Two hundred metres of altitude and about fifteen minutes separate Courchevel 1850 from Moriond, and groups routinely pick the wrong one. They share a lift network, a ski pass and a mountain. What they do not share is sunlight, price, atmosphere, or the kind of week you will have with children in tow.
The quick answer
Take 1850 if you want the shortest route to the widest terrain, Michelin dining within walking distance, and the largest choice of chalets. Take Moriond if you have children, want morning sun, and would rather put the difference in price into a bigger chalet or a better chef. Neither costs you any skiing.
Sun and aspect
This is the difference nobody mentions in the brochures and everybody notices on day two. Moriond faces south-east, so it catches the morning sun and holds it across the terrace hours. 1850 sits in a different orientation and loses the light earlier in the day. In January, when the days are short, that is not a small thing — it decides whether lunch outside is pleasant or brief.
The trade-off runs the other way for snow: 1850’s extra altitude and aspect hold cover slightly better late in the season.
Price
Moriond is consistently less expensive than 1850 for a comparable chalet, and the gap widens at the top end. Restaurants follow the same pattern. For a group working to a fixed budget, moving down to Moriond typically buys either a larger chalet, a better-positioned one, or a week with a chef instead of one without.
The chalets
1850 has 78 of our 108 Courchevel chalets; Moriond has 14. That is the real argument for 1850 — not that its chalets are better, but that there are five times as many, so your odds of finding the exact size, position and feature set you want are far higher.
Where Moriond holds its own is at the top. Le C Penthouse D15, 8 bedrooms sleeping 16, is tied with 1850’s Art Chalet as the largest capacity in the whole resort. Chalet Bacchus, Chalet Ascension and Chalet Licorne all sleep 14 with ski-in/ski-out access, and Chalet Chamois sleeps 14 slope-side.
In 1850 the equivalent tier is deeper: Chalet Ormello at 9 bedrooms, Chalet Yin Yang, Chalet Black Pearl, Chalet Edelstone and Chalet Perce Neige all at 8 bedrooms, then a long run of seven-bedroom properties including Le Petit Palais, Chalet Gentianes, Chalet Les Bruxellois, Chalet Tahion, Chalet Margaux, Chalet Sommet, Chalet La Grande Roche and Atmosphere Penthouse.
Ski access
Both villages are well served, and this is not the deciding factor people assume. Six of Moriond’s 14 chalets are ski-in/ski-out — a higher proportion than the resort average. 1850 has more in absolute terms simply because it has more of everything. Our ski-in/ski-out guide lists every one.
Evenings
1850 has the Michelin restaurants, the boutiques and the late-night scene, all walkable. Moriond has a good but ordinary village restaurant selection and a quiet evening. If your group intends to eat somewhere serious three or four nights, 1850 saves you a taxi each time and is worth the premium. If you have booked a chef for most of the week, that premium buys you very little.
Families
Moriond, comfortably. The nursery terrain is well laid out, the village is calmer and safer to let older children roam, the morning sun matters when small people are cold, and the money saved goes further. 1850 works for families too, but you are paying for a scene they will not use.
So which one
Group of adults, strong skiers, eating out most nights, budget not the binding constraint: 1850. Family or multi-generational group, chef at the chalet, value matters: Moriond. Group of sixteen: the two properties that size are Le C Penthouse D15 in Moriond and Art Chalet in 1850, so pick on the chalet rather than the village.
For the wider picture see our where to stay in Courchevel guide, which covers Courchevel Village and Le Praz too, or the Courchevel travel guide for the resort as a whole.
Book direct
We book every chalet directly — no platform fees, one point of contact, and a concierge for chefs, lift passes, ski school and transfers from Geneva. Tell us the group and the dates and we will shortlist across both villages rather than steering you to one.
Frequently asked questions
Is Courchevel 1650 cheaper than 1850?
Yes, consistently — for chalets and for restaurants, with the gap widening at the top of the market.
Does Moriond get more sun than 1850?
Moriond faces south-east and catches the morning sun, which is noticeable in midwinter when the days are short.
Do you get the same skiing from both?
Yes. Both sit on the same lift network with the whole of Les 3 Vallées on one pass.
Which has more chalets?
1850, with 78 of our 108 against Moriond’s 14 — so more choice of size and position, not necessarily better chalets.
Is Moriond good for beginners?
Yes, it is one of the better bases in the resort for it, with accessible nursery terrain and a calmer village.
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