Yellow and pink flowers along the river in Chamonix, with grand hotels and the glaciers of Mont Blanc beyond
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Beyond the Mediterranean · Luxury in The Alps

French Alps

From Courchevel 1850 and the Trois Vallées to Val d'Isère, Megève and Chamonix below Mont Blanc: the French Alps in winter and summer, chosen by one rule: first class or not at all.

Flowers along the Arve, ChamonixPhotograph: Tom Podmore

Bonjour

Palaces in the snow

The French Alps gave the world its first Winter Olympics, at Chamonix in 1924, almost a century and a half after two men of the valley, Jacques Balmat and Michel-Gabriel Paccard, made the first ascent of Mont Blanc in 1786. In the 1920s the Rothschild family chose the farming village of Megève as France's answer to St. Moritz, and after the Second World War the Savoie built Courchevel on an empty mountainside, the first of the great resorts planned from the start for skiing.

Today Courchevel 1850 is the most glamorous address in the mountains, with several of the hotels France ranks above five stars as Palaces, and a steep altiport where private aircraft land beside the pistes. It sits at one end of the Trois Vallées, with Méribel at its heart, billed as the largest linked ski area in the world. Val d'Isère raced the Olympic men's downhill of 1992 on the Face de Bellevarde, and in Chamonix the Aiguille du Midi cable car climbs to 3,842 metres, face to face with Mont Blanc.

This guide brings together only the first class: the resorts, the Palace hotels and chef-run chalets, the starred tables, the altiports and helicopters, and the homes that meet our standard.

A few words of French
EnglishFrenchSay it
Hello / Good dayBonjourbon-ZHOOR
Good eveningBonsoirbon-SWAHR
PleaseS'il vous plaîtseel voo PLAY
Thank youMercimair-SEE
The bill, pleaseL'addition, s'il vous plaîtlah-dee-SYON, seel voo PLAY
Enjoy your mealBon appétitbon ah-pay-TEE
GoodbyeAu revoiroh ruh-VWAHR
Snow-covered chalets and a stone chapel below the white slopes, Courchevel
Chalets and a chapel in the snow, Courchevel

Where to go

The best ski resorts in the French Alps

When to go, the one best hotel and restaurant, and how to arrive by private jet or helicopter.

Courchevel 1850

The highest and most exclusive village of Courchevel, at the eastern end of Les 3 Vallées, one of the largest linked ski areas in the world. It has the densest concentration of top hotels and starred restaurants in the Alps, and its own altiport.

When to goWinter, December to April; summer, July and August. Christmas, New Year and February are the peak weeks.

Arrive privately
By private jet or helicopter
Courchevel Altiport (LFLJ) in the resort, for small aircraft and helicopters with trained pilots. Jets use Chambéry (CMF/LFLB), about 1 hr 30 by road or 20 min by helicopter; Geneva (GVA/LSGG) is about 2 hr 15 to 2 hr 30 by road.

Méribel

The central valley of Les 3 Vallées, with chalet architecture and direct ski links to Courchevel and Val Thorens. Its altiport sits at the top of the village.

When to goWinter, December to April; summer, July and August.

Arrive privately
By private jet or helicopter
Méribel Altiport (LFKX), next to Le Kaïla, for light aircraft and helicopters. Jets use Chambéry (CMF/LFLB); Geneva (GVA/LSGG) is about 2 hr 15 to 2 hr 30 by road.
The turquoise Lac du Chevril below steep green slopes, on the road to Val d'Isère
The Lac du Chevril, on the road to Val d'Isère

Val d'Isère

A high, snow-sure village in the Tarentaise, linked with Tignes in the Espace Killy, and a fixture of the FIS World Cup. Its season runs late into spring.

When to goWinter, late November to early May; summer, July and August, with glacier skiing in early summer. Signature event: the Critérium de la Première Neige World Cup races in December.

  • Stay
    Le K2 Chogori

    Two MICHELIN Keys.

  • Dine
    La Table de l'Ours

    One MICHELIN star, at Les Barmes de l'Ours.

Arrive privately
By private jet or helicopter
Chambéry (CMF/LFLB) for jets; Geneva (GVA/LSGG) is about 2 hr 30 to 3 hr by road.

Megève

The village created as a winter resort by the Rothschild family in the 1920s, on Mont d'Arbois facing Mont Blanc. It is quiet, elegant and as much about food and golf as skiing.

