French Alps · Winter · Courchevel 1850
Cheval Blanc Courchevel, a winter reflected in a mirrored horse
A horse stands outside the chalet, its mirrored flanks piecing together fragments of sky and fir trees. It makes a fitting introduction to Cheval Blanc Courchevel, where the art collection begins on the snow and a different kind of composition awaits at dinner.
The horse in the trees
From a distance the timber balconies belong quite naturally to the Savoyard hillside. Closer up, Bruno Peinado’s horse plays a trick on the eye. What looks blue on a clear morning is simply a piece of sky caught in its flank. With fresh snow around its hooves, parts of the figure almost disappear.
Cheval Blanc opened its first hotel here in 2006. There is a second landmark for anyone approaching from the slopes. Xavier Veilhan’s monumental bear keeps watch on the terrace.
Behind the timber balconies
Room 204 gives a good sense of the hotel’s eye for colour. A branch pattern runs across a vivid green headboard behind the white bed. Other rooms turn to red velvet or darker wood. When choosing a room, the photographs are worth a closer look alongside the direction its balcony faces.
Dinner at Le 1947
The number above the door refers to the 1947 vintage of Château Cheval Blanc. Inside, Sybille de Margerie’s dining room opens onto the kitchen. Yannick Alléno’s attention to sauces is particularly clear in the hotel’s photograph of Bresse poularde. The pale foam, golden skin and deep green garnish make a composition in just three colours.
Le 1947 holds three Michelin stars. If dinner is the reason for the journey, check the restaurant’s service days and menu for the evening you have in mind.
Planning a winter day
The chalet opens straight onto the slopes. A Guerlain treatment can equally be the morning’s appointment, leaving the afternoon free for the mountain. Courchevel Tourism lists the hotel’s winter season from 4 December 2026 to 3 April 2027. If you travel by rail, Moûtiers is the practical place to change to a car for the climb.
Arriving at the Jardin Alpin
These routes follow the valley through Albertville and Moûtiers before climbing to Courchevel 1850. Allow extra time on winter Saturdays, when traffic can make the last stretch slower than the mileage suggests.
- Lyon Saint-Exupéry · Terminal 1 · ≈ 191 kmView route →
- Chambéry Savoie Mont Blanc · terminal taxi rank · ≈ 114 kmView route →
- Geneva Airport · terminal bus stop · ≈ 193 kmView route →
Approximate road distances to the hotel approach, calculated on 9 November 2026. The route may vary with snow conditions and the pickup point. Locate the hotel.
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