Printable property details
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Chalet Hermine, Hameau du Cospillot, Courchevel 1850, France
Chalet Hermine
- Style
- Traditional, cosy comfort
- Setting
- Courchevel 1850, French Alps
Perfectly located next to the pistes in the most exclusive resort in the French Alps, Chalet Hermine is one of Courchevel’s most sought-after properties. Its sense of privacy, style and comfort is complemented by the exemplary service offered by the staff. Families and friends can enjoy an idyllic sojourn in this irresistable chalet, which offers the finest skiing and Alpine sports in the mountains.
'The most lavish style and service in the whole of the Alps'
'Hermine offers the highest-end hotel service within the privacy of an extremely smart home'
'The height of luxury. Supreme comfort and impeccable service'
Sleeps
10 in five bedrooms, all with en suite bathrooms
Ideal for
Family holidays, seclusion and skiing straight onto the slopes
Rates
£15,115 to £38,225 a week.
Minimum hire
One week with the changeover day on Wednesdays during December and New Year. Changeovers are normally on Sundays during the rest of the season.
Also
Smoking is not allowed in the chalet. There is WiFi throughout the building.
Eating & drinking
The dining table comfortably seats all 10 guests. Chalet Hermine provides a professional chef who creates gourmet dinners served with house wine six nights a week. Breakfast and afternoon tea are prepared daily and Perrier Jouët champagne with canapés are offered each evening. Excellent à la carte wines and cigars are also available. 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. Highchairs, cots, pushchairs, toys and kid’s cutlery are readily available. Children’s menus are also provided. Baby-sitters and nannies can be arranged on request. Bedrooms 1 and 2 are suitable for cots. The stairs have child gates.
Music
There's a CD player and large selection of discs in the main sitting room. Chalet Hermine's staff of five includes a chalet manager, driver and professional chef who will ensure you have a fantastic stay. The chef prepares breakfast and afternoon tea every day and Perrier Jouët champagne with canapés every night. A gourmet evening meal is served six nights a week. Children’s lunch and dinner menus are available, too. An open bar with an impressive selection of wine, beer, spirits and soft drinks is also offered to chalet guests. Let your chalet manager know about special occasions, such as birthdays and anniversaries, and they will be happy to help with arrangements. In-chalet massage, yoga, beauty treatments and personal trainers can all be organised.
Provided
Bed linen, towels, bathrobes and toiletries. A chauffeur-driven 4x4 is available between 08h and 23h. Newspapers and fresh flowers daily. Essentials such as sun cream and lip balm are also provided. The chalet has a staff of five.
Packing tips
Courchevel has a well-deserved reputation for serious style. Pack a black Gore-Tex hooded ski jacket by Prada to cut a dash on the slopes.
Eco policy
The chalet is built to strict environmental codes. The Eurostar train service to Moûtier is a good way to reduce your carbon footprint.
Smith card offer
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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 Hermine has a traditional style with carved banisters, hand-painted picture panels and natural fabrics throughout. Each bedroom has its own distinct style and can be made into a twin or a double except Bedroom 4. All rooms have en suite bathrooms.
Interior
Bedrooms
Bedroom 1: this twin or double bedroom on the third floor is the master bedroom and has a private balcony with spectacular views and a freestanding Villeroy & Boch bath. There’s also a walk-in wardrobe and ornate wood-burning stove.
Bedroom 2: one of three bedrooms on the first floor, this double or twin room has an en suite bathroom and shower.
Bedroom 3: double or twin bedroom with en suite bathroom and shower.
Bedroom 4: double bedroom with en suite shower room.
Bedroom 5: double or twin bedroom with en suite shower room on the ground floor next to the spa.
Kitchen The open-plan kitchen has black granite worktops and is fully equipped. The chalet chef prepares breakfast and afternoon tea every day, which you can enjoy at the breakfast bar. The chef also serves a fantastic evening meal six nights a week, so you need never set foot in the kitchen.
Living room The living space has deep sofas with fox fur throws, arranged around a fabulous central fireplace. The large plasma screen TV has a full Sky package, DVD player and an extensive collection of films.
Dining room The dining table comfortably seats all 10 guests and the dining area opens onto the rear terrace where, during the winter, the snowdrift is used as a champagne store.
Other There's a large boot room with heated boot rack on the ground floor. Next door is the spa room, which has a massage area, hot tub and sauna. The chalet manager can book masseurs, beauticians and personal trainers on request. There's also a study area on the top floor with telephone, fax and computer with high-speed internet access.
Outdoor
Gardens The terraces at Chalet Hermine are small but the chalet’s layout, nestled into the mountainside, creates a secluded and exclusive atmosphere. It’s only a few metres walk through the pine trees to the nearest piste.
Parking There's outside parking for three cars. The chalet has a chauffeur-driven 4x4 at your disposal.
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 has some of the best restaurants in the Alps. There's a veritable constellation of Michelin-starred eateries to choose from. The prices are often as steep as the black runs but the experience will be unforgettable.