When to goWinter, December to April; summer, June to September (the Mont d'Arbois golf course dates from 1964).

Arrive privately
By private jet or helicopter
Geneva (GVA/LSGG) for private jets, about 1 hr to 1 hr 15 by road; Megève Altiport (LFHM) above the village for light aircraft and helicopters.
Larches in autumn gold below the Aiguille du Midi, with a grand old hotel of Chamonix
The Aiguille du Midi above Chamonix

Chamonix-Mont-Blanc

The historic capital of Alpine climbing, at the foot of Mont Blanc, with the Aiguille du Midi cable car and the Vallée Blanche. A serious mountain town all year rather than a purpose-built resort.

When to goWinter, December to April; summer, June to September. Signature events: the Kandahar men's World Cup races in winter, and the UTMB Mont-Blanc trail race in late summer.

Arrive privately
By private jet or helicopter
Geneva (GVA/LSGG), about 1 hr to 1 hr 20 by road. Aosta Valley Airport, Italy, is about 1 hr by road through the Mont Blanc tunnel, or 15 min by helicopter.
Snow-covered wooden chalets among the fir trees, Méribel
Chalets in Méribel

Stay

Luxury hotels and chalets in the French Alps

The grand hotels at our standard, and the officially five-star hotels.

The grand hotels

Each holds two or three MICHELIN Keys or a Forbes Five-Star rating, or is a palace of the great resorts.

  • Cheval Blanc CourchevelCourchevel 1850

    Holds three MICHELIN Keys and the French Palace distinction, and its restaurant Le 1947 under Yannick Alléno holds three MICHELIN stars. Visit website ↗

  • Airelles CourchevelLes Airelles, Courchevel 1850

    The first of the Airelles houses, with 44 rooms and suites in a building modelled on 19th-century Austro-Hungarian castles; it holds the Palace distinction and Forbes Five-Star. Visit website ↗

  • Le K2 PalaceCourchevel 1850

    A ski-in, ski-out Palace at the foot of the slopes with 26 rooms, 3 suites, 6 suite-chalets and 4 chalets, holding three MICHELIN Keys. Visit website ↗

  • L'Apogée CourchevelCourchevel 1850

    An Oetker Collection hotel in the Jardin Alpin with rooms, suites, a penthouse and chalets, interiors by Kelly Wearstler and a La Prairie spa; it holds the Palace distinction and two MICHELIN Keys. Visit website ↗

  • Fouquet's CourchevelCourchevel 1850

    Groupe Barrière's Courchevel 1850 hotel, opened in 2016 as Hôtel Barrière Les Neiges, renamed Fouquet's Courchevel for winter 2025–26, and on France's 2026 Palace list.

  • Aman Le MélézinCourchevel 1850

    One of Aman's two Alpine ski hotels, with Aman Rosa Alpina in the Dolomites; 28 rooms, suites and apartments directly on the Bellecôte piste; winter only, two MICHELIN Keys. Visit website ↗

  • Rosewood Courchevel Le Jardin AlpinCourchevel 1850

    Rosewood's first mountain resort, opened in December 2025 with 51 rooms and suites designed by Tristan Auer; two MICHELIN Keys.

  • Four Seasons Resort MegèveMegève

    A 55-room ski-in, ski-out resort on Mont d'Arbois, inspired by the Edmond de Rothschild family, with three MICHELIN Keys; it received the French Palace distinction in 2026. Visit website ↗

See all 10
  • Le K2 ChogoriVal d'Isère

    The Val d'Isère house of Le K2 Collections and the resort's only hotel with two MICHELIN Keys. Visit website ↗

  • Hôtel RoyalÉvian-les-Bains (Lake Geneva)

    The Belle Époque hotel of the Évian Resort above Lake Geneva, holder of the French Palace distinction.

The five-star hotels

The 44 confirmed, officially five-star hotels in the French Alps and their lakes, area by area.

See all 44 hotels

Courchevel

  • Airelles CourchevelLes Airelles

    Five-star, Palace; winter. The flagship of the Airelles collection, set at the foot of the Jardin Alpin slopes in Courchevel 1850. Visit website ↗

  • Cheval Blanc Courchevel

    Five-star, Palace; winter. LVMH's original Cheval Blanc maison, ski-in/ski-out in Courchevel 1850, with the three-MICHELIN-star restaurant Le 1947. Visit website ↗

  • Fouquet's Courchevel

    Five-star, Palace; winter. Groupe Barrière's Courchevel 1850 hotel, opened in 2016 as Hôtel Barrière Les Neiges and renamed Fouquet's Courchevel for winter 2025–26.

