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Chalet Eléphant Blanc, La Legettaz, 73150 Val d’Isère, France
73150 Val d’Isère
Chalet Eléphant-Blanc
- Style
- Slope-side seclusion
- Setting
- French Alps
With a beguiling mix of the classic and the contemporary and located on the Solaise piste above the famous French resort of Val d’Isère, Eléphant Blanc is a perfect combination of style and setting. This ski-in ski-out chalet sleeps ten guests in five bedrooms. The sumptuous spa, the ever-attentive staff, the delicious food and the magnificent views across to the Face de Bellevarde will make a relaxing stay in the Alps guaranteed.
'The entire staff is geared to cater for your every shameless whim'
'A thoroughly no-holds-barred approach to skiing'
'Better than any 5* hotel. The food was delicious and full of imagination'
Sleeps
10 guests in five en suite double and twin bedrooms.
Ideal for
Active ski holidays and family breaks. The proximity to the nursery slopes makes it a good choice for beginners, too.
Rates
From £12,285 to £30,990.
Minimum hire
One week.
Also
There’s WiFi throughout the chalet and a fully-equipped study area on the mezzanine level outside the master bedroom. The chalet’s house Champagne is Perrier Jouët and all bathrooms are stocked with Jo Malone toiletries.
Eating & drinking
Eléphant Blanc is fully catered and its expert chef will prepare breakfast and afternoon tea each day, as well as dinner with wine on six nights a week. Guests receive a Perrier Jouët Champagne reception upon arrival and there’s also a well-stocked open bar in the chalet. There’s a Nespresso coffee machine in the dining room. Supermarket: The nearest large supermarket is in Bourg Saint Maurice but you are unlikely to require anything but essentials given the level of service here. The Spar in the centre of town near the Tourism Office has a surprisingly good deli counter and an impressive selection of regional and international wines.
Deli: There’s a weekly market every Monday in the centre of Val d’Isère. It sells everything from ski gear to jewellery but is also a good place to browse for excellent Savoyarde meats and cheeses.
Eléphant Blanc has a staff of five; the chalet manager provides a concierge service throughout your stay and an accomplished chef prepares breakfast and afternoon tea every day and a gourmet evening meal on six nights a week. As well as giving the chef a well-earned break this is also a great opportunity to sample the local restaurants. There’s Perrier Jouët champagne with canapés every night and the chalet also has an open bar. Children’s lunch and dinner menus are available, too. In-chalet massage, yoga, beauty treatments and personal trainers can all be organised. Guests also have a chauffeur-driven 4x4 at their disposal.
Children
Welcome. Everything parents may need is provided including high chairs, children’s cutlery, kids’ menus, toys, sledges, games, books, CDs and DVDs. Qualified nannies and babysitters can be arranged and there are two excellent nurseries in Val d’Isère
Music
There’s a music centre in the living room and in the TV lounge. A library of CDs is provided and the chalet also has an iPod docking station.
Provided
Bed linen, towels, feather pillows, bathrobes and Jo Malone toiletries. Newspapers and flowers are delivered daily. Energy bars, sun cream and lip balm are prepared each morning. The chalet has five staff and a chauffeur-driven 4x4.
Packing tips
Things used to get a bit riotous on the Ski Train that travels to nearby Bourg St Maurice. They now limit the amount of alcohol that passengers can take on board. If you’re after a peaceful night’s sleep pack some earplugs just in case.
Eco policy
The chalet is built to strict environmental codes. The Eurostar train service is a good way to reduce your carbon footprint.
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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 Eléphant Blanc blends contemporary and traditional styles to create a property with a stylish yet relaxed feel. Picture windows allow light to flood in and provides wide views across the valley to the Face de Bellvarde. The chalet’s wonderful spa is a real treat.
Interior
Bedrooms
Bedroom 1: This double or twin room on the ground floor is warm and cosy. It’s smaller than most of the other bedrooms and doesn’t have the best views but it does have an en suite bathroom.
Bedroom 2: Similar to Bedroom 1 this twin or double room also has an en suite bathroom and is decorated with soft, fur throws. It’s the nearest bedroom to the ski room.
