This Airport High In The French Alps Terrifies Tourists With A Dangerously Short Runway

The runway at Courchevel Altiport is about 1,763 feet long. Let that sink in. Planes flying out of this airport have one-third of a mile to lift off and get airborne. If that seems short, you're right; most runways are between 8,000 and 13,000 feet long, or an average of about two miles. More disconcerting still, this stretch of pavement also lies on an 18.7% slope. If that's hard to picture, note that no highway in the United States can be steeper than 9%. As a plane takes off, passengers may feel like they're charging up a hill (which they basically are). When they land, they roll down that same hill, which can be terrifying. Not surprisingly, the airport can only accommodate small aircraft. Really, what else could fit?

And there's more. Courchevel Altiport stands at nearly 7,000 feet above sea level, making it the highest airport in Europe. You might wonder what kind of daredevil would book a flight into such a lethal-sounding place, but the airport is actually quite popular: Courchevel is located in the French Alps, and it's legendary among skiers. Although Courchevel makes the list of scariest airport runways in the world, that doesn't stop winter lovers from flocking here to tear up slopes in the luxurious Three Valleys ski area. Courchevel is just one part of this fabled region, and it's divided into six distinct ski villages. More than 1 million lift passes are issued at the Courchevel Ski Resort each year, which gives some idea of how beloved this area is. A bumpy landing isn't going to deter diehard fans.

Fearful flyers will be relieved to hear that Courchevel is perfectly accessible by car, and you can drive there from Paris in a long but reasonable seven hours. Given its obscure location in the southeast of France, the nearest sizable cities lie in neighboring countries: Geneva in Switzerland and Turin in Italy. In short, you have the option to avoid landing on Courchevel's tiny airstrip altogether and instead ease your car through the scenic mountains. Coming from the east, you could add it to a road trip through the majestic scenery of the European Alps.

If you can handle some turbulence, though, there are many reasons people might prefer to fly into Courchevel. Flights are shockingly reasonable, if you're flying domestically; you could skip that long drive from Paris and hop an Air France flight for $130 one-way. Aviation enthusiasts may enjoy a smaller, propeller-based aircraft, and the airport itself is Lilliputian, so it's not like you'll get lost in a maze of terminals.

The real deterrent for tourists may not be the airport at all, but the expense: Courchevel is widely considered the most opulent ski resort in the world, and some of its more high-profile regulars are Russian millionaires and Middle Eastern aristocracy. The Michelin-rated restaurants and five-star chalets that cost thousands of dollars per night are a jet-setter's dream, but they might price out the majority of slope-seekers. Luckily, there are still budget-friendlier enclaves in the Three Valleys region — the largest ski area in the world — and there are less dramatic points of entry than the Courchevel Altiport. Indeed, Le Menuires is considered one of the absolute best budget-friendly skiing destinations in this gorgeous European country.