  • L'Apogée Courchevel

    Five-star, Palace; winter. The Oetker Collection's Alpine address, on the Jardin Alpin in Courchevel 1850. Visit website ↗

  • Le K2 Palace

    Five-star, Palace; winter. Laid out like a private hamlet in Courchevel 1850, with rooms, suites and private chalets. Visit website ↗

  • Aman Le Mélézin

    Five-star; winter. Visit website ↗

  • Rosewood Courchevel Le Jardin Alpin

    Five-star; winter. Rosewood's first mountain resort, opened in December 2025 with 51 rooms and suites designed by Tristan Auer.

  • Hôtel Annapurna

    Five-star; winter. Run by the Pinturault family for some 50 years, at the top of Courchevel 1850 with a large spa.

  • Le Chabichou

    Five-star; winter. Upgraded from four to five stars after the Lavorel group took it over, and home to a MICHELIN-starred restaurant.

  • Le Lana

    Five-star; winter. A family-run ski-in/ski-out hotel in the centre of Courchevel 1850.

  • La Sivolière

    Five-star; winter. A small chalet-style hotel among the pines of Courchevel 1850.

  • Hôtel du Pralong

    Five-star; winter. A slope-side hotel on the Pralong side of Courchevel 1850, next to the altiport.

  • Le Saint Roch

    Five-star; winter. A historic Courchevel 1850 hotel, reopening for the winter 2026–27 season after a complete renovation.

Méribel

Val Thorens

  • Hôtel Le Koh-I Nor

    Five-star; winter. A ski-in/ski-out hotel run by the Les Etincelles group, at the top of Europe's highest ski resort.

  • Hôtel Fitz Roy

    Five-star; winter. A long-established luxury hotel in the heart of Val Thorens, at the foot of the slopes.

  • Hôtel Pashmina Le Refuge

    Five-star; winter. A ski-in/ski-out hotel at the top of the resort with a spa and pool.

Tignes

  • Hôtel VoulezVous by Les Etincelles

    Five-star; winter. A Les Etincelles hotel in Tignes with direct access to the Espace Killy slopes.

  • Les Suites Maison Bouvier

    Five-star; winter. A small all-suite hotel in Tignes, formerly Les Suites du Nevada.

Val d'Isère

  • Le Blizzard

    Five-star; winter. A 70-room chalet hotel run by the same family since 1963.

  • Le Yule

    Five-star; winter. A 40-room hotel with Scandinavian-modern interiors and a Nuxe spa, close to the La Daille and Solaise lifts.

  • Le K2 Chogori

    Five-star; winter. The K2 Collections' 21-room Val d'Isère hotel, with Asian-inspired decor and mountain views. Visit website ↗

Megève

  • Four Seasons Resort Megève

    Five-star, Palace; winter and summer. A 55-room ski-in, ski-out resort on Mont d'Arbois, the resort's only Palace. Visit website ↗

  • Les Fermes de Marie

    Five-star; winter and summer. Founded in 1989 by the Sibuet family, a hamlet of nine reassembled Alpine farmhouses with 70 rooms and private chalets.

  • Lodge Park

    Five-star; winter and summer. A boutique hotel inspired by Canadian lodges, reopened in December 2025 after a full renovation.

  • Le M de Megève

    Five-star; winter and summer. A 42-room Small Luxury Hotels of the World member with a spa and indoor pool.

  • Les Chalets du Mont d'Arbois

    Five-star; winter and summer. The Edmond de Rothschild Heritage hotel on the Mont d'Arbois plateau.

  • Le Chalet Zannier

    Five-star; winter and summer. A 12-room chalet hotel on the edge of Megève, part of Zannier Hotels.

  • Hôtel Le Fer à Cheval

    Five-star; winter and summer. A family-run chalet hotel a short walk from the village centre.

  • Hôtel Flocons de Sel

    Five-star; winter and summer. Chef Emmanuel Renaut's hotel and MICHELIN-starred restaurant in the Leutaz valley.

  • L'Alpaga

    Five-star; winter and summer. A cluster of chalets and suites above the village, with a spa.

