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"    Where on earth? Nestled in the French Alps&amp;#039; Three Valleys, Courchevel is a swanky resort offering varied terrain for skiers and snowboarders of all abilities with a good network of lifts and piste. This is where the VIPs and Royals like to ski and I can see why \u2013 the resort boasts the largest amount of Michelin-starred restaurants, an abundance of designer boutiques and little to no queuing for ski lifts. We stayed at Hotel Dahu which is a two-minute walk from the lifts - handy if, like me, you&amp;#039;ve never walked in ski boots before. Ski school: My first day at ski school started at 9am where our very patient instructor Nicole went through the basics and perfected our snow plough technique. We had plans to meet the rest of the group over in Mirabel for lunch and took our first green run to get to the restaurant \u2013 I didn&amp;#039;t feel ready to leave the nursery slopes but with Nicole steering me in the right direction we made it in one piece with only one wipe out. After lunch we headed back to Courchevel village for more ski schooling and at 4.30 back to our hotel for a relaxing afternoon tea with some delicious cakes. Where to eat: Breakfast at The Dahu was also very good with a selection of cereal, fruit and a hearty cooked breakfast. Give the dinner a miss if your vegetarian though (limited options) and instead experience Courchevels&amp;#039; bustling restaurant scene. Being a fish eating vegetarian I thought I&amp;#039;d have fondue coming out of my ears. However, I was delighted at the amount of fish dishes on offer in Courchevel village. Brasserie Le Tremplin opposite the tourist office, has a large varied menu with plenty of fresh seafood and sushi options. We also liked La Cloche for fondue and ambience. The meat eaters were very happy with the hot plates at the table where they could cook their own fillets to perfection. I also heard good reports about Le Courcheneige on the Bellecote piste, but alas we ran out of time before we could try for ourselves. Apr\u00E8s Ski: Courchevel offers excellent evening entertainment. I&amp;#039;d recommend Le Refuge which had live music each night and is frequented by the local chalet workers; always a good sign. A gin and tonic here will set you back six euros, which is about average. Le Cap Horn is a famous spot known for its extensive wine list (380 and counting!) seafood and dancing on tables with your ski boots on. Genepi is a local tipple you have to try at least once. Usually served as a shot, this absinthe like liquor is made from a flower that only grows at high altitude. Sample at your peril! Cosmo loves: The resort&amp;#039;s beautiful scenery and wide green runs, which are great for beginners. The large amount of ski schools mean fiercer competition so the standards are very high - you really will learn to ski here! Top tips: If you&amp;#039;re going for less than a week, avoid the weekend where you can spend up to six hours in traffic when transferring from Geneva.  Snow style: As a fashion stylist I like a tightly edited suitcase. Here&amp;#039;s what I got through over two days: Trespass Ski goggles, Polaroid by Safilo sunglasses (I&amp;#039;d recommend oversized ones for extra protection), Piz Buin spf50 face cream, Boots Soltan spf30 lip balm, Topshop beanie, x2 Uniqlo zip up fleece jackets, x2 Uniqlo heat tech thermal top and leggings (I can&amp;#039;t recommend these enough) Gap biker boots, Trespass ski jacket and trousers, fleece gloves, waterproof gloves, Jeans and top for the evening and not forgetting something to sleep in. Do it: Take a trip like Charlie&amp;#039;s with Mark Warner from \u00A3680 (includes direct flights, resort transfers, accommodation, breakfast, afternoon tea, three-course dinner with wine and lift pass collection). Lift passes start from \u00A3193 for six days. "^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
<http://www.cosmopolitan.co.uk/entertainment/travel/reviews/a20090/cosmo-learns-to-ski-in-courchevel/>