Tag Archives: Megeve

Travel Tip: Getting to the Best Slopes in Europe

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Traveling around Europe last year in order to find the best ski slopes in the area proved to be more confusing and challenging than anticipated. The fact that you can get to any mountain by train, car or helicopter confuses you more than you think, so in order to make your life easier and help you decide quicker which slope you will ski next, we created a short table to simplify the information out there:

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Switzerland

 

Verbier from Geneva is 2hrs by car and 3hrs by train

Verbier from Zurich is 3hrs by car and 3hrs by train

Stay: The Lodge and W Verbier

Gstaad from Geneva is 2 hrs by car and 2.50hrs by train

Gstaad from Zurich is 2.50hrs by car and 3.15hrs by train

Stay: Alpina Hotel and Gstaad Palace

St Moritz from Zurich is 3hrs by car and train

St Moritz from Milan is 3hrs by car and 4.5hrs by train

Stay: The Carlton Hotel

Andermatt from Geneva is 2hrs by car or train

Andermatt from Zurich is 3.5hrs by car

Stay:  The Chedi Residences

France

 

 

Courchevel from Geneva is 2hrs by car or shuttle

Courchevel from Lyon is 3 hrs by car or shuttle

Stay: Le Mélézin, Edelweiss Chalet and Le Petit Palais

Megève from Geneva is 1hr by car

Megève from Lyon is 2.5hrs by car

Stay: Fermes de Marie

Méribel from Geneva is 2hrs by car

Méribel from Grenoble is 2.5hrs by car or 3 hrs from Lyon

 Stay: Le Kaila

Chalet Mont Blanc. Megeve, France

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Situated high on top of a cliff overlooking the bourgeoisie town of Megève, you feel as if you are residing over your own kingdom in this one-of-a-kind chalet. Chalet Mont Blanc comprises of two neighboring buildings to give you the feeling of utmost privacy while maintaining a homey (and by homey I mean impeccably designed and chic) feel.

The chalet is ski-in and ski-out and comprised of 7 en-suite bedrooms that can accommodate up to 12 adults and 4 children.  Each room has its own design, from fluffy pink pillows and pink bean bags, to dark wood adorned with fur, and a cool black and white palette with some of the most enviable wall lighting.

The second you walk into the house your eyes are drawn to the wall-to-ceiling windows that span over all of Megève. Your eyes will also not miss the infinity pool situated right on the terrace, perfect for romantic late-night swims with your loved one after you have put the kids to bed. The chalet also comes with it’s own spa and accompanying projector screen (because every pool has to come with one of those!), hammam, sauna, and massage rooms.

The chalet’s wine cellar is big enough to set up camp in, so thats most likely where you will find me, staring lovingly at the expensive and rare wines. You can take that beautiful bottle of wine and head down to your private cinema while your chef makes a dinner so scrumptious you might take him home with you.

Worried about how you’ll get there with all of your luggage and ski equipment? Not to worry, you can take your helicopter to the chalet’s private helipad located on-site.

Les Fermes de Marie. Megève, France.

Hotel of the Week, , , , , , , ,

Full of elegance and charm, Megève is the secret hot spot for the French elite to go skiing and wellness. Les Fermes de Marie is a complex of 9 ski chalets in Megève, constructed with materials taken from the forests of the mountain, this ski chalet is several centuries old. Every antique, beam, marble piece has a story to tell and while staying at Les Fermes de Marie, you will have the innate feeling you are staying in some very prestigious wooden ski chalet. If you’re looking for a place to let your kids be kids, and the adults have adult time, the chalet comes with a space for the younger generation designed especially for them, the Hameau des Enfants. 

The rooms are designed with high-vaulted wooden ceilings, hand-crafted wooden furniture, and a bed adorned with furs that looks so cozy I could hibernate in it for the rest of the winter. Almost all the rooms come with a balcony or terrace and a bathroom with a deep soaking tub to release that winter ache. The staff’s favorite room in the chalet is ‘La Suite Blanche’. This chalet of 90 m² faces the village of Megève and contains a lounge with a fireplace and terrace, a bedroom with two beds, and a small bedroom with one bed, perfect for a large family! You can also choose to stay in one of their two private chalets, Chalets des Fermes de Marie or Le Chalet Chatel.

When meal time comes, you can choose from 5 dining options. Restaurant Traditionnel cooks balanced stove-top meals, loaded with flavor and protein. My favorite meal at the restaurant is the Coquillettes aux truffes et jambon de sauget (coquillettes with truffles and ham of Sauget). Restaurant Alpin is more casual, but centered around Alpine delicacies. They also always have a dessert cart out, so that’s where you’ll find me during dinner time!

The Spa as Les Fermes de Marie, is my favorite pastime at this magical chalet, developed by the Pure Altitude brand. There are 17 individual treatment cabins at your disposal. This spa focuses on gentle movements on the body combined with the right natural ingredients to evoke stress-reducing chemicals. My favorite treatment is the ‘Energétique des Alpes’ Ritual. It’s a massage-treatment combining manual techniques with linen bags full of salts and mountain plants, a balancing, draining and relaxing treatment.

 

Photographs courtesy of the property.