  • Hôtel Saint-Georges

    Five-star; winter and summer. A Relais & Châteaux hotel in the village centre.

  • Grand Hôtel du Soleil d'Or

    Five-star; winter and summer. Founded in 1901 and recently reopened, with 29 rooms, three chalets and the resort's only rooftop terrace.

  • L'Écrin de Megève

    Five-star; winter and summer. A 14-room hotel a short walk from the village, with a spa and a heated pool.

Chamonix

  • Le Hameau Albert 1er

    Five-star; all year. A family-owned hotel complex in Chamonix, recognised with a MICHELIN Key. Visit website ↗

  • Grand Hôtel des Alpes

    Five-star; winter and summer. A boutique hotel in the heart of Chamonix, dating back to 1840.

  • Hôtel Mont-Blanc Chamonix

    Five-star; all year. A Chamonix landmark that has welcomed guests since 1849.

Alpe d'Huez

  • Hôtel Daria-I Nor by Les Etincelles

    Five-star; winter. Opened in 2018, ski-in/ski-out, with an 800 m² spa and the restaurant La Table du Daria.

Lake Annecy

  • Le Clos des Sens

    Five-star; spring to autumn. Chef Laurent Petit's Relais & Châteaux hotel and MICHELIN-starred restaurant in Annecy-le-Vieux, above the lake.

  • Auberge du Père Bise – Jean Sulpice

    Five-star; spring to autumn. A historic lakeside inn at Talloires, run by chef Jean Sulpice.

  • Hôtel Le Palace de Menthon

    Five-star; all year. A Belle Époque lakefront hotel at Menthon-Saint-Bernard.

  • La Maison Bleue par Yoann Conte

    Five-star; spring to autumn. Chef Yoann Conte's lakeside hotel and restaurant at Veyrier-du-Lac.

  • Black Bass Hôtel

    Five-star; all year. A contemporary lakeside hotel at Sévrier on the west shore.

Évian and Lake Geneva

  • Hôtel RoyalÉvian Resort

    Five-star, Palace; most of the year. The Belle Époque hotel above Évian-les-Bains and Lake Geneva, and holder of the French Palace distinction.

A slice of foie gras with pear and fruit chutney on a black plate
Foie gras, finely plated

Dine

The best restaurants in the French Alps

The finest tables and the chefs who cook in your chalet.

Three MICHELIN stars

  • Le 1947 à Cheval Blanc✦✦✦Courchevel

    Three MICHELIN stars in the 2026 France guide; the restaurant of the Cheval Blanc Courchevel hotel in Courchevel 1850, under chef Yannick Alléno. Visit website ↗

  • Flocons de Sel✦✦✦Megève

    Three MICHELIN stars in the 2026 France guide; Emmanuel Renaut's restaurant and hotel above Megève, built on Alpine produce. Visit website ↗

  • Le Clos des Sens✦✦✦Annecy

    Three MICHELIN stars in the 2026 France guide; a restaurant and small hotel above Lake Annecy, known for its lake-fish cooking. Visit website ↗

  • Les Morainières✦✦✦Jongieux

    Three MICHELIN stars in the 2026 France guide, newly raised; chef Michaël Arnoult's restaurant, founded in 2005, sits high on the vineyard slopes of the Avant-Pays Savoyard. Visit website ↗

Two MICHELIN stars

  • La Bouitte✦✦Saint-Martin-de-Belleville

    René and Maxime Meilleur's chalet restaurant in the hamlet of Saint-Marcel in the Three Valleys held three stars from 2015 to 2024. Visit website ↗

  • Jean Sulpice✦✦Talloires-Montmin

    Two MICHELIN stars in the 2026 France guide; Jean Sulpice's restaurant at the Auberge du Père Bise on the shore of Lake Annecy.

  • La Table de Yoann Conte✦✦Veyrier-du-Lac

    Two MICHELIN stars in the 2026 France guide; Yoann Conte's restaurant and hotel on the eastern shore of Lake Annecy.

  • Sylvestre Wahid✦✦Courchevel

    Sylvestre Wahid's restaurant at the hotel Les Grandes Alpes in Courchevel 1850.

  • Baumanière 1850✦✦Courchevel

    Thomas Prod'homme's restaurant at the hotel Le Strato in Courchevel 1850.

  • Le Sarkara✦✦Courchevel

    Pastry chef Sébastien Vauxion's dessert-led tasting restaurant at Le K2 Altitude in Courchevel 1850.