Activities
Courchevel is part of the Trois Vallées ski area – the largest in Europe. There are over 200 ski lifts and almost 350 ski runs in the immediate area, offering suitable terrain for both beginners and experienced skiers. The resort’s high altitude usually guarantees excellent conditions and serious skiers will love the black Les Suisses run and the off-piste couloirs near The Saulire. Try to ski the black runs at the beginning of the week as they become crowded towards the weekend, as people build up their courage. Courchevel is also great for snowboarding and you can arrange heli-skiing trips over the border to Italy. You can also try skidooing, hot-air ballooning, parapenting, ice-skating, tobogganing and snow shoeing. For really extreme sports, take a transfer to nearby La Plagne to shoot the bobsleigh run or head to Tignes for some ice-diving. Contact Whitetracks on +33 (0)686 12 34 17, www.whitetracks.co.uk.
Smith tip
Expert skiers should tackle the Courchevel couloirs, if they dare. Take the Verdon’s gondola and head to the top of the Saulire cable car. There are four descents from the small plateau on the left. Sous le Télépherique and Emile Allais are red runs, while the Grand Couloir is a black and reached via a narrow path. A mountain guide is a good investment, for reassurance if nothing else.
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 brace 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 fantastic 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 one Michelin star, which may be low by Courchevel standards but is still high enough to guarantee an unforgettable meal. 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 and Breton pancakes in the afternoon and fondue and Savoyard reclettes in the evening.
La Creperie 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 but it’s a firm favourite serving excellent, classic French food in traditional surroundings.
Le Genépi, Rue Park City, Courchevel 1850
La Petit Savoyard
(+33 (0)4 79 08 27 44)
If you want a break from the excesses of 1850 razzamatazz then this restaurant in Courchevel 1650 is the perfect place for inexpensive Savoyard 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 winter services from Southampton, Norwich, Exeter, Birmingham, Manchester, Leeds and Newcastle (www.flybe.com). It’s approximately three hours to Lyon and Geneva airports from the UK.
Trains Eurostar operates a very convenient overnight Ski Train service during the winter. 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 Hermine can arrange transfers to the train 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. Chalet Hermine is in Courchevel 1850 on the road towards the Altiport.
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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Each of the five individually designed bedrooms is remarkably comfortable, but the master bedroom on the top floor steals the show; from the comfort of the the freestanding bath, you can enjoy magnificent views down the valley.
Chalet Hermine has the rare combination of exclusivity and seclusion. Although it is set in the heart of one of the most elite resorts in the French Alps, you can still experience utter privacy in this sublime family home. The renowned restaurants and nightspots of Courchevel 1850 are minutes away and the Cospillot piste is a 20-metre tramp through the trees. Step inside the chalet, however, and you are instantly transported to a effortlessly comfortable environment where you can relax and unwind with family and friends.
The style is traditional and cosy throughout with dark pine panelling, rich fur throws and sumptuous fabrics. Savoyard details, such as the hand-carved wooden banisters decorated with hearts, painted travel chests and intriguing antler lamps add character and charm. Ranged over four floors, the chalet has a tranquil appeal and the cosy sitting room is the centrepiece. Settle down for the evening around the ornate fireplace and allow yourself to be indulged by Chalet Hermine’s expert staff.
Little touches such as fresh coffee in bed in the morning and champagne and canapés in the evening make all the difference, and the focus is on providing you with a totally tailor-made experience. The chalet has a staff of five, including a fabulous chef who prepares breakfast and afternoon tea every day and a gourmet dinner six nights a week. This gives you an evening to explore Courchevel’s Michelin-starred delights.
The staff are on hand to cater to your every whim. Two chauffeur-driven 4x4s are on stand-by to take you anywhere in the valley and the chalet manager can make recommendations and bookings. If you’re travelling with children, Chalet Hermine is very well equipped and staff can arrange childminders and nannies on request. Courchevel is a great place to learn to ski and lessons can be booked in advance.
Courchevel’s position in the enormous Trois Vallées ski region means that the area is suitable for all levels of ability. For experienced skiers, there are over 350 runs and the opportunity for some challenging off-piste skiing. Hand-picked mountain guides can take you to fresh powder and uncrowded slopes, even choosing the best time to ski a piste so that you’re in sunshine all day. You can try your hand at heli-skiing, parapenting and bobsleighing, as well as many other activities. Again, the staff will organise lift passes, equipment hire and in-chalet fittings in order to get you on the slopes as quickly as possible.
However you spend your day, there’s always the warmth and serentiy of Chalet Hermine to return to. Each of the five individually designed bedrooms is remarkably comfortable, but the master bedroom on the top floor steals the show; from the comfort of the freestanding bath, you can enjoy magnificent views down the valley. You can also pamper yourself in the spa room, with its Jacuzzi and sauna. If you fancy a break from Alpine sports, indulge in a muscle-soothing massage or beauty treatment.
This chalet in Courchevel sleeping ten 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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