Sundance Lodge Courchevel 1650: New-Build Ski Development Opens 150m from the Piste in 2026

The name Courchevel conjures images of ultra-prime chalets, Michelin-starred restaurants, and price tags that give pause even to seasoned Alpine buyers. But within the Courchevel family of villages, Courchevel Moriond — officially rebranded as Courchevel 1650 — occupies a particular sweet spot: full access to the same 600km of 3 Vallées skiing, a genuinely charming village character, and entry prices that sit meaningfully below the 1850 altitude’s rarefied heights. The launch of Sundance Lodge, a new-build development of exclusive lodges positioned just 150 metres from the slopes, has brought renewed attention to the 1650 village as one of the most compelling new-build opportunities in the 3 Vallées for the 2026–27 season.

For buyers searching for new-build ski properties in the 3 Vallées who want the Courchevel address, the Courchevel ski infrastructure, and the Courchevel lifestyle — without committing to the eye-watering price-per-square-metre of the 1850 plateau — Courchevel 1650 has become the answer. Sundance Lodge crystallises exactly why. According to Notaires de France data for Q4 2025, Courchevel 1650 new-build prices average €9,500–€12,000/m², compared to €18,000–€25,000+/m² in 1850 — offering genuine prestige at a fraction of the cost.

This report covers the Sundance Lodge development in full, contextualises it within the broader Courchevel and 3 Vallées market, and explains why Domosno has positioned Courchevel 1650 as one of our priority investment destinations for 2026. Whether you are a first-time Alpine buyer or adding to an existing portfolio, the case for 1650 has rarely been more compelling.

The Courchevel massif is divided into four officially designated altitude villages: Courchevel Village (1300m), Courchevel Saint-Bon (1500m), Courchevel Moriond (1650m), and Courchevel (1850m). Each has a distinct character. The 1300 and 1500 villages are primarily summer and residential destinations. The 1850 plateau is the ultra-prime ski address, synonymous with helipad arrivals, celebrity spotting, and Hermès boutiques.

Courchevel 1650 sits at exactly the right altitude. At 1,650m, it has reliable natural snowfall — sitting above the problematic 1,200–1,400m snowline that increasingly affects lower-altitude resorts in warm winters — and direct gondola access to the high ski area above. The Biollay gondola and Belvédère chairlift connect 1650 directly into the Courchevel ski area, with access onwards into Méribel, Les Menuires, Val Thorens, and the full 3 Vallées circuit. Skiers can reach Val Thorens at 2,300m and its 600km of connected piste within 90 minutes of clicking into their bindings at 1650.

The village itself has evolved significantly over the past decade. Where 1650 was once seen as a slightly quiet, residential alternative to 1850, it now has a strong complement of restaurants, bars, ski hire shops, ski schools, and après-ski venues. The authentic French market town of Bourg-Saint-Maurice and Moûtiers are accessible by car within 45 minutes, providing everyday shopping and amenities. This combination of resort convenience and local authenticity appeals strongly to Domosno’s core buyer demographic: experienced Alpine buyers who know the difference between a resort and a village.

Sundance Lodge is positioned just 150 metres from the main ski slopes in Courchevel Moriond (1650), placing it among the closest new-build residential addresses to the piste in the entire village. The development comprises an exclusive collection of thoughtfully designed lodges — a deliberate departure from the large-format apartment blocks that characterised much of the 1990s and 2000s ski development boom. Each lodge combines generous open-plan living areas, high-specification kitchens, dedicated ski storage with boot warmers, and private outdoor terraces with direct mountain views.

The development’s amenities are anchored by a comprehensive wellness and leisure suite: reception and concierge services, an indoor pool, sauna, steam room, spa treatment rooms, and a fitness centre. The spa is designed to operate year-round, catering both to the winter ski crowd and the growing summer wellness tourism market. This hotel-grade facilities offering aligns Sundance Lodge with the expectations of the modern Alpine buyer — particularly those coming from a luxury hospitality background who expect property investments to deliver a premium experience, not just slope access.

Sundance Lodge is planned for opening in the 2026–2027 winter season, making it one of the most eagerly anticipated new-build completions in the 3 Vallées this year. Buyers purchasing through VEFA benefit from France’s standard off-plan protections: staged payments tied to construction milestones, the 10-year structural warranty (garantie décennale), and the opportunity to recover 20% VAT on the purchase price through a classified rental programme — a saving worth €100,000–€200,000 depending on unit price.

Understanding Courchevel 1650’s pricing in the context of the broader 3 Vallées market clarifies its investment appeal. The 3 Vallées ski domain — the world’s largest at 600km — encompasses six resort communities: Courchevel properties, Méribel properties, Val Thorens properties, Les Menuires properties, Saint-Martin-de-Belleville properties, and La Tania. Property prices vary dramatically by altitude and proximity to ski infrastructure.

At the entry level, Les Menuires offers new-build apartments from €250,000–€400,000 for a studio or one-bedroom unit, while Saint-Martin-de-Belleville — increasingly popular with buyers seeking authentic French village character — has seen prices rise to €5,500–€8,000/m² for prime new-build. Méribel, the anglophone heart of the 3 Vallées, typically prices at €7,000–€12,000/m² for new-build stock. Courchevel 1650 at €9,500–€12,000/m² represents a premium over Méribel and Les Menuires, but a substantial discount of 40–60% against the 1850 plateau.