A board of cheeses, terrine, figs and charcuterie before two glasses of red wine
Cheese, terrine and red wine

On the mountain

Lunch on the slopes, the way the Alps do it best.

  • Le Chalet de PierresCourchevel 1850

    An Airelles-owned ski-in restaurant on the Verdons piste at the Jardin Alpin, known for its seafood terrace and dessert buffet; it reopens for the winter 2026–27 season after a renovation. Visit website ↗

Private chefs and catering

For a chalet, a wedding or a party.

  • Purple SkiMéribel and Val d'Isère

    Operates its own luxury chalets in Méribel and Val d'Isère, each with a resident private chef cooking breakfasts, afternoon teas and four-course dinners to the guests' tastes; its current chefs include Manuel Schmuck, with more than 20 years in MICHELIN-starred kitchens. Visit website ↗

  • Oxford Ski Companyacross the Alps (Courchevel, Val d'Isère, Verbier, St. Moritz, Zermatt, Gstaad, Kitzbühel)

    Luxury ski specialist established in 1998; many of its chalets include a private chef who prepares meals to the guests' preferences. Visit website ↗

Fresh snowfields and rock spires under a clear blue sky above Val d'Isère
Above Val d'Isère

Ski

Skiing in the French Alps

The ski schools and private instructors and the mountain guides of the French Alps.

Ski schools and private instructors

  • Supreme Ski & Snowboard SchoolMéribel and Courchevel

    Founded in 1991, it uses instructors holding the BASI Level 4 International Ski Teaching Diploma or an equivalent, and offers private lessons for adults and for children from age 3. Visit website ↗

  • Oxygène Ski & Snowboard SchoolCourchevel 1850

    A French independent school known in Courchevel for small groups, usually capped at six, alongside private lessons. Visit website ↗

Mountain guides

  • Compagnie des Guides de Chamonix

    Founded in 1821, the first mountain-guide company in the world, with about 160 high-mountain guides based at the Maison de la Montagne in Chamonix; it guides mountaineering, ski touring and off-piste days across the Mont Blanc massif. Visit website ↗

Lake Annecy in summer below green mountains and a blue sky
Lake Annecy in summer

Summer

Summer in the French Alps

The great days of the Alpine summer: the Haute Route from Chamonix and the Aiguille du Midi above it.

The summer season

  • Haute Route with the Compagnie des Guides de ChamonixChamonix to Zermatt

    The classic glacier crossing from Chamonix to Zermatt, led as a seven-day guided trek by the Chamonix guides' company, staying in mountain huts and ending below the Matterhorn; offered in early summer, from mid-June to mid-July, for adults only. Visit website ↗

  • Aiguille du MidiChamonix-Mont-Blanc

    A 20-minute cable car ride from Chamonix to 3,842 metres in the Mont Blanc massif, with a summit terrace looking over the French, Swiss and Italian Alps, the world's highest museum of mountaineering, and Step into the Void, a glass box above a drop of more than 1,000 metres.

A red mountain train in fresh snow at a station in the Chamonix valley
A mountain train in the snow, the Chamonix valley

Travel

Private jets, helicopters and first-class travel in the French Alps

The airports and altiports that take private aircraft, the helicopter operators, the airlines to Geneva and the chauffeurs.

Private jet airports

  • Chambéry Savoie Mont Blanc Airport

    Air Charter Service ranks it the most popular airport for private-jet ski travellers in Europe, for its access to the Tarentaise resorts such as Courchevel, Méribel and Val d'Isère. Visit website ↗

  • Courchevel Altiport

    At 2,008 m, its 18.5% runway is among the steepest in the world: aircraft land uphill and take off downhill, and pilots need special qualification.

  • Méribel Altiport

    At about 1,700 m at the top of Méribel, beside Le Kaïla, with a 406 m by 15 m asphalt runway whose central section slopes at about 11%. It takes light aircraft, has no control tower, and pilots need special mountain qualification.

  • Megève Altiport

    At 1,470 m on the Côte 2000 site above Megève, opened in 1964, with a 600 m runway for light aircraft and helicopters. Pilots need mountain-landing qualification; it is used for VIP transfers and sightseeing flights.

