Over the ski season, these are our favorite chalet spots.
Once, European skiers were charmed by cowbells, reindeer rugs, and hearts carved into bunk beds. The mountains are now attracting a new breed of skier, stirred by the sweet intersection between traditional, earthy materials and avant-garde architecture – and privacy is just as important as tartiflette piping hot.
We’ve rounded up some of the most beautiful private chalets near Europe’s best ski resorts.
Cesa del Louf, Italy
The Dolomiti design den, surrounded by soft rolling pastures and woodland, is a must-see for adventurers located 700 metres from Arabba near the Sellaronda slopes. James Bond scenes are reminiscent of its bucolic setting and unassuming exterior, as are its helipad and gentle off-piste track that leads to the runs. With its own lift, you don’t have to tour up this slope, which doubles up as a stellar slope for tobogganing and torchlit skiing. To preserve the traditional aesthetic and character of the original structure, two buildings – Maso and Masetto – were respectfully restored using recycled wood.
Travelers who are concerned about the environment will appreciate the A1 energy rating (underfloor heating is extra and fuel consumption is minimal). The spacious living area is privy to dramatic mountain views, which lets in glorious mountain light. There is a wood-burner and thick rugs on comfy sofas, along with a wood burner encased in glass. The master suite features a bath with a view of the Dolomiti, while reclaimed wood sets the tone. The Turkish bath, sauna, and pool with counter-current, along with the cinema room and artwork by Val Gardena and Raimond Mussner, offer respite during bad visibility days.
The Landscape lodge, France
This traditional chalet on the edge of a French town just south of Lake Geneva was gently restored by Fran, the owner and creative director of Pringle, in collaboration with friend and interior designer Louise Curnuck. From Annecy to Lyon, they scoured France’s rambling antique markets to find one-of-a-kind treasures. Each room is artfully decorated with their haul – from antique skis and sledges to large terracotta vases – in order to create a curated but delightfully imperfect picture. A soft blonde wood veneer was sanded down to reveal a more spacious, less twee rendition of a cosy mountain hideaway, which was then painted in soothing tones. From chunky balconies that serve as cinema seats, you can see stunning views of pine forests winding through the valley. A casual, unpretentious style is set by reindeer rugs draped over deep sofas and gingham chairs, while Danish-style dark wooden chairs and wrought-iron lamp shades give a contemporary edge to the space. It is hard to imagine leaving the deliciously comfortable beds, deep iron tubs and roaring log fire of this cosy alpine hideaway for the slopes or understated restaurants tucked away in nearby mountain villages, but it has been done.
Le Chalet, France
With its pared-back style and traditional mountain romance, Le Chalet by Zannier hotels stands out in Megeve. There are 12 spacious suites and a three-bedroom cottage with a dipped-stone staircase, old timber decking, storybook windows, which all celebrate the region’s chalet style, while soft furnishings and contemporary tables modernize these historic bones. A time-warp escape with modern comforts results. Linen bedspreads and sofa covers stick to neutral, earthy tones and sharp bolts of mountain sunshine illuminate rustic vases and pots lining reclaimed wooden shelves. When guests aren’t making the most of the ski-in, ski-out situation, the resort offers heli-skiing, dog-sledding, and a spa hot tub that is perfect to soak in followed by an Aesop body scrub.
Chalet Arula, Austria
Chalet Arula is the newest ski-in, ski-out property on Oberlech’s genteel slopes. The alcoves and bookcases are tastefully lit and designed to be restrained. Cool, modern lights hang above a sleek and simple dining table. Nine spacious bedrooms allow the wooden walls and ceiling to do the talking, with thick moody curtains and velvet headboards, while coloured ceiling lights playfully illuminate the children’s bunk room. This sophisticated take on Alpine cosiness results from the designers operating in that relatively untrodden space where expense and taste coexist. A grand piano dominates the vast living space and invites late-night singalongs, while clever lighting and bespoke furniture set the Nordic tone, from Danish chairs to industrial wall lights. A cinema with a long line of deep sofas keeps disgruntled skiers entertained when the weather turns, but the spa with its infrared cabin and handsome indoor pool may even trump skiing in pleasure. For a blow-the-budget ski extravaganza with 30 people, Arula 2 has been attached.
