Activities for Non Skiers

Activities for non skiers in Courchevel and La Tania

La Tania’s pedestrian-friendly village is a lovely place for non skiers to holiday.

Whether you’re a grandparent, travelling with young children or simply prefer a slower pace to your holiday then there are plenty of options to keep you entertained away from the slopes…

Pedestrian passes

Pop into the lift pass office and ask for a ‘forfait pieton.’ This will open up the lift system and give you plenty of opportunity to explore and meet up with the skiers in your group. You can purchase a pass for one day or for a whole week. Alternatively you can buy single trip rides (which include the downwards journey as well!)BusesThe free navette will take you to all the different stations of Courchevel and it’s a great way to get around. Do plan your return journey times in advance so that you don’t get caught out.

Where to go

La Tania – travel up the La Tania bubble lift and have a wander around and enjoy a drink or lunch in the Bouc Blanc. It’s especially lovely on a sunny day on the terrace. There’s a new snack bar outside which is excellent value but the restaurant lunches are pretty reasonable and despite the 400 places on the terrace, the service is always welcoming.

1850 – take the bus to Le Praz from La Tania and from the bus stop you’ll see the bubble lift that takes you to 1850. Once you’re there it’s a short walk to the main centre and there you’ll find the razzle dazzle of designer shops, expensive restaurants and fur-clad fashionistas which is all jolly good fun for people-watching. With your pedestrian pass you can travel on the 3 bubble lifts – Jardin Alpin, Chenus and Verdons – from the snow front (as you disembark the bus, turn right and enter the Croisette building and up the steps. If you take Verdons you’ll be half way to the very top! You can then get on the huge cable car Saulire and be on top of the world in a few minutes. To return to La Tania you can take the bubble inside the Croisette down to 1550

Moriond – the village is nice for a little wander and shop, then you can head up the Ariondaz bubble to the Bel Air restaurant which has a lovely terrace with deckchairs on the lowest or tables on the higher levels. They’re usually very accommodating to people requesting coffees before the lunch reservations arrive and they also do a good vin chaud! It’s definitely worth reserving for lunch if you’d like to sit outside. Off the beaten track Take a look behind the scenes of the ski resort and backstage, you’ll find a myriad of walking paths, criss-crossed with the frolicking footprints of deer, rabbits and foxes, and dappled with the light and shade of the tall pines. You can be independent and grab a walking map from the tourist office and hire snow shoes from a rental shop, or you could book an outing with the knowledgeable Pip who will organise everything for you and take you on a real adventure. www.pipofthealps.com

Taking it easy

Our outdoor hot tub is the first port of call for anyone requiring some bubbly relaxation, but if you want to get a little more active, then the new Aquamotion Swimming Centre between 1550 and 1650 has a swimming pool, spa area, climbing wall, surf pool, and diving pool to keep you entertained. For a taste of real luxe you could also make your way up to the Chabichou spa which has a huge pool and everything for watery indulgence you could think of, including rainforest sounds to accompany your chromotherapy shower.

Adventures in Wonderland

For those who like to indulge in a little adrenalin boosting activity every now and again, then there are a number of options from husky sledding to skidooing, or even skydiving or a pleasure flight in a tiny plane from the altiport in 1850. We’d also recommend a tandem parapente for a gentle initiation into taking to the air. It’s peaceful and the views are incroyable!

La Tania for Children

Perfect family skiing in La Tania
Looking for ideas to entertain the little people during your stay? Here’s what works for ours…

La Tania’s car-free village is an ideal place to infuse a love of the cold, white stuff into your children. Try these activities during your stay:

1) Bumboarding
Get hold of a bumboard (a colourful tray with a handle) and take it up to the foot of La Tania’s slopes after skiing. It’s ever popular, great fun and free! Embrace your inner child and hold an adults’ race… There’s also a new climbing frame in the same area.

2) Soft play
If your children are too little to ski all day, then there’s a free soft play centre under the Croisette building in Courchevel 1850. It gets busy on snowy days or afternoons but it’s well-maintained, friendly and has puzzles and a disco as well as the climbing equipment. Older children will find it a bit small after a while, but toddlers and pre-schoolers can easily enjoy it for 2 hours.

3) Ponies
Whilst in 1850, don’t miss out on visiting the horses and ponies outside the Croisette at the foot of the slopes. They’re there to pull carriages if you fancy a ride! You can also try out the merry-go-round and grab some treats from the little stalls, then meet up with skiers for lunch or a drink in 1850.

4) Live music
If your children enjoy seeing live music then the Ski Lodge, Chrome Bar and Taiga generally have apres-ski bands on. They can get pretty raucous later on, but the first half of the set is a nice time for the children to enjoy a hot chocolate and songs whilst you have a vin chaud. Ask your chalet host for recommendations during the week.

5) Fireworks
During February there is an International Pyrotechnic Competition. Ask your host for information on any displays happening during your stay as they really are worth seeing. It’s usually a visit by bus but you’re generally rewarded for your effort with a free vin chaud and snacks for the children.

6) Toboggan run
Hire a toboggan from a local ski shop and try the brilliant 1.7km track between 1850-1550. With a ski pass you can take the bubble lift back up to the top as many times as you like. until 8pm (it’s floodlit). Not so great for really little children as the snow sprays up in their faces, but older kids will enjoy the speed and thrill of the race. Dress as if for skiing but with snow boots – and that includes helmets and goggles! Careful on the corners as there are steep drops if you make a wrong turn!

7) Ice-skating and bowling
In the Forum in 1850 there’s an ice rink and even complete beginners can join in with the little frames that you can borrow. The bowling alley is rather pricey but seems to have all the usual things that you’d expect from a bowling trip!

8) Up in the Bubble
Little children who aren’t yet skiing are usually delighted to go up in the bubble lift and watch the skiers below. Get off at the top for a hot chocolate in the lovely Bouc Blanc restaurant. The bubble can quite often have a soporific effect for babies who are overdue a nap!