Fire forces evacuation at Hôtel des Grandes Alpes in Courchevel in the French Alps on January 27 when a blaze broke out in the attic of the five-star hotel at about 7 p.m. local time, prompting emergency responders to evacuate guests and staff and continue firefighting efforts into the following day.
Officials said no serious injuries have been reported and that the evacuation extended to a neighbouring hotel owing to the risk of the fire spreading. The incident is under investigation as authorities work to determine its cause amid an ongoing emergency response.
Evacuations and Emergency Response
A fire erupted at Hôtel des Grandes Alpes in Courchevel 1850 during the evening of January 27, forcing the evacuation of scores of people from the luxury hotel in one of Europe’s most exclusive ski resorts. The blaze began in the attic and was still producing thick smoke the next morning, the Prefecture of the Savoie region said on its website.
Officials initially reported nearly 100 evacuees from the hotel itself, and local media later cited figures suggesting that approximately 270 people had been evacuated from the hotel and neighbouring buildings as a precaution because of the fire’s ongoing spread. Staff and guests were relocated to other hotels within the resort, and some took refuge in municipal facilities.
Authorities deployed a large contingent of firefighters to the scene; Reuters reported that 131 firefighters were involved in battling the blaze, working under difficult conditions as flames continued to burn into the morning. Officials said the evacuation “proceeded calmly and no injuries have been reported so far,” and that firefighters have so far prevented the fire from spreading further to other structures.
Un violent INCENDIE s’est déclaré dans la nuit à l’hôtel 5 étoiles des Grandes Alpes à Courchevel. Au total, 270 personnes ont été évacuées, dont des clients présents dans l’hôtel à coté. Aucun blessé n’est à déplorer.pic.twitter.com/hV26pLrrKB
— Franceetinfo 🇫🇷 (@franceetinfo) January 28, 2026
Emergency services faced challenges in accessing and extinguishing the fire due to the hotel’s construction and environmental conditions. Reports noted that efforts to reach flames beneath the roof were complicated by the slate and sheet metal roof and heavy snow accumulation, hindering firefighting operations. Fire crews were forced to remove roofing materials before they could fully access the fire’s source.
No cause for the fire has been determined, and the Gendarmerie has opened an investigation into the incident. Local authorities are continuing their work to secure the site and assess any ongoing risks following the blaze.
The fire at Hôtel des Grandes Alpes has drawn attention to safety protocols in alpine resort structures. The incident follows a deadly fire on New Year’s Eve at a bar in the Swiss ski resort of Crans-Montana that killed 40 people and injured more than 100, many of them teenagers, prompting scrutiny of fire safety measures in mountain tourist destinations.
