Chalet de Rêve

Chalet de Rêve is genuinely one of the very best appointed chalets in the Alps — a beautifully restored farmhouse near the charming Medieval town of Samoens in the Grand Massif. It has gorgeous, cosy interiors, luxuriously spacious bedrooms, a huge outside hot tub (one of the hugest I have sipped Champagne in, in fact),  a stunning living space around a fire as well as access to the fabulous Grand Massif ski domain.

The Farmhouse is a traditional French mountain farmhouse dating back to 1746. The owners spent six years carefully restoring it from a dilapidated building and pouring their passion into the property. The result of this labour of love is a stunning ski chalet which has real soul and heritage but also every modern amenity and creature comfort. It is a beautiful blend of ancient beams and timbers, and modern chic.

The bedrooms in this luxury ski chalet are among the very best I have slept in. All have balconies and all are en suite with a bath and separate shower — some of the baths being designer or roll-top. The bedding is superb, with luxurious down pillows and crisp bedlinen, punctuated by a different colour theme in each room, from emerald green to ruby red or deer-motif throws and cushions. There would be no bedroom envy here; each room is utterly gorgeous.

On the first floor there is the most spacious bedroom, a family suite with two rooms – the main one is set up as a super king but can easily be made into twins; the other has two single beds. Bedroom 2 is a double which can again be made into twin beds and can also have another single bed within the room. Bedrooms 3 & 4 are doubles with super king beds, that can be twin. Bedroom 5 is the second family suite with a main room (super king zip plus space for another bed/cot) and a second bedroom with two single beds.

This luxury ski chalet is available on a self-catered basis which includes a welcome hamper packed with local goodies such as cheese, cured sausages and home-made jams. Guests can also stay on a full half-board basis, which can be arranged on enquiry. 

The food, when catered, is quite superb. When I stayed I dined on three courses of the most fabulous, intensely flavoured dishes that were sheer works of art. There was cured salmon with watercress puree and horseradish cream, a divine supreme of corn-fed chicken with truffle and brioche stuffing served with hazlenut leeks, and a dark chocolate mousse with salted caramel ice cream. It all struck the perfect balance of being light, too, leaving me grinning with delight rather than groaning.

Breakfasts were lavish affairs too, with fresh pastries and bread, home-made jams, cereals and creamy yogurts, together with your choice of hot options from an extensive menu. Homemade cookies or cakes are on offer when you come down off the slopes, together with tea, coffee, hot chocolate and herbal infusions.

In the evening aperitifs and canapés are served by the fire and dinner is a four course feast – starter, main, dessert and cheese courses. It is accompanied by a selection of excellent, complimentary French and Italian wines.

Chalet de Rêve has the biggest hot-tub I have seen — an outdoor eight-seater on a huge terrace off the lounge area with views across the valley. In-house massages and beauty treatments can also be laid on for an extra fee. The chalet also has a superb outdoor heated 8.7m x 4.6m swimming pool, open in the summer only from end May-beginning September.

This family-friendly ski chalet is excellent for children. Two of the bedrooms are family suites with small rooms off them for little ones. There are kids’ DVDs, board games, plus a mezzanine snug fitted with bean bags. Chalet de Rêve is also in a lovely, safe, quiet hamlet with no traffic and with a huge garden outside which can be made into a toboggan run and is perfect for building snowmen. Childcare can be organised.

The spaciousness, the fantastic rooms and the quiet, genuinely French feel of the village.

The chalet is not ski in/ski out and is a distance outside Samoens in a quiet little hamlet — but it is only a five minute drive to the slopes.