Printable property details
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Chalets de Vanoise, Belvedere, 73120 Courchevel Saint Bon, France
73120
Chalet Chamois
- Style
- Slope-side sophistication
- Setting
- Courchevel, French Alps
Courchevel has gained a reputation in recent years for high-altitude razzmatazz, where your style off the slopes is as important as your finesse on them. As part of the Trois Vallées, Courchevel is the largest ski area in Europe with over 400 miles of runs. At Chalets de Vanoise’s properties you get the best of both worlds. Set in the secluded hamlet of Belvédère, Chalet Chamois sleeps 14 guests and is right on the slopes and within easy reach of the resort’s rarefied glitz.
'A perfect chalet; everything was so effortless'
'Wonderful food, a fantastic chalet and perfect snow'
'Fabulous skiing – and right on our doorstep'
Sleeps
14 in seven bedrooms including a mezzanine, which is ideal for children
Ideal for
Seclusion and instant access to the slopes with excellent proximity to Courchevel’s glitzy temptations.
Rates
€19,500 to €26,950 including chalet staff, champagne and canapés on arrival, breakfast and afternoon tea, fresh flowers and daily newspapers
Minimum hire
One week normally starting on Friday, although rental periods and start dates vary slightly throughout the season
Also
Smoking is not allowed in the chalet. A Sony Vaio laptop and a Sony PlayStation 2 with a selection of games can be pre-booked. There is WiFi access throughout the chalet and the TV has a full Sky package.
Eating & drinking
The dining table is between the open-plan kitchen and the central fireplace and comfortably sits 12; a further table on the balcony means you can dine outside if you wish. Fresh bread and croissants are delivered every morning and the price also includes afternoon tea. Guests are welcomed with a champagne and canapé reception. A private chef or a shopping service can be arranged and there is a chargeable chalet bar and wine cellar. Supermarket: Casino supermarket is 100 metres downhill from the main Forum Centre in 1850 and has the widest choice of food and wine in Courchevel. The smaller Sherpa supermarket is in the Forum Centre itself.
Deli: Chez le Gaulois at Le Forum in Courchevel has a extensive selection of regional specialities, including hams and cheeses, and a superb range of cognac.
Off-licence: For first-rate French wine and champagne, head to Le Baricou on rue des Verdons (+33 (0)479 00 77 72).
Children
Welcome. Cots can be provided on request. The mezzanine bedroom with its beanbags and TV is well-suited for kids. In-chalet childcare can be organised and children’s ski lessons can be arranged.
Music
There's a CD player and selection of discs in the main sitting room. It’s worth splashing out on a chef at Chalet Chamois to expertly prepare French cuisine for all the guests. The chalet also offers massage and beauty therapies.
Provided
Chalet staff, Egyptian bed linen, towels and luxury toiletries as well as fresh flowers, newspapers and firewood delivered daily.
Packing tips
Courchevel tends to flaunt its wealth; bring diamonds and mink if you want to indulge in the social scene as much as the skiing.
Eco policy
Small local suppliers and operators are used whenever possible.
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check availability
To check availability and book a ski chalet, please ring the Smith travel team on 0845 034 0700 (or +44 20 8987 4312 from outside the UK). We guarantee best available rental rates on all ski chalets, and we don’t charge a booking fee.
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Chalet Chamois’ style is one of classic elegance, with vintage ski posters, stone and wood floors, honey-hued pine paneling and warm fabrics. There are seven double/twin rooms, all with en suite bathrooms, and two additional beds on a mezzanine level on the top floor. The latter is better suited to children due to the low, sloping roof.
Interior
Bedrooms
Chenus Bedroom: double bedroom with en suite bathroom and access to the balcony overlooking the piste.
Biollay Bedroom: twin bedroom with en suite bathroom and access to the balcony overlooking the piste.
Praline Bedroom: double bedroom with en suite bathroom and access to the balcony overlooking the piste.
Vizelle Bedroom: double bedroom with en suite bathroom and access to the balcony overlooking the piste.
Chamrossa Bedroom: twin bedroom with en suite bathroom and access to the balcony overlooking the piste.
Bellecôte Bedroom: double room at the back of the house with en suite bathroom and views of the Vanoise National Park. This is the master bedroom.
La Loze Bedroom: double room at the back of the house with en suite bathroom and views of the Vanoise National Park.