According to Savills’ 2025 Alpine Market Overview, the 3 Vallées as a whole has seen average annual price growth of 4.6% over the past five years, with Courchevel’s lower altitude villages outperforming the average as buyers seek the Courchevel address at accessible price points. This dynamic is expected to continue through 2026 as the post-Brexit buyer pool recalibrates and early-mover buyers position themselves in the new-build pipeline.

Courchevel 1650’s investment case is built on three structural advantages. First, proximity to the Courchevel 1850 infrastructure — lifts, après-ski, restaurants, and the high ski area — means that rental guests who cannot afford (or choose not to pay for) accommodation in 1850 increasingly opt for 1650 as the logical alternative. This creates a demand overflow effect that keeps occupancy rates strong, particularly in peak weeks.

Second, the 3 Vallées ski area’s 600km of piste across six resort communities offers unmatched skiing diversity. Guests staying in 1650 can ski to Val Thorens, Méribel, or any point in the network — making the location genuinely attractive for mixed-ability groups and families who value breadth over altitude. This broad appeal sustains high occupancy across the season and into the shoulder months of late November and April.

Third, and perhaps most importantly for the Sundance Lodge investment case, the hotel-grade facilities package — pool, spa, concierge, wellness centre — elevates the rental proposition well above a standard ski apartment. Properties with this specification command a significant premium on rental platforms, typically achieving 25–40% higher nightly rates than comparable properties without amenities. Domosno’s rental management connections can introduce buyers to established operators who specialise in the 3 Vallées premium market. To explore the full investment case, visit our ski property investment news page or contact us through the client form.

Purchasing a new-build ski apartment or lodge in France follows the VEFA process, which is well-established and buyer-protective. The first step is to sign a contrat de réservation (reservation contract) and pay a deposit of typically 5% of the purchase price. This is held in a notaire’s escrow account and is fully refundable within 10 days under France’s cooling-off law. The reservation locks in the unit, the floor plan, and the agreed price — protecting buyers from inflation during the construction period.

Domosno’s buying process guide walks buyers through every stage, from reservation to final handover. Our English-speaking team coordinates directly with the developer’s legal team and a specialist notaire to ensure that all documentation is accurate and clear. For buyers seeking finance, we refer to specialist French mortgage brokers who understand the specific requirements of non-resident buyers purchasing through VEFA — including the documentation needed for staged drawdowns as construction progresses.

The total purchase costs for a Courchevel 1650 VEFA purchase are as follows: purchase price + 2–3% notaire fees (significantly lower than the 7–8% on resale) + potentially 20% TVA (recoverable if opting into a rental programme) + annual co-propriété charges and taxe foncière thereafter. For a two-bedroom Sundance Lodge unit priced at €800,000, total acquisition costs including notaire fees come to approximately €824,000–€832,000. Our French mortgage guide and legal pages cover all costs in detail. Don’t hesitate to contact us via the contact Domosno page to discuss next steps.

The 3 Vallées — or Trois Vallées — is the world’s largest linked ski area by piste kilometres, encompassing 600km of marked runs, 180 ski lifts, and six resort communities spread across three valleys in the Savoie département of the French Alps. The area is divided into three main valleys: the Courchevel valley (Vallée de la Bozel), the Méribel valley (Vallée des Allues), and the Belleville valley (Vallée des Belleville, home to Val Thorens, Les Menuires, and Saint-Martin-de-Belleville).

The ski area reaches a maximum altitude of 3,230m at the Cime Caron, above Val Thorens, and a lowest point of around 1,300m in Courchevel Village. This altitude range ensures outstanding snow reliability across the season. The 2025–26 winter season saw significant infrastructure investment, including the replacement of the legendary Côte Brune chairlift with a new 10-passenger gondola linking Méribel-Mottaret to Val Thorens and Les Menuires at a reported cost of €25 million, and the return of the iconic Cime Caron cable car with two new gondola cabins. These investments underline the long-term commitment of the resort operators to maintaining the 3 Vallées as the world’s premier ski destination.

For property buyers, the 3 Vallées brand carries significant weight. Properties within the ski domain benefit from a global marketing halo that drives rental demand from skiers across the world. Our 3 Vallées properties page covers all resorts within the ski area, and our team can provide detailed comparisons between the various resort communities to help buyers identify the right fit for their budget, lifestyle, and investment objectives.

Courchevel 1650 is served by three main airports: Geneva (2h), Lyon Saint-Exupéry (2h30), and Chambéry (1h15). The nearby town of Moûtiers has a direct TGV connection to Paris (3h) and sits on the Eurostar Ski Train route from London St Pancras — providing an entirely car-free journey from the UK to the door of the Savoie. In resort, Courchevel 1850 operates a helipad that can be used for charter transfers between 1850 and Geneva, appealing to the premium end of the buyer market.

Ongoing ownership costs in Courchevel 1650 are manageable for a property of this specification. Annual taxe foncière for a 2-bedroom lodge will typically fall in the €1,500–€3,000 range, with co-propriété charges for a managed résidence with pool and spa facilities averaging €5,000–€9,000 per year. These costs are partially or fully offset by rental income for owners who elect a rental programme — and are a direct deduction against French rental income for tax purposes.

Domosno has been active in the 3 Vallées and Courchevel market since 2005, with established relationships with developers, notaires, rental management companies, and mortgage specialists across the ski area. Whether you are buying Sundance Lodge as a first Alpine property or adding it to an existing portfolio, our team provides end-to-end guidance in English throughout the process. Begin your enquiry on the Domosno contact page or register your interest directly through the client enquiry form.