Saulire Summit (2,738 m)
Ride the Télécabine de la Saulire from Courchevel 1850 to the highest point in the ski area and you are rewarded with a 360-degree sweep across the Vanoise massif, Mont Blanc and the Italian Alps on a clear day. The view is just as jaw-dropping in summer as it is in winter.
Getting to the Top
The two-stage gondola departs from the heart of Courchevel 1850 and climbs past the mid-station at Vizelle before depositing you at the rocky Saulire ridge. The whole ride takes about 15 minutes and the altitude gain is dramatic enough to make your ears pop.
In winter the summit connects directly to Méribel via the famous couloirs, but even non-skiers can ride up, step outside onto the viewing platform, and absorb one of the finest Alpine panoramas in France. Bring a warm layer — wind chill at 2,738 m is fierce even in August.
What to Look For
On a clear morning the white dome of Mont Blanc floats above the horizon to the north-west, while the Aiguille de Péclet and the Grande Casse fill the southern skyline. Scan the ridgeline east and you can trace the Franco-Italian border along the Vanoise National Park boundary.
The light is softest in the hour after sunrise when alpenglow turns the snowfields pink and the valleys below are still pooled in blue shadow. Photographers with a telephoto lens can pick out the Courchevel altiport runway — one of the steepest commercial airstrips in Europe — far below.
More of Courchevel
Discover where to stay, what to do and the best deals for your trip.
Explore Courchevel →