Mezzanine Bedroom: the mezzanine floor, under the eaves, sleeps two and is ideal for children due to the low ceiling. It has a TV and bean bags so it also makes a good snug.
Kitchen The open-plan kitchen has granite worktops and is fully equipped with a dishwasher, caterers’ fridge, microwave, coffee machine and cooker. An exceptional private chef can be arranged to prepare evening meals for an additional charge – worth every penny.
Living room The high-ceilinged living room is decorated in a bright yet classic style, has a central fireplace and large, comfortable sofas. The TV has a full Sky package, DVD and CD player. The picture window opens onto a balcony with additional seating. A Sony PlayStation 2 and Sony Vaio laptop are also available if booked in advance.
Dining room The dining table seats 10 guests and is located next to the kitchen and central fireplace. There are impressive views of the piste from the balcony.
Other Get ready to hit the slopes in the spacious boot room on the ground floor, which has a heated boot rack. Also on the ground floor is a sauna and hammam. In-chalet massage and beauty therapies can be arranged.
Outdoor
Gardens There’s no garden at Chalet Chamois, but the piste is right on your doorstep so you can ski in and ski out.
Parking There's a double garage and outside parking for at least three cars.
check availability
To check availability and book a ski chalet, please ring the Smith travel team on 0845 034 0700 (or +44 20 8987 4312 from outside the UK). We guarantee best available rental rates on all ski chalets, and we don’t charge a booking fee.
Courchevel not only has some of the best skiing in the Alps but also boasts superlative, Michelin-starred restaurants.
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Activities
Courchevel’s vast ski area and its high altitude ensure some of the best skiing in the Alps, suitable for all levels of ability. If the snow is good then you can ski all the way from Saulire to St Bon – a drop of 1,600 metres. Serious skiers will love the black Les Suisses run. Try to ski the black runs at the beginning of the week as they become crowded towards the weekend as people build up courage. Courchevel also has good conditions for snowboarders and you can arrange heli-skiing trips over the border to Italy. You can also enjoy skidoos, hot-air ballooning, parapenting, ice-skating, tobogganing and snow shoeing. The adventurous can take a transfer to nearby La Plagne to shoot the bobsleigh run, while the unhinged can head to Tignes to try some ice-diving. Contact Whitetracks on +33 (0)686 12 34 17, www.whitetracks.co.uk.
Smith tip
Courchevel is famously popular with Russians so New Year here has some unusual elements to it. Russian tradition says tthat his is when Ded Moroz, or Father Frost, and his grand-daughter Snegurochka the snow girl pay a visit. Father Frost certainly isn’t Father Christmas; he wears blue and can freeze anyone who’s been naughty, so behave yourselves! Children sing songs or recite a poem before receiving gifts hidden underneath a decorated pine tree.
Eating, drinking and dancing
Restaurants
The Bateau Ivre
(+33 (0)4 79 00 11 71)
Courchevel 1850 is the only place in the Alps where you’ll find a pair of two-Michelin-star restaurants right next to each other. This restaurant at the Pomme de Pin hotel has the best views of the slopes.
Le Bateau Ivre, La Pomme de Pin Hotel, Courchevel 1850
Chabichou
(+33 (0)4 79 08 00 55)
Right next to the Bateau Ivre is the gastronomically spectacular Chabichou, also with two Michelin stars. There’s no shortage of spectacular ways to blow your cash at 1850.
Chabichou, Rue des Chenus, 73121 Courchevel 1850
Le Farçon
(+33 (0)4 79 08 80 34)
This restaurant in La Tania has a mere one Michelin star – oh dear. The nine-course tasting menu is excellent.
Le Farçon, La Tania, Courchevel
La Crêperie du Moulin
(+33 (0)4 79 08 10 90)
This informal and friendly restaurant is great for crêpes in the afternoon and fondue in the evening.
La Crêperie du Moulin, Place du Tremplin, Courchevel 1850
Le Genépi
(+33 (0)4 79 08 08 63)
The only thing this restaurant lacks is a terrace. All the same, they serve excellent, classic French food so it’s still a firm favourite.
Le Genépi, Rue Park City, Courchevel 1850
La Petit Savoyard
(+33 (0)4 79 08 27 44)
This restaurant in Courchevel 1650 is the perfect place for inexpensive local dishes and wood-fired pizzas.
La Petit Savoyard, Rue du Marquis, Courchevel 1650
check availability
To check availability and book a ski chalet, please ring the Smith travel team on 0845 034 0700 (or +44 20 8987 4312 from outside the UK). We guarantee best available rental rates on all ski chalets, and we don’t charge a booking fee.