  • Grenoble Alpes-Isère Airport

    A 3,050 m runway takes any business jet, serving the Oisans and southern French resorts; it is a quieter alternative to Chambéry, though February fills early and prior permission is needed. Visit website ↗

  • Lyon-Saint-Exupéry Airport

    Lyon's main international airport and a large-runway gateway to the northern French Alps for aircraft of any size. Visit website ↗

See all 8
  • Lyon-Bron Airport

    Lyon's dedicated business-aviation airport, on the eastern edge of the city, with a 1,820 m by 45 m grooved runway that takes long-range business jets. Visit website ↗

  • Annecy Haute-Savoie Mont-Blanc Airport

    Beside Lake Annecy in Haute-Savoie, the closest jet runway to the Mont Blanc country resorts, with one runway of 1,630 m.

Helicopter transfers

The Aiguille du Midi cable car crossing the snowfields below Mont Blanc
The Aiguille du Midi cable car, Chamonix

Airlines to Geneva, the gateway to the French Alps

First and business class.

See all 9
  • Qatar AirwaysDoha

    Flies from Doha to Geneva, Zurich, Munich and Milan Malpensa. Offers first class on some routes. Visit website ↗

  • Air ChinaBeijing

    Flies from Beijing to Geneva, from Beijing and Shanghai to Munich, and from Beijing, Chengdu and Shanghai to Milan Malpensa. Offers first class on some routes. Visit website ↗

  • SwissZurich

    Switzerland's national airline, flying nonstop from Zurich to New York, Newark, Boston, Washington, Chicago, Miami, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Montréal, São Paulo, Dubai, Mumbai, Bangkok, Singapore, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Tokyo and Johannesburg, and from Geneva to New York JFK. Visit website ↗

Chauffeurs

  • Chabé

    Founded in Paris in 1921 and still family-run in its fourth generation (its founder was among the founders of Les Clefs d'Or), with winter offices in Courchevel, Megève and Val d'Isère; Mercedes S-Class and V-Class cars and Range Rovers meet guests at Geneva and Lyon airports and at Chambéry, Moûtiers and Bourg-Saint-Maurice stations. Visit website ↗

Luxury car hire

  • Luxury RivieraChambéry Airport

    The Villefranche-sur-Mer luxury hire firm keeps a French Alps office on the Route de l'Aéroport at Viviers-du-Lac, by Chambéry Airport, for winter SUV hire in Courchevel and the French Alps, with handover at Geneva Airport. Visit website ↗

Sunrise over a sea of cloud and the snow ridge of the Aiguille du Midi
Above the clouds at the Aiguille du Midi

Experience

Events and things to do in the French Alps

The French Alpine year: the great events, month by month; each event's own website gives this year's dates.

A turquoise lake and a snow-covered jetty below a forest of snowy firs, Courchevel
A lake in the snow, Courchevel

Music

  • La Grange au LacÉvian-les-Bains

    A 1,000-seat wooden concert hall built in 1993 for Mstislav Rostropovich, the main stage of the Rencontres Musicales d'Évian, held in late June and early July; a 500-seat chamber hall, La Source Vive, opened alongside it in 2026.

Flags, church spires and boats on the canal in the old town of Annecy, in summer
The old town of Annecy in summer

Spas

  • Cheval Blanc SpaCourchevel 1850

    The spa of Cheval Blanc Courchevel works with Guerlain on treatments designed for the house, with a pool, hammam, sauna and an outdoor Russian banya, open through the winter season. Visit website ↗

Golf

  • Evian Resort Golf ClubÉvian-les-Bains

    An 18-hole, par-72 course above Lake Geneva and the venue of the Amundi Evian Championship each July, a women's major since 2013 and the only major played in continental Europe. Visit website ↗

  • Golf du Mont d'ArboisMegève

    An 18-hole course designed in 1964 by the three-time Open champion Sir Henry Cotton, at an average altitude of 1,320 metres on the Mont d'Arbois plateau, open from May to October; guests of the Four Seasons Resort Megève have direct access. Visit website ↗

Mont Blanc and the Bossons glacier above the trees and a Belle Époque hotel of Chamonix
Mont Blanc and the Bossons glacier above Chamonix

Weddings and celebrations

After dark

  • Les Caves de CourchevelCourchevel 1850

    The nightclub of Courchevel 1850, on Rue des Tovets near La Croisette, with international DJs and private VIP areas, and the resort's first address for a grand night out. Visit website ↗

The Palais de l'Isle, shuttered houses and the turquoise canal of Annecy
The Palais de l'Isle and the canals of Annecy

Shop

Luxury shopping in the French Alps

The boutiques of Courchevel 1850 and its Rolex jeweller.

