|
 Fancy
a chalet or two?
French and British papers reported this weekend that Roman Abramovich,
the Russian billionaire owner of Chelsea FC, has been trying – and
failing - to buy up most of Courchevel 1850.
The Sunday Times claimed this weekend that Abramovitch flew into
the resort three weeks ago to make plans for a long stay.
Money no object
On landing at the resort, he demanded to see the 20 best local chalets,
and made offers up to triple their market value. When none could
be persuaded to take his money, Abramovich booked 40 suites, each
costing up to £1,300 a night, in the resort’s leading hotels for
up to seven weeks instead. Hiring the rooms will cost him at least
£2m.
Russian interest in the resort is not new, and most visitors to
Courchevel in the last few years will have noticed the increasing
number of nouveau-riche Russians about the resort. If you don’t
recognise the language, have a look at what they’re wearing - solid
gold Rolex watches and Chanel ski suits abound.
Russian menus and private jets
The resort now pulls in 15,000 Russian visitors every winter, who
apparently outspend the resort’s 40,000 French skiers tenfold. Hotels
have started to print menus in Russian and offer Beluga caviar and
bottles of Chateau Pétrus wine at several thousand pounds a bottle.
The high number of top quality hotels and restaurants are a key
factor, as is the altiport, which private jets can fly directly
into. A spokesman for the resort said that the Russians were avid
skiers, on the slopes from 9am to 5pm, “leaving our instructors
gasping. They learnt either as conscripts in the army or in the
KGB”.
[Source: Sunday Times]
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