Bedroom 3: This twin room has fine views and shares a balcony with Bedroom 4. Its double aspect means lots of light and it has a more contemporary feel than Bedroom 1 and 2. There’s a spiral staircase down to the bathroom as and is connected to the sauna and steam room.
Bedroom 4: This double room shares its balcony with Bedroom 3. It has fine views and an en suite bathroom.
Bedroom 5: The spacious master bedroom is on the top floor under the eaves. The pine paneling gives it an extra sense of warmth and character. It has an en suite bathroom and it’s also right next to the TV lounge and study area.
Kitchen Forget cooking and doing the washing-up; Chalet Eléphant Blanc is fully-catered so the chef will take care of all meals except dinner on one night a week, when guests normally take the opportunity to try one of the local restaurants. We reckon the chef’s chocolate fondants are the best in the Alps.
Living room The double-height living room is dominated by the large stone fireplace and by south-facing picture windows providing views across to the Face de Bellevarde. There’s a CD player and iPod docking station.
Dining room The dining table is next to the main living area and comfortably seats 8 guests.
Other The TV lounge on the top floor has digital satellite television, a DVD player and a PlayStation 2. There’s a small, fully-equipped study area with wireless internet access and printing facilities. On the lower ground there’s a fantastic spa with a sauna, steam room and massage room; a hot tub is located out on the balcony. The ski room isn’t very spacious but it does have one of those invaluable heated boot racks.
Outdoor
Poolside The hot tub is on the balcony outside the main living and dining area.
Gardens The outside space is limited to the balconies.
Parking There’s parking for two cars outside the chalet.
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.
Val d’Isère is a young and energetic resort, ideal for both serious skiers and for those who want a choice of great restaurants and lively nightlife. In fact the resort has such a winning combination of slopes and après-ski that most visitors seem to come back year after year.
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Activities
Winter
Val d’Isère’s huge popularity is in large part due to the excellent skiing offered by the Espace Killy region’s 200 miles of piste. This ski domain also includes the neighbouring resort of Tignes, too. The Charvet area is particularly good for off-piste skiing but the resorts excellent nursery slopes mean that Val d’Isère is ideal for beginners alike as well. Guests at Eléphant Blanc can enjoy snowshoe walking with guides from Les Plus Killy Sport or go for husky sleigh rides. For an adrenalin boost try the ice driving circuit in Val d’Isère or snowmobiling and ice diving in nearby Tignes. Shooting the bobsleigh run at La Plagne is only for those with nerves of steel.
Smith tip
La Plagne’s bobsleigh track is a 45-minute drive from the chalet. For around €100 you get a ten minute briefing and afterwards (if you still haven’t seen sense) you hurtle down 1700 metres of track in about 90 seconds in a ‘Taxi-Bob’. You have to be over 18… and slightly crazy.
Eating, drinking and dancing
Restaurants
1789
(+33 (0)4 79 06 17 89)
Right on Val d’Isère’s main drag this restaurant serves traditional Savoyarde dishes and is a popular favourite. It has a cosy open fire and has the added bonus of being open late, too.
1789, Galérie des Cimes, Val d’Isère 73150
Le Canyon
(+33 (0)4 79 06 18 19)
This restaurant is an ideal place for large groups looking for somewhere a bit informal. Fondue is the house speciality and it’s absolutely delicious. It has a terrace which is ideal if you’re eating early on a sunny day.
Le Canyon, Grande Rue, Val d’Isère 73150
Les Barmes de l’Ours
(+33 (0)4 79 41 37 00)
There’s a fabulous gastronomic restaurant and a more relaxed Rotisserie at this four-star luxury hotel. Regional specialities are again the focus and there’s a suitably splendid wine cellar to complement them.
Hotel Les Barmes de l’Ours, Chemin des Carats, Val d’Isère 73150
La Perdrix Blanche
(+33 (0)4 79 06 12 09)
With a reputation as one of the best seafood restaurants in the Alps, you’ll definitely need to book ahead for a table at La Perdrix. This being the Savoy they inevitably have fondue, but the seafood version is a novel twist.
