The call of the mountains: Chalet du Bois
For those looking for a luxurious year-round retreat, Chalet du Bois’s unique Alpine location makes it a place to return to time and again, whatever the season
The exceptional views of the plateau of Mont d’Arbois were what seduced Baroness Noémie de Rothschild in the 1920s, inspiring her and her husband to establish a ski resort in the then sleepy Alpine village of Megève.
These same views are now part of the allure of Chalet du Bois, a five-bedroom, 420sq m chalet in Les Choseaux, complete with its expansive glass frontage that commands an epic mountain vista. Skiing was what made Megève, but its mid-altitude positioning, below the tree line, gives it a year-round appeal. “In contrast to the likes of Val Thorens or Val d’Isere where the geography of the resort is barren and rocky, in the summer you’re looking out on fields of meadow flowers,” says Roddy Aris, Knight Frank’s agent. “It’s open, you’re up high, and from the third-floor living room you have incredible lateral views across the valley to the mountains beyond.”
With 4,000sq m of terraced grounds surrounding the chalet, its wooded position also offers privacy, in a part of the Evasion-Mont Blanc which prides itself on its discretion and unflashy luxury. “The chalet itself is fully enclosed, yet less than a kilometre from the centre of Megève,” Aris adds. “There are Michelin-starred restaurants, a sports complex, and even showjumping in the summer months. It’s a place open for business all year round.”
Unsurprisingly perhaps, given the village has its own altiport, a swift road connection to Geneva, and ready access to resorts offering more challenging skiing – such as Chamonix, Courmayeur and Val d’Aosta – the area has seen property prices rise by as much as 40 percent. “People buying here want to really use their property year-round,” Aris explains. “When Provence is sweltering in almost 40-degree heat, the draw to the mountains where the air is crisp and fresh is significant.”
Built in 1980, the four-storey chalet is larger than more modern properties, yet benefits from a full refurbishment. With a master suite, and three en suite bedrooms, it can comfortably accommodate family and friends, and along with the grand living room with a feature fireplace, dining room, study, TV lounge and kitchen, offers plenty of living space. A wine cellar and indoor jacuzzi, perfect for warming your bones after time on the slopes, complete the picture.
“Spacious, private, and in a discrete mountain setting, it’s a place to spend long periods of time,” says Aris. “A real gem.”
