Les Airelles, Courchevel There’s new life in the palace on top of the hill, courtesy of master architect Christophe Tollemer. Courchevel is known for two things: snow and celebrities. Of all the alpine hotspots in Europe (of which there are plenty), it’s the most densely packed with starry names. Prince William and the Duchess of Cambridge, Roman Abramovich, George Clooney and the Saudi royal family have all carved through its ivory snows, and also checked into at least one

Rooksana Hossenally ,   CONTRIBUTOR Even if you're not a die-hard skier, you will probably have heard of Courchevel, the luxury ski resort perched up in the French Alps. The winter equivalent to Saint Tropez, it comes with its own set of couture stores from Chanel to Fendi, and has the most palace hotels and Michelin starred restaurants in the country after Paris, making choosing a place to stay no slim affair. Le Strato Hotel The killer mountain vistas at Le Strato Hotel,