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Housekeeping
Your chalet staff take care of all housekeeping.
check availability
To check availability and book a ski chalet, please ring the Smith travel team on 0845 034 0700 (or +44 20 8987 4312 from outside the UK). We guarantee best available rental rates on all ski chalets, and we don’t charge a booking fee.
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Getting there
Planes Chambéry airport is nearest and just under 90 minutes away. Flybe has services in the winter from Southampton, Norwich, Exeter, Birmingham, Manchester, Leeds and Newcastle (www.flybe.com). It’s about three hours to Lyon and Geneva airports. Helicopter and private plane transfers to the Courchevel Altiport can be arranged by the chalet. Not for nervous fliers!
Trains Eurostar operates a very convenient overnight Ski Train service. It runs on Fridays and Saturdays, stopping at Moûtier, 30 minutes from Courchevel (www.eurostar.com).
Local taxi service Call +33 (0)4 7901 10 10 to pre-order a taxi. Chalet Chamois can arrange transfers to the station or airport on request.
Directions by road Follow the E711 and E70 from Lyon, or the E25 and E712 from Geneva to Chambéry. Take the péage to Alberville and then the N90 dual carriageway to Moûtier. Just beyond the town the road to Courchevel climbs the mountainside in a series of tight hairpin bends. Turn left onto rue de Belvedere at Courchevel 1650.
check availability
To check availability and book a ski chalet, please ring the Smith travel team on 0845 034 0700 (or +44 20 8987 4312 from outside the UK). We guarantee best available rental rates on all ski chalets, and we don’t charge a booking fee.
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Chalet Chamois’ main living area is a wonderful place for family and friends to relax. The high ceilings and majestic picture window look onto the piste and the Tarentaise mountains, creating a sense of light and space.
Chalet Chamois combines some of the finest skiing in the French Alps with Courchevel’s trademark style and luxury. While the resort’s legendary après-ski is a short distance away, the chalet’s location in the tranquil hamlet of Belvédère means you can take a break from it all. The magnificent scenery of the Vanoise National Park and limitless appeal of the Trois Vallées ski area are right on the doorstep of this ski-in, ski-out chalet.
Designed by Courchevel’s leading architect in classic Swiss style, Chalet Chamois sleeps up to 14 guests. Larger groups could also take neighbouring Chalet Marmotte, which sleeps 10. Each of the seven intimate bedrooms is snug and warm, decorated in traditional style with natural fabrics, locally carved bedsteads and chairs, and soft Egyptian linens. The sense of comfort and indulgence extends to the en suite bathrooms with their fluffy towels and Miller Harris toiletries. Each room also has a balcony overlooking the spectacular mountain scenery.
Chalet Chamois’ main living area is a wonderful place for family and friends to relax. The high ceilings and majestic picture window look onto the piste and the Tarentaise mountains, creating a sense of light and space. A central fireplace adds to the cosy atmosphere and the comfortable sofas are the perfect place to unwind. The rustic pine table seats eight or 10 and there’s further seating on the balcony. Children, who are very well catered for at Chalet Chamois, can eat separately if you wish.
Breakfast and afternoon tea are included in the price, giving you the choice of self-catering in the evening. Chalet Chamois also provides a exceptional chef to prepare French cuisine; it’s definitely worth it. An extremely wide range of services can be organised and tailor-made to suit you, including helicopter transfers, mountain guides, in-chalet equipment fitting, massage and beauty treatments. There’s a hammam and sauna on the ground floor – perfect after a day of Alpine exertion.
The Trois Vallées ski area is the largest in the Alps and has over 400 miles of ski runs to explore. The high altitude (and arsenal of snow cannons) mean conditions are usually excellent throughout the season. Chalet Chamois itself is at 1,800 metres, less than five minutes from Courchevel 1650, 10 minutes from high society and the even higher prices of Courchevel 1850. With the nearest lift yards away, all you need to do is take your boots off the heated rack, snap on your skis and glide out onto the snow.
This Courchevel chalet sleeping 14 guests was reviewed by Jim Whyte
check availability
To check availability and book a ski chalet, please ring the Smith travel team on 0845 034 0700 (or +44 20 8987 4312 from outside the UK). We guarantee best available rental rates on all ski chalets, and we don’t charge a booking fee.
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