Telegraph: Tourism - Caribbean or skiing for the business elite - by Ben Harrington
Nowadays thousands of Russia's billionaires flock to Courchevel in the first two weeks of January to celebrate the Russian Orthodox Christmas and New Year. They stay in some of the most exclusive hotels in the resort, such as the Byblos des Neiges or Cheval Blanc, which is owned by Bernaud Arnault, the chairman of luxury goods group LVMH. Indeed, Roman Abramovich, the Russian owner of Chelsea Football Club, is said to have once hired the whole of Chalet Pierre, one of Courchevel's most expensive restaurants, for a private party two seasons ago.
Xavier Richaud, a prosecutor in the city of Lyon, was reported to have said he suspected that two separate groups of 19 and 20-year-old women who were part of Prokhorov's entourage in Courchevel were call girls brought along to spend time with the billionaire's friends. Dutch BT chief executive Ben Verwaayen says that after months of traveling he doesn't plan to go anywhere - "it'll be great to get into the kitchen, share meals with the family and watch the Arsenal game on Boxing Day".
