Altiports
Altiport
of Courchevel (LFLJ)
Courchevel altiport (IATA code: CVF • ICAO code: LFLJ) is a French altiport at the Courchevel 1850 ski resort (in the former commune of Saint-Bon-Tarentaise), in the Trois Vallées ski area, in the Savoie department of the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region, facing the glaciers of the Vanoise. On 23 April 2023, Courchevel altiport officially took the name of its founder, Michel Ziegler.
The oldest altiport, it is also known for its short runway (537 metres), its high elevation (2,008 m) and its slope (18.66%), the steepest in the world for an international airport. The single runway lies at the place called Les Chalets de Pralong, two kilometres south of the village, among the Courchevel 1850 ski slopes.
Its runway, 80 metres wide and 537 m long, has a cross-slope of 2 to 5% and, above all, a very steep gradient (0.45% over the 123 metres of the platform, then 18.66% up to 403 m and finally 12.50% over the last 134 metres), making it the steepest international airport runway in the world.
Landing at or taking off from the altiport requires a mountain rating (wheels) or a specific site rating. Aircraft of more than 2.5 tonnes need prior authorisation from the DGAC, and only Alpine Airlines is authorised to operate aeroplanes with commercial passengers.
Courchevel cleared of snow, April 2006
