Chalet Le Sarto

An Art Deco Chalet by Henry Jacques Le Même in the Heart of Megève

Henry Jacques Le Même trained under Art Déco furniture designer Émile-Jacques Ruhlmann and drew on both Le Corbusier and De Stijl—an unusual inheritance for a mountain architect, and exactly why his chalets feel so particular. Studio Claves worked with the grain of that legacy rather than against it. Geometric star, disc, and wolf-tooth ornamental motifs reappear throughout. The exterior façade was restored to its original color scheme. Carved woodwork, the monumental staircase, and original fittings were preserved intact.

The living and dining spaces surround a vast original fireplace with honey-toned oak millwork running throughout. The palette moves through reds, pinks, and deep greens, and the home holds an impressive art collection. A library holds a fresco by Louise Defente, the master bathroom features a wall ceramic by Héloïse Rival, and the indoor pool is designed as a nod to Le Même's sanatorium projects, with a ceiling aperture admitting natural light. A professional kitchen, wine cellar, honesty bar with Ruinart Champagne, and Sonos sound system complete the picture. Treca bedding and La Serviette linens throughout.

A heated outdoor pool with pool house and Nordic bath form the year-round centerpiece, surrounded by terraces with views toward the Calvaire. A landscaped garden wraps the property, with the Technogym fitness room/yoga studio inside a dedicated extension connected to the main building by an underground corridor.

What we love

Le Sarto is the kind of place that makes you wonder why the whole ski industry didn't go this way. Henry Jacques Le Même's 1941 structure has been many things over the decades, but in the hands of Studio Claves it's finally had its definitive moment—reds and greens laid over honey oak, contemporary art commissions in conversation with 80-year-old carved woodwork, and a corridor dedicated to the architect himself like a small private museum. The indoor pool, designed as a nod to Le Même's Alpine sanatoriums and lit from a ceiling aperture, is the cherry on top.

Layout

This vacation home for rent in Megève, Haute-Savoie, France sleeps up to 15 guests in seven en-suite bedrooms. All have king-sized beds — four with both bath and walk-in shower, and three with walk-in shower and characterful Claves décor. Two bedrooms have private balconies with mountain views. A dedicated kids' room features two bunk beds and rock-climbing wall holds. All principal bedrooms are air-conditioned, with Treca bedding and en-suite bathrooms.

Experiences

Experiences include ski touring with a mountain guide at first light, cheesemaking visits to an Alpine dairy, in-home massage treatments, cooking classes with the private chef, ski fitting in-house, and first-tracks skiing sessions before the lifts open to the public.

Good to know

Every stay includes the services of a house manager, breakfast, afternoon tea (in season), turndown service, daily housekeeping, private chef (high season), and the electric car. A car or private transfer is essential. Private transfers from Geneva Airport and Lyon Saint-Exupéry Airport can be arranged on request, and a private driver service within the resort is included in the price during winter.

Amenities & services

Sauna, a hammam, an outdoor Nordic bath, an indoor pool and outdoor pool, technogym fitness room/yoga studio, home cinema (with Netflix), board games, professional kitchen, back kitchen, wine cellar, honesty bar (Ruinart champagne and spirits), fireplace, library, air conditioning, Sonos sound system throughout, high-speed internet with backup connection, Treca bedding, La Serviette bed linen, in-house ski fitting, kids room (bunk beds, climbing holds, games), baby equipment, ping pong, Mölkky, table football, barbecue, outdoor terrace, landscaped garden, house manager, daily housekeeping, breakfast, afternoon tea (in season), evening turndown service (in winter), private chef (high season), electric car, private transfers on request, private driver service in winter, pool house coming summer 2027

Around

Megève is the resort that Baroness Noémie de Rothschild invented in the 1920s as a French rejoinder to St. Moritz, and it has never entirely dropped that aristocratic air. The village center, a 10-minute walk from Le Sarto, clusters nearly 100 restaurants including three Michelin-starred tables, alongside galleries, a casino, and a museum dedicated to the resort's own history. The Domaine Évasion Mont Blanc ski area covers approximately 445km of pistes across several linked resorts. In summer, the same terrain opens to hikers, trail runners, and mountain bikers. The Chamois gondola is a three-minute drive or 10-minute walk. Mont d'Arbois and Jaillet gondolas are four to five minutes by car.

Location

Megève (Le Calvaire district), Haute-Savoie, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, France. Nearest airport: Geneva International (GVA, 90km, 1 hour 5 mins by car). Geneva Airport is the natural gateway, with Lyon Saint-Exupéry Airport the longer but frequently cheaper alternative.