There was great news last week when Courchevel and Méribel were confirmed as the joint hosts of the 2023 Alpine World Ski Championships.
FIS confirmed the win for the two resorts in Les 3 Vallees at their international conference in Costa Navarino, Greece.
Members of the International Ski Federation chose the French submission ahead of a competing bid from the Austrian resort of Saalbach Hinterglemm by nine votes to six.
FIS President, Gian-Franco Kasper said that the Courchevel-Meribel bid ‘was very appealing with two top level resorts offering men’s and ladies’ venues’.
It will be the first time France has hosted the World Alpine Ski Championships since Val d’Isère in 2009.
France’s candidacy started way back in February 2016 and was led by Michel Vion, the President of the French Ski Federation. Their slogan ‘Together for 2023’ and the teamwork between the resorts was enough to persuade the delegates that theirs was the best proposal.
The winning team gather around Michel Vion, with the mayors of both resorts Thierry Monin (Méribel) & Philippe Mugnier (Courchevel) Photo : Agence ZOOM
The FFS (French Ski Federation) is hoping that the 2023 Alpine World Ski Championships will unite the entire country around skiing and promote France’s mountain resorts, especially with children.
France has always been popular with British skiers and recent Ski Club of Great Britain research has shown that 48% of all UK ski holidays are taken in France.
Les 3 Vallees is probably the most famous ski area in the world and is certainly the largest. Many of the events in the Albertville Winter Olympics in 1992 were held in the region, including the Men’s Slalom in Les Menuires and the Women’s Downhill in Méribel.
For details of catered chalets in Méribel and Courchevel, or indeed anywhere in France, please contact the Chaletline team for expert independent advice.
