Dubai’s Saddle Café opens outlet in Courchevel, French Alps

Dubai-born specialty coffee brand Saddle Café has opened its first-ever outlet in Courchevel, marking a significant milestone in its international expansion and introducing an Emirati-founded café concept to one of Europe’s most exclusive winter destinations.

Located in Courchevel 1850, the new café places Saddle at the heart of one of the world’s most prestigious alpine resorts, frequented by international travellers, skiers and luxury shoppers during the winter season.

The opening represents Saddle’s debut in Courchevel and its latest move in a growing European footprint, following launches in cities including London, Cannes and Saint-Tropez.

Designed for alpine life

Spanning 40 square metres, the Courchevel café is an intimate, design-led space with seating for nine guests, catering to both sit-down customers and those stopping briefly between ski runs or shopping trips. Open daily from 9am to 7pm throughout the winter season, the café is positioned as a natural pause point within the village.

While maintaining Saddle’s clean and contemporary aesthetic, the space has been adapted to reflect the rhythm and warmth of mountain life, offering a relaxed environment amid the bustle of the resort.

Seasonal menu with alpine influences

The Courchevel menu builds on Saddle’s established offerings across its French locations, while introducing exclusive items created specifically for the alpine setting.

Alongside its specialty coffees, the café serves freshly prepared crepes, gourmet sandwiches, pistachio milkshakes and açai smoothies. Winter-focused additions include rich hot chocolate, warming chai and steel-cut oat porridge, designed to suit colder conditions and slower alpine mornings.

The menu aims to balance Saddle’s signature approach to quality and presentation with comforting flavours suited to the ski season.

Exclusive retail for Courchevel guests

In addition to food and drink, the Courchevel location introduces a range of exclusive retail items available only at this outlet. The collection includes branded apparel, winter accessories such as gloves, and limited-edition mugs, designed to reflect both Saddle’s identity and the alpine environment.

The retail offering allows visitors to take a physical reminder of the brand beyond the slopes.

Expanding a homegrown brand

Saddle Café was founded in Dubai in 2017 and has since grown into one of the UAE’s most recognisable homegrown café brands. The Courchevel opening marks a strategic step in its European expansion, bringing an Emirati-founded hospitality concept to a global luxury audience.

Speaking about the launch, founder Mohamed Matar Al Falasi said the move represented both pride and opportunity, describing Courchevel as “one of the world’s most iconic alpine destinations” and a fitting setting to share Saddle’s approach to hospitality, design and coffee culture.

With its first location now open in Courchevel, Saddle Café continues to position itself in influential lifestyle destinations worldwide, carrying a distinctly Emirati brand into new cultural landscapes.