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How to blow €1 million in a day

France’s Courchevel 1850 has a growing reputation as the most expensive and glamorous luxury ski resort in the world. It seems inconceivable but it would be relatively easy to blow €1 MILLION during a 24 hour blitz of unadulterated spending and lavish extravagance in this millionaires mecca. Everyone dreams about winning the lottery, but did you ever imagine if, upon receipt of your winnings, you were told you had just 24 hours to spend the cash! Car Where would you go? What would you spend it on? Well as a keen skier and lover of all things luxury, I would head straight for Courchevel 1850… a mecca for the mega rich! Like most women, I have a talent for spending money fast and with elegant ease, but even I thought it would be difficult to wave goodbye to this vast amount of money in such a short space of time. But here goes, Iʼm going to spoil myself rotten. Private jet A private jet from Heathrow to the Altiport in Courchevel 1850, that will be €74,000 thank you, no problem. Accommodation next on my list. But before I do that, I’ve always fancied hiring a Ferrari 458 Italia Oakley Design and for a basic €1,100 a day thatʼs going to be at least €11,000. Iʼll look pretty V.I.P cruising up to the most expensive luxury ski chalet in the resort, Chalet Edelweiss, which I’ve just rented for the week for a breathtaking €537,000. It does sleep up to 16 guests though so at least I can invite all my friends over! Pool I might as well have a crack at skiing while I’m here, it would be rude not too. I’m too busy spending to worry about kitting myself out though, Iʼll employ a personal shopper at €90 an hour, Iʼll book her for the duration, thatʼs €7,200, to sort me out with my ski wear and skis. Iʼm hoping sheʼl come back with some €2,500 Ferrari skiʼs, and cover me head to toe in Montcler Ski Clothing, very nice, €750, kerrrrrching . . . Apex Ski boots at €970 would be nice, oh, and Oakley Airbrake Snow Ski Goggles, a tidy €165 wouldnʼt go amiss either. Ok, Iʼve blown €11,385 on this little lot but Iʼll be looking waaay cool. Its been a while since Iʼve last skied so Iʼll probably book a half day with a top ski instructor. €400. Cable car I decided Iʼd like lunch at Il Vino, who have come up with the novel concept of matching the food to the wine. You select the wine then the Michelin starred chef Michele Biassoni matches the food. I think I’ll try the blind tasting menu which is five surprise courses accompanied by five different wines. The food is explained as it arrives but the wine is enjoyed first then discussed/explained by the sommelier as each course is cleared. That would be money well spent and a bit of an education too. Iʼm struggling here to get through the cash, Iʼve only blown €632.785 and itʼs nearly time for Apres ski. Ultra wealthy Russians are drawn to Courchevel 1850 like moths to a flame and thatʼs probably why I came across an incredibly expensive bottle of bubbly. You just wouldnʼt believe it, neither did I but it helped my quest no end. I found a bottle of Shipwrecked 1907 Heidsieck Champagne that was bound for Russia and the Russian Imperial family in 1916 when the vessel sank off the coast of Finland. At €205,853 a pop these were being sold in the Ritz Carlton Hotel in Moscow, some of it obviously found itʼs way here. Of course, the wineʼs 80 year journey and very old age are factors massively contributing to making this the worldʼs most expensive champagne. One bottle does not go very far amongst 16 friends. A quick look at my iPhone to do the maths and tot up the figures and I notice Iʼm quite disappointed at how scratched and battered itʼs looking, Itʼs not cool exposing this in public dressed head to toe in Montcler. A Miansai 14 carat gold iPhone case is whatʼs called for. Iʼll easily pick one of those beauties up here; there are a hell of a lot of jewellery stores. Thatʼll knock me back €7,480 but at least I can do the calculations on my phone in public without shame. Tap tap tap tap tap, crikey, Iʼm getting close, €846,018. Iʼve got a couple of hours to kill and itʼs late afternoon. I think a helicopter trip taking in Mont Blanc and the Tarentaise valley would be a great way to spend that time. Iʼd like to take some snaps too so Iʼll book 2 hours with Courchevel Travel. €3.300. When I get back Iʼll flash the plastic in some of the top end shops here and kit myself out with a few new items for my sparse wardrobe. Thereʼs Louis Vuitton, Hermes, Fendi, Valentino, Prada, Cartier, Dior and Chanel to raid so I reckon Iʼll easily get through €136,998. Exactly. Chanel I canʼt blow any dosh on a slap up in any of the seven Michelin starred restaurants because my chalet is fully catered and Iʼve invited George Clooney, Geri Helliwell, Lionel Ritchie, Christine Aguilera, David and Victoria and the King Of Morocco, all visitors to this swish resort, round for drinks and to share the Dom Romane Conti 1997, a delicious red. And at €13,662 for 12 bottles, so it should be. So there you are, Iʼve totted up €999.978. Just €22 short of my target and itʼs seconds to go until midnight. I get a tap on my shoulder and Lionel Ritchie ushers me to one side, and in hushed tones, so no one can hear, whispers to me, “you wanna buy my new CD… €22 euro to you”. Done it, mission accomplished – Iʼm Dancing On The Ceiling. Rebecca Taylor is Director at SkiBoutique. If you would like to be a guest blogger on A Luxury Travel Blog in order to raise your profile, please contact us.

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