Altiport Flight over the Three Valleys
Courchevel's altiport is one of the most dramatic small airstrips on earth — a 537-metre runway built into a steep slope at 2,008 m, used daily by private jets and turboprops during the ski season. Several operators offer 20-minute scenic flights over the Three Valleys ski area that are utterly unlike any other way of seeing these mountains.
The Altiport Experience
The runway has a gradient of 18.5 percent, which means aircraft land uphill and take off downhill — a stomach-lurching sensation even as a passenger. Watching a twin-engine turboprop accelerate down the slope and drop off the edge into thin air before climbing away over the valley is one of the great aviation spectacles in Europe, and you can observe it for free from the small public terrace near the terminal building.
For those who want to go up themselves, Hélicoptères Courchevel and Mont Blanc Hélicoptères both operate scenic helicopter flights from the altiport. A 20-minute circuit covers the Courchevel bowl, the Col de la Loze ridge, the Méribel valley and the back side of the Saulire — giving you a God's-eye view of the 600 km of piste you have been skiing.
Practical Details and Best Timing
The scenic helicopter flights typically carry four passengers and last 20–25 minutes. The best time to book is mid-morning when the valley mist has burned off and before afternoon cloud builds over the high peaks. Pilots will point out landmarks including the Grande Casse glacier, the Lac de Tignes and, on a very clear day, the Matterhorn on the Italian border.
The altiport itself is open to spectators year-round and the small café next to the terminal serves good coffee and a view of the runway that most aviation enthusiasts would pay handsomely for. In peak season (Christmas and February half-term) private jets arrive and depart every few minutes — it is a free show of extraordinary aeronautical theatre.
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