La Perdrix Blanche, Grande Rue, Val d’Isère 73150
Dick’s Tea Bar
(+ 33 (0)4 79 06 1487)
This almost legendary place was the original party spot in Val d’Isère. It’s still going strong, offering the best après-ski in town. Don’t expect a quiet evening.
Dick’s Tea Bar, Opposite the Hôtel Christiania, Grande Rue, Val d’Isère
Pierre Paul Jacques
(+33 (0)4 79 06 18 88)
Located at the refurbished four-star Latitudes hotel, this is perhaps the most fashionable and cosmopolitan bar in the resort.
Latitudes Hotel, Rue de l'Eglise, 73150 Val d'Isère
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 two hours away. Flybe has winter services from Southampton, Norwich, Exeter, Birmingham, Manchester, Leeds and Newcastle (www.flybe.com). It’s approximately three hours by car from Lyon and Geneva airports.
Trains Eurostar operates a daytime and very convenient overnight Ski Train service during the winter. It runs on Fridays and Saturdays, stopping at Bourg St Maurice, 20 minutes from Val d’Isère (www.eurostar.com).
Local taxi service Call Bozzetto Taxis on +33 (0)4 79 06 02 50.
Directions by road From Geneva take the A41 to Annecy, the N508 to Ugine and Albertville and then the N90 to Moutiers – a drive of about two hours. From here follow the signs to Bourg St Maurice then Val d’Isère. The Legettaz area of the resort is on the right-hand-side of the valley next to the Solaise piste but it’s best to arrange a meeting point with the chalet staff in town.
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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Eléphant-Blanc is one of the most refined and inviting chalets in the mountains, with service and facilities to match
For fabulous skiing you can’t do better than the Espace Killy area of Val d’Isère and for easy access to the slopes you couldn’t ask for more than Eléphant Blanc which has the Solaise piste right on its doorstep. It only takes a few minutes on a lift to be whisked to some of the area’s more challenging terrain, while the resort’s nursery slopes are also conveniently close by.
Val d’Isère is a magnet for dedicated skiers throughout the winter but a visit to one of the French Alp’s foremost resorts isn’t just about the skiing – fantastic though it is. The resort’s aficionados certainly give Val d’Isère a varied and lively social scene and as for chalet itself, Eléphant Blanc is one of the most refined and inviting chalets in the mountains, with service and facilities to match.
Up to ten guests can be accommodated in five relaxing en suite bedrooms, styled in neutral tones to create a soothing atmosphere. The two bedrooms at the front of the chalet have a particular sense of light and space. Two large south and west-facing balconies provide wonderful views across the valley to the Face de Bellvarde. The bedrooms at the back of the chalet, including the spacious master bedroom on the top floor, have dark pine panelling, creating a cosy Alpine feel.
The double-height living room is the focus of the chalet, with a towering stone fireplace and large picture windows. Guests gather on the comfortable sofas in front of the roaring fire before enjoying a gourmet dinner prepared by the chalet chef. Whatever you do, don’t skip dessert. The five staff will make you feel most welcome and are there to ensure your stay goes without a hitch.
The chalet manager provides a concierge service throughout your stay and their expert knowledge and contacts will ensure a wonderful holiday. A whole host of Alpine sports can be arranged whether you’re looking for the best ski instructor or want to get the adrenaline flowing with ice driving or parapenting. The chalet manager can book the best restaurants in the centre of the resort which is only three minutes away in the chalet’s chauffeur-driven 4x4. The chef’s well-deserved evening off is normally used as an opportunity to dine out and sample some more of the excellent Savoyarde specialities in town.
Alternatively you could simply enjoy the peaceful and homely ambience of the chalet. A TV snug on the top mezzanine level has a wide selection of DVDs and games, as well as a full cable package. There’s a hot tube out on the balcony for you to relax in after a strenuous day on the slopes and The Eléphant Blanc experience is completed with a fabulous spa on the lower ground floor. Here you’ll find a sauna, steam room and a massage room where you can enjoy a range of treatments.
The chalet in Val D'isère for 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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