with dramatically increased flight frequencies. The Eurostar London-to-Moutiers service (1 change from Paris) runs weekly during ski season, with journey times of around 7 hours.
Verdict: Courchevel 1850 is one of the few European real estate markets where supply is genuinely controlled — the permit quota means values do not respond to normal supply/demand cycles. An exceptional long-term store of value for buyers who can absorb the entry price. Rental yields of 4–6% net are achievable on well-managed properties at peak weeks.