Shopping streets

  • Courchevel 1850

    The resort centre of Courchevel 1850 has Louis Vuitton on Rue du Rocher and Doux Joaillier, an official Rolex retailer, on Rue de l'Église, with Chanel, Hermès and Dior among its other boutiques. Visit website ↗

Watchmakers and jewellers

  • Doux JoaillierCourchevel 1850

    This jeweller on Rue de l'Église is an official Rolex retailer in the resort, offering new watches, servicing and Rolex Certified Pre-Owned pieces.

Snow-laden chalets and forest below the mountains, Megève
Chalets in Megève

Live

Luxury real estate in the French Alps

A home in the French Alps: prime chalets through the leading agencies, branded residences, and the architects and designers who build and furnish them.

Prime real estate

  • BARNESMegève

    The international luxury agency runs a Megève office on Route Edmond de Rothschild, with sister offices in Chamonix, Saint-Gervais and the Aravis, covering chalets and apartments around Mont Blanc. Visit website ↗

  • John TaylorMegève

    A high-end property agency with an office on Route Nationale in Megève handling chalets and apartments for French and international buyers. Visit website ↗

  • Knight FrankFrench and Swiss Alps (Switzerland)

    The London firm's annual Ski Property Report tracks prime prices across 24 resorts in France and Switzerland, and it has dedicated specialists for the French Alps and for Switzerland and Austria. Visit website ↗

Branded residences and new developments

  • Six Senses Residences CourchevelCourchevel 1850

    53 apartments and duplex penthouses of up to five bedrooms in the Three Valleys, with owners able to use the Six Senses Spa, 24-hour concierge and ski shuttle and to join an optional hotel-run rental programme; Six Senses describes it as the only branded residential offering in Courchevel. Visit website ↗

Architects and designers

  • Studio RazaviParis and New York

    Founded by architect Alireza Razavi, the studio designed Mountain House, a private family chalet in Manigod in the Haute-Savoie, pairing a raw-concrete base with timber upper floors while meeting the strict local building code.

  • Pierre YovanovitchParis

    Pierre Yovanovitch founded his interior architecture practice in 2001; his Alpine work includes a 500-square-metre private penthouse in Andermatt, Switzerland, made with French craftsmen and contemporary artists. Visit website ↗

  • Sybille de MargerieParis

    The Paris interior architect designed the interiors of Cheval Blanc Courchevel and a six-storey, 900-square-metre private chalet in Courchevel 1850.

  • Joseph DirandParis

    The Paris architect and interior designer created the interiors of the Four Seasons Private Residences at The Park Gstaad.

  • AW²Paris

    The Paris studio of Reda Amalou and Stéphanie Ledoux designed the interiors of the Six Senses Residences in Crans-Montana, chalet-style apartments inside the five-star resort.

A horse-drawn carriage lined with white fur in the centre of Chamonix, its driver in a fur hat
A horse-drawn carriage in Chamonix

Concierge

Family in the French Alps

For the family: the children’s clubs and the nannies of the great resorts.

Family, nannies and children

  • Airelles Courchevel Winter CampCourchevel 1850

    The children's club of Airelles Courchevel, a palace hotel. Visit website ↗

  • Scott Dunn Explorers Private NannyLondon (Val d'Isère, Tignes, Courchevel and Méribel)

    The private-nanny service of the luxury tour operator Scott Dunn, for guests on its ski holidays, for children from four months to eleven years, eight hours a day, six days a week, with daily updates to parents. Visit website ↗

A Megève gondola above the snow-covered village, the pistes and the peaks
A gondola above Megève in winter

Plan your trip

Luxury travel in the French Alps: your questions answered

When is the best time to visit the French Alps?

Courchevel 1850: Winter, December to April; summer, July and August. Christmas, New Year and February are the peak weeks.

Méribel: Winter, December to April; summer, July and August.

Val d'Isère: Winter, late November to early May; summer, July and August, with glacier skiing in early summer. Signature event: the Critérium de la Première Neige World Cup races in December.

Megève: Winter, December to April; summer, June to September (the Mont d'Arbois golf course dates from 1964).

