Creative Director of The Six Senses Courchevel, Thea Incledon, Shares the Best of Les Trois Vallées

Nestled in the heart of the French Alps, Les Trois Vallées, home to the renowned Courchevel, proudly claims the title of the world's largest interconnected ski area—an absolute must for avid ski enthusiasts seeking top-notch resorts and thrilling slopes. But this enchanting destination offers more than just a winter wonderland; it's a year-round haven for travelers and adventurers captivated by the natural beauty that graces the region.

Back before the 20th century, Courchevel was a quiet expanse adorned with mountain pastures and thick forests. There were no bustling towns, only scattered villages where locals worked on the land or in sawmills. The first to explore these lands were the intrepid hikers and nature lovers, setting the stage for the eventual influx of tourists seeking the same awe-inspiring experiences.

The idea of Courchevel as a resort was born during the chaos of the Second World War, with the French Commission of Tourism expressing a vision for an unparalleled ski destination in 1942. The visionary behind this transformation was the acclaimed architect, Laurent Chappis, who laid the foundations for the inaugural ski resort—Courchevel 1850. Fast forward to 2024, and Courchevel has undergone significant changes, yet it remains true to its roots, preserving its natural splendor and maintaining a commitment to the luxurious experiences that make it the ultimate destination for skiing, hiking, dining, and leisure.

Amidst the array of ski resorts in Courchevel, Six Senses Residences Courchevel shines as a pinnacle of luxury and meticulously crafted hospitality, representing the epitome of Alpine grandeur. To guide us through the nuances of this locale and the exceptional resort, Creative Director Thea Incledon provides her insights on the must-do activities, sights to behold, unparalleled culinary experiences, and the immersive delights that define this destination—where transient visitors often find themselves becoming permanent residents.

The Tidalist: Tell us about Courchevel. What makes the destination so special for skiers and foodies?

Thea Incledon: Quite simply, Courchevel is made for skiing and is part of the largest connected ski area in the world. Les 3 Vallées are made up of three mountain bowls facing North, which result in reliable snow and all manner of terrain for beginners, experts, off-posters, and freestylers. The sheer quantity and quality of runs and other mountain activities means people return year-on-year, never getting bored. On top of that, the wide variety of gourmet dining has cemented Courchevel as the “place to be”, an A-list ski destination, consistently topping rental price comparisons across the ski market. The village offers stunning high-altitude dining in the peaks, and one of the highest concentrations of Michelin-star restaurants, with everything from cozy fondue spots to glamorous parties.

TT: With such an exotic, chic destination, how do you bring creativity into the hospitality experience to make it special?

TI: Unexpected luxury is where Six Senses shines – the brand is humble and quirky and teaches guests a different way to travel, and a different approach to life without compromising on exquisite levels of service. This is such a breath of fresh air against the landscape of traditional European glamour you see at the other hotels in Courchevel. For example, health-conscious guests can deep dive into their wellness as far as biohacking, optimize their mountain performance with a range of targeted preparation and recovery services, and personalize their bedroom for a restful sleep among many other things – giving them the chance to experience Courchevel differently.

The hotel operates under environmental standards, and guests are gently encouraged to learn more about the impact of the ski industry, which is a conversation it’s essential to have to protect our winters. It’s something I feel a consistent responsibility to raise awareness of, and offer people better choices that they can make. Guests can learn how to be a part of the solution through One Tree At A Time, a local partnership we’re super proud of that has been years in the making.

TT: In addition to the incredible ski experience, Courchevel is also a destination for foodies and wellness lovers. What are some of the must-have/must-do things to eat and experience while there?

TI: Some of my top recommendations are:

Sumosan, a contemporary Japanese restaurant (also dotted around Europe and the Middle East), is set within Six Senses Residences Courchevel. It’s open daily for dinner with a bar for delicious cocktails, and not to be dramatic, but the wagyu beef sando and wasabi prawns are life-changing.
Le Chalet de Pierres is a very cute spot for hot chocolate mid-ski. It’s found slope-side just above La Croisette, you can park your skis and pop in. It has a very traditional wooden Alpine design and cozy sofas. It’s also fab for a boozy lunch with a sun terrace and good music.
La Ferme Saint Amour is a fun night to dress up for. Fairly new on the scene, the love-themed restaurant has amazing food and pumping music, with gothic candelabras, fluffy booths, and neon art. At regular intervals the waiting staff climb onto the bar and perform napkin-spinning dance routines – I recommend the late sitting if you’re up for dancing on the tables too.
For wellness lovers, I recommend making the most of the incredible menu at Six Senses Spa. Free daily wellness classes are a great way to prepare your muscles and body for a day on the slopes, followed by a mountain recovery treatment and Normatec Boot session - these astronaut-esque compression boots are a must-try. You can take wellness outside of the spa doors by participating in a 3, 5, or 7-day program focused on sleep, yoga, or detox, that comes with a custom exercise and nutrition plan so you leave feeling better than when you arrived (a rare phenomenon for ski holidays). If you want an evening to remember, Six Senses Spa is available for private hire after hours which is perfect for a couple, family, or group of friends. It comes with the use of all the facilities and selected biohacking equipment exclusively for you, delicious refreshments, and optional treatment add-ons.
For nature lovers, a picnic at Lac de la Rosière in Courchevel 1650 is amazing. A short hike through the snowy forest will reveal a perfectly crystal blue alpine lake (even better than the pictures).

