Massive Fire at Luxury Courchevel Hotel in French Alps Forces Evacuation of 300 Amid Ongoing Emergency Response

Around 300 people were evacuated after a fire broke out Tuesday evening at the five-star Hotel des Grandes Alpes in Courchevel, a high-end ski resort in the French Alps, officials from the Savoie region confirmed. 

Image Source: ICI Officiel

The blaze began in the attic of the property around 7:00 p.m. local time and was still burning as of Wednesday morning, sending thick smoke across the area.

While no guests or staff were injured in the incident, four firefighters suffered smoke-related harm, according to Savoie Prefect Vanina Nicoli. 

Speaking to reporters in broadcasted snippets, she noted that 131 firefighters were working in “very difficult conditions” to contain the fire, which prompted an initial evacuation of around 200 people from the affected hotel.

A second evacuation was carried out on Wednesday morning at the nearby Hotel Le Lana due to ongoing fire risks. Local authorities said evacuees were relocated to other accommodations in Courchevel. 

As of midday Wednesday, no further evacuations were planned, and firefighters had successfully prevented the fire from spreading to adjacent buildings.

The Gendarmerie has opened an investigation into the cause of the blaze. 

The incident comes amid heightened scrutiny of fire safety in Alpine tourist destinations, following a deadly fire in Crans-Montana, Switzerland on New Year’s Eve that killed 40 and injured over 100 people, many of them teenagers.