Chamonix-Mont-Blanc: Winter, December to April; summer, June to September. Signature events: the Kandahar men's World Cup races in winter, and the UTMB Mont-Blanc trail race in late summer.

Where are the best luxury hotels in the French Alps?

Courchevel 1850: Cheval Blanc Courchevel, three MICHELIN Keys.

Méribel: Le Kaïla, one MICHELIN Key.

Val d'Isère: Le K2 Chogori, two MICHELIN Keys.

Megève: Four Seasons Resort Megève, three MICHELIN Keys and the French Palace distinction.

Chamonix-Mont-Blanc: Le Hameau Albert 1er, one MICHELIN Key.

How do you arrive in the French Alps by private jet?

Courchevel 1850: Courchevel Altiport (LFLJ) in the resort, for small aircraft and helicopters with trained pilots.

Méribel: Méribel Altiport (LFKX), next to Le Kaïla, for light aircraft and helicopters. Jets use Chambéry (CMF/LFLB); Geneva (GVA/LSGG) is about 2 hr 15 to 2 hr 30 by road.

Val d'Isère: Chambéry (CMF/LFLB) for jets; Geneva (GVA/LSGG) is about 2 hr 30 to 3 hr by road.

Megève: Geneva (GVA/LSGG) for private jets, about 1 hr to 1 hr 15 by road; Megève Altiport (LFHM) above the village for light aircraft and helicopters.

Chamonix-Mont-Blanc: Geneva (GVA/LSGG), about 1 hr to 1 hr 20 by road. Aosta Valley Airport, Italy, is about 1 hr by road through the Mont Blanc tunnel, or 15 min by helicopter.

Which are the best restaurants in the French Alps?

The four three-MICHELIN-star restaurants on our list here are Le 1947 à Cheval Blanc, Courchevel; Flocons de Sel, Megève; Le Clos des Sens, Annecy; and Les Morainières, Jongieux.

Do you tip in France?

Service is included in French prices by law ("service compris"). A tip is not owed, but for good service it is usual to leave a few euros or round up, and more at the great restaurants.

What should you wear in the French Alps?

Ski clothing is normal at lunch on the mountain and at après-ski, which takes place in the bars at the end of the ski day while guests are still in ski gear; the French name is used the world over. In the evening the grand hotels keep their own standards; check each hotel's dress code.

The Mer de Glace below the needles of the Aiguilles de Chamonix, larches in autumn colour
The Mer de Glace, Chamonix

Customs and etiquette

Customs and etiquette in France

How France does things.

Language
French is the language of the French Alps, from Chamonix and Megève in the Haute-Savoie to Courchevel, Méribel and Val d'Isère in the Savoie. English is spoken in the palace hotels, the ski schools and the leading restaurants of the big resorts, but a few words of French are always appreciated.
Greetings
Say "Bonjour, Madame" or "Bonjour, Monsieur" on entering a shop, a restaurant or a hotel before asking for anything; skipping the greeting reads as rude. From early evening the greeting becomes "Bonsoir". Friends greet each other with a kiss on each cheek (la bise); a handshake is right on first meeting.
Dress
Ski clothing is normal at lunch on the mountain and at après-ski, which takes place in the bars at the end of the ski day while guests are still in ski gear; the French name is used the world over. In the evening the grand hotels keep their own standards; check each hotel's dress code.
Dining and shopping
Lunch is usually served from noon to about 2 pm and dinner from about 7.30 pm; outside those hours many restaurants do not serve full meals. Book ahead for lunch at the great mountain restaurants in season. In the resorts most shops open every day during the season; in the valley towns many close on Sunday afternoons.
Tipping
Service is included in French prices by law ("service compris"). A tip is not owed, but for good service it is usual to leave a few euros or round up, and more at the great restaurants.
Mountain etiquette
The international FIS Rules for Conduct apply on the pistes. In mountain huts (refuges), book beds and meals ahead, bring a hut sleeping bag, keep quiet in the evening and take rubbish back down.

Every list on this page is checked by hand and dated: last checked October 2026. Hotels, restaurants and events link only to their own official websites, where confirmed.

Three friends in winter coats gathered round a campfire in a snowy forest at night
Round the fire on a winter night

The Mediterranean Season Letter

Where to be, every season

Four letters a year, one for each season: the Mediterranean from spring to autumn, and Beyond the Mediterranean, into the Alps, in winter. The one best hotel to book, and the events worth crossing a sea for.