TT: Collaborations and ambassadors are a huge part of the Six Senses ethos. What do you look for in an ideal representative of the brand and SSRC?

TI: We always start by looking for brands that will appeal to our guests, and then the next step is to assess their values to make sure they have a like-minded approach to Six Senses. Often we’re providing a backdrop for their brand activations, so we always do our best to surpass expectations and show off our mountain hospitality, we’re always so happy to see people through our doors. When choosing ambassadors, we focus on aesthetics and shareability, looking for individuals who have a cinematic and artistic style that we’d be proud to be featured as a part of, and this season we’ve loved working with more families who can create a home-from-home in our apartments.

TT: When operating at such a high level, how do you continue to innovate and create programming and experiences that set Six Senses Courchevel apart and surprise your guests?

TI: Moving with the times is very important. The signature Six Senses brand markers and experiences can be leveraged and adapted. There is a huge focus in the general consumer market on sleep health, so this year a brand-new sleep program was introduced. Developed by working with a sleep doctor to apply scientific methodology, the program involves state-of-the-art sleep monitoring and bespoke analysis, relaxing treatments, private wellness classes for mental clarity, and an implementation plan for guests to take home with them. A good night’s sleep will not only improve the quality of the holiday but will help strengthen the immune system, slow down aging, improve memory, speed up learning, and help aid with weight loss.

TT: We understand Six Senses Residences Courchevel is both a full-service hotel and residential community, do you have a lot of hotel guests that have fallen in love and purchased an apartment?

TI: Yes, absolutely. Sometimes you have to see it and feel it, to really believe it! Six Senses is a brand with a loyal following, and we often find that owners who choose to invest truly share an interest in the values and principles we stand for. Many of them already knew and loved the village of Courchevel, and visited regularly, making it a natural progression to choose to make a more permanent home here. The strength of the brand means that prospective owners have comfort and confidence in the quality of residences and services before they even set foot through the doors.

TT: How do you make skiing a focus at the hotel and does everything else revolve around the winter activities?

TI: Because we’re not directly on a slope, we have striven to still offer the luxury of ‘ski-in, ski-out’. To walk you through a guest journey, when they arrive they can get themselves measured and fitted at our mini onsite SkiSet who lend top-of-the-range equipment. This is then magically transported by our hosts to our Ski Lodge, a small chalet nestled directly under the main lift station, so when guests are ready to venture up the mountain we can simply take them to the Lodge and all their things are waiting for them (as well as a nice hot tea brewed especially by Nikos, the Spa Manager).

We’ve also worked hard on enhancing our Spa menu year-on-year, and we’re proud to offer a huge variety of specialized treatments that are targeted at preparation and recovery for optimized mountain performance, which brings a whole different level of focus on ski and creates a real point of difference for us against others in the area. There are also free daily classes in the mornings that include fun things like learning to ‘breathe like an athlete’, or ‘ski like a yogi’. We’ve created a place that caters for serious skiers and boarders, as well as those who are here for a good time! Everything here definitely revolves around winter activities, it’s such a pretty winter town that you can’t help but get outside. Our apartments are very spacious with family living, kitchens, and dining, meaning you can also have a cozy winter holiday if you’re more indoorsy.

TT: If you weren’t working Courchevel, is there any other place you’d like to be?

TI: I love cold places - weird I know. While Europe is really the world’s true home of skiing, I’d love to experience Japan’s reigning ski resort Niseko. The average annual snowfall is a crazy 50ft (compared with Courchevel’s 17ft), they have floodlit night skiing every night, and you can ski on active volcano Mt. Yotei, and then relax in the volcanic hot spring onsens. Sounds heavenly!

In need of good skiwear? Head to our roundup for the perfect shells to complete your packing list! HERE