Ferme Fougere, France
With the guidance of Voza Development, the owners of this 1825 farmhouse retuned a traditional Alpine farm to the pitch of rustic cool. In this photogenic four-floor chalet, the original shutters and timber shell have been retained, while polished concrete, natural linen, and restrained furniture provide a smoother and more contemporary look inside. Like so many of Europe’s most coveted private chalets, Ferme Fougere has an elevated modern take on the simple life, but unlike so many, it retains a sense of dignity.
An enormous, U-shaped sofa flanked by wood dominates the sitting room, where hot toddies are set on a giant sledge coffee table and toes are warmed by dancing flames in a glass-box fireplace. Underfloor heating, a sauna and an indoor wood-fired hot tub keep guests warm at the refined Rustica. The contrast between space (the cavernous ceilings and spacious planned rooms) and child-like coziness is thrilling. A tasteful contrast continues up the original spiral staircase, where cashmere throws draped across dangerously comfortable beds invite skiers to take a nap in the afternoon. The streamlined bunk beds and timber eaves impart a more snug feel here than the vast entertaining space downstairs. The Evasion Mont Blanc ski area is accessed by a snowshuffle from the lift for the St Gervais run. In addition to skiing, Ferme Fougiere offers bike racks for the area’s fabulous biking routes, hiking suggestions, and information on Saint-Gervais’ best brasseries and Le Ferme du Cupelin’s ‘Promenade au Mont Joly’ menu.
White Deer San Lorenzo, Italy
There are only a few luxury rental chalets in the Dolomites, including White Deer San Lorenzo, which was a hunting lodge for Italian aristocrats in the 16th century. With its dramatic topography, its utterly charming traditions, and its cockle-warming locavore food scene, this is remarkable. White Deer taps into these, offering top-notch Italian cooking (breakfasts are made from the eggs, cheese, milk, and bacon of neighbouring farms) and experiences, such as mushroom foraging in the woods or winery tours. The most striking feature of this chalet is its blissful isolation, which is what gives it its time-warp exterior – a whitewashed characterful building studded with little windows that let in sharp, unfiltered light. Although Plan de Corones’ pine-forest runs and sweeping slopes are only 15 minutes away, it commands gorgeous valley views.
The house has been skillfully renovated by Giorgia and Stefano Barbini to honor the house’s heritage. A Tyrolean Stube parlour sets the tone – an artful fusion of classic cosiness and a restrained, modern aesthetic. An otherwise uncluttered dining room with ancient wood panelling from old farmsteads features a focal point cowhide sofa, a touch of contemporary style to the Alpine classic, and a mahogany bed topped with intricately carved panels, a noble accent against plastered walls and Swiss pine. As with the cellar and Finnish sauna, which are a steamy microcosm of the chalet’s design, soft, amber lighting respects the building’s vintage.
Chalet L’Alpensia, France
A lavish mountain home-from-home, Chalet L’Apensia is technically part of Courchevel 1850’s high-end hotel L’Apogee, but it is really a private entity in practice. With marble bathrooms and fir wood canvass dressed in deep, warming rugs and velvet dining chairs, Parisian design duo India Mahdavi and Joseph Dirand have successfully merged hotel luxury with home comfort. Unlike a lo-fi hideaway or Alpine twee, L’Apensia has the refined sensibility of a smart Russian Dascha and the amenities of a five-star hotel. In addition to a private conveyor belt connected to the famous (and pricey) Jardin Alpin – a skiers dream of – there’s also earthy Bamford face cream facials in the spa and top-notch sashimi at Koori. If seclusion is paramount, a private spa with sauna, steam bath, whirlpool bath and double massage room, along with a cinema and butler on request, will ensure you never have to leave (except out the back door on skis).
