|
|
|
|
|
30 January 2026
|
Huge fire rips through five-star hotel in ski resort in French Alps; four firefighters injured
|
|
|
|
A devastating fire tore through the heart of the world-renowned Courchevel 1850 ski resort on Tuesday, 27 January 2026, completely gutting the roof of the prestigious five-star Hôtel des Grandes Alpes. The incident forced the emergency evacuation of nearly 300 guests and staff as flames lit up the night sky in one of the most exclusive holiday destinations in the French Alps.
The fire ignited at approximately19h00 in the hotel's attic, located directly at the foot of the ski slopes. Fuelled by the building's traditional wooden structure, the fire spread with alarming speed through the roof space. Witnesses described thick, black smoke billowing from the summit of the hotel, visible across the Three Valleys (Les Trois Vallées) ski domain.
As the fire threatened to leap to adjacent luxury properties, authorities evacuated the Hotel des Grandes Alpes where over 90 residents and rehoused in nearby luxury accommodations.
By Wednesday morning, as the fire continued to burn, nearly 200 guests from the Hotel Le Lanathis, a neighbouring property, were also evacuated as a precaution.
Miraculously, no deaths or serious injuries were reported among guests or staff.
A massive fire and rescue operation
The Savoie Departmental Fire and Rescue Service (SDIS) spearheaded a monumental effort to contain the disaster. At the height of the operation, 131 firefighters and 57 emergency vehicles were deployed to the scene, including reinforcements from the neighbouring Haute-Savoie and Isère departments.
The rescue efforts were plagued by severe environmental and structural challenges:
Sub-zero temperatures: Crews worked through the night in freezing conditions, which caused equipment issues and physical exhaustion.
Snow-covered roofs: Firefighters had to physically clear thick layers of snow from the rooftops before they could access the underlying slate and sheet metal to reach the flames.
Complex architecture: The proximity of luxury chalets with overlapping, timber-heavy roofs made preventing the spread of the fire "extremely complex," according to local officials.
Four firefighters sustained minor injuries, primarily related to smoke inhalation, during the 15-hour battle to control the blaze.
By Wednesday evening, the fire was largely extinguished, though the Hôtel des Grandes Alpes
remains temporarily closed due to catastrophic roof and water damage. The Gendarmerie has launched a full investigation into the cause, with early forensic focus remaining on the attic area where the fire began.
This incident has cast a shadow over the peak ski season, especially following the tragic New Year's Eve fire in Crans-Montana, Switzerland, which claimed 40 lives. Local authorities in Courchevel have issued a temporary advisory against using tap water in the 1850 sector as they work to restore the network following the massive water usage required to fight the flames.
Courchevel 1850 is one of the most upmarket and expensive resorts in the Alps, attracting celebrities including David and Victoria Beckham, singer Robbie Williams, England cricket legend Ian Botham and the late French actress and model, Brigitte Bardot.
Sources: Associated Press, BBC News, The Evening Standard, AOL, The New York Post
The fire ignited at approximately19h00 in the hotel's attic, located directly at the foot of the ski slopes. Fuelled by the building's traditional wooden structure, the fire spread with alarming speed through the roof space. Witnesses described thick, black smoke billowing from the summit of the hotel, visible across the Three Valleys (Les Trois Vallées) ski domain.
As the fire threatened to leap to adjacent luxury properties, authorities evacuated the Hotel des Grandes Alpes where over 90 residents and rehoused in nearby luxury accommodations.
By Wednesday morning, as the fire continued to burn, nearly 200 guests from the Hotel Le Lanathis, a neighbouring property, were also evacuated as a precaution.
Miraculously, no deaths or serious injuries were reported among guests or staff.
A massive fire and rescue operation
The Savoie Departmental Fire and Rescue Service (SDIS) spearheaded a monumental effort to contain the disaster. At the height of the operation, 131 firefighters and 57 emergency vehicles were deployed to the scene, including reinforcements from the neighbouring Haute-Savoie and Isère departments.
The rescue efforts were plagued by severe environmental and structural challenges:
Sub-zero temperatures: Crews worked through the night in freezing conditions, which caused equipment issues and physical exhaustion.
Snow-covered roofs: Firefighters had to physically clear thick layers of snow from the rooftops before they could access the underlying slate and sheet metal to reach the flames.
Complex architecture: The proximity of luxury chalets with overlapping, timber-heavy roofs made preventing the spread of the fire "extremely complex," according to local officials.
Four firefighters sustained minor injuries, primarily related to smoke inhalation, during the 15-hour battle to control the blaze.
By Wednesday evening, the fire was largely extinguished, though the Hôtel des Grandes Alpes
remains temporarily closed due to catastrophic roof and water damage. The Gendarmerie has launched a full investigation into the cause, with early forensic focus remaining on the attic area where the fire began.
This incident has cast a shadow over the peak ski season, especially following the tragic New Year's Eve fire in Crans-Montana, Switzerland, which claimed 40 lives. Local authorities in Courchevel have issued a temporary advisory against using tap water in the 1850 sector as they work to restore the network following the massive water usage required to fight the flames.
Courchevel 1850 is one of the most upmarket and expensive resorts in the Alps, attracting celebrities including David and Victoria Beckham, singer Robbie Williams, England cricket legend Ian Botham and the late French actress and model, Brigitte Bardot.
Sources: Associated Press, BBC News, The Evening Standard, AOL, The New York Post
