In the beginning, the road did not even exist. The resort of Courchevel (Savoie) was born in the mountain pastures. “In 1946, the ideal, originally, was to create a family and popular ski resort, for all”, says Agnès Pradelle-Condomine, daughter of the architect Denys Pradelle, one of the resort’s pioneers. It was about allowing everyone “to be outside as long as possible”, “to see the sun from home without being bothered by a neighboring chalet” et “to leave on skis from home”summary the architect Jean-François Lyon-Caen.
Nearly eighty years later, in this town of 2,400 inhabitants receiving approximately 1.5 million skiers per season – and which hosts the world championships in alpine skiing until February 19 -, forty starred hotels are in operation. (with twenty-three five-stars, including five palaces, and ten four-stars).
And, from one street to another, building permits are still flourishing today. Here with an authorized floor area of 6,868 square meters on a plot of 2,804 square meters, there with another created floor area of 3,012 square meters on a plot of 2,436 square meters. In addition to the upper levels, digging luxurious living levels underground has thus become fashionable, contrary to the original project.
“Urban planning matters are almost daily”
The situation questions the heirs of the founders of the station, like other residents, and the procedures, in particular in contesting building permits, are numerous. “Urban planning matters are almost daily in Courchevel”, recognizes a judicial source.
Inhabitants, with comfortable incomes, but lower than those of the businessmen who settle in the resort, are mobilizing in a fight “of the iron pot against the earthen pot”, while some risk seeing their chalets hidden in the shadow of new construction. A local association has launched legal proceedings to challenge certain actions, another could be created in a district in opposition to a project for a new 150-bed hotel.
A petition has also been launched to preserve the direct access of residents to a ski slope, planned from the origins of the resort. The town hall assured, in a letter, to some of them “sustainable access to it”but its deed of sale provides, on the contrary, the possibility of a closure.
In a subdivision of mazots (small habitable Savoyard wooden buildings), preserved by different regulations, investors have tried to connect two of them by the basement, in order to make a more imposing whole. “We thought the mazots preserved from this local speculation, but no”regrets Dominique Claudius-Petit, a local resident.
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