Maisons Dominos Saint-Gervais

Traditional Alpine Ski Chalet in the Shadow of Mont Blanc

This traditional wooden chalet three minutes from the slopes in Saint-Gervais-les-Bains stands in the shadow of soaring Mont Blanc, its classic wood-balconied façade hiding five bedrooms and bathrooms, a ski room, cinema room and a fantastically cozy panoramic dining room. One of the properties in the Maisons Dominos collection of French vacation homes by Audrey and Antoine Colombani, the chalet promises slopeside vacations in an environment that feels at once refined and cozily mountain rustic, an all-season refuge in the French Alps.

Looking every bit the classic ski chalet, the lodge's traditional wood interiors by interior architect Margaux Fritz reveal a designer update, with rich burned-timber walls creating warmth and elegance, dressed up with classic textile patterns in clean, modern lines. Bedrooms and the comfortable, panoramic common areas show off homey Alpine prints and the classic plaids of the region accented by fuzzy furs and woolens that give the chalet a modern, Alps-meet-Scandi-chic ambiance.

Après ski life is set up to be rejuvenating and luxurious, with a jacuzzi, hammam, massage room, Nordic bath, and fireplace. Night's rest occurs in four king bedrooms, each with a private bathroom, and a cozy bunk room for eight with its own bathroom with a tub. Outdoor balconies offer views from the two top levels, and the closest ski slopes are a three-minute shuttle trip. Or, grab the car and hit the celebrated pistes at Megève (15 minutes) or Chamonix (30 minutes).

Around

Set 10 minutes’ drive from the village of Saint-Gervais, this chalet is mere minutes from the nearest ski slopes, nestled at the foot of Mont Blanc in France’s Haute-Savoie region. Thermal waters, considered among Europe’s finest natural spas, have drawn soakers to the region for more than two centuries. Today, the pools of the Thermes de Saint-Gervais Mont Blanc make up a thermal park of healing mineral waters, where workshops, varied temperature saunas, steam baths, and both indoor and outdoor pools are said to cure allergies and sinusitis, treat inflammation, soothe skin problems, relieve rheumatism, and help treat asthma and oral disorders.

Two ski areas are accessible from Saint-Gervais, and the greater Haute-Savoie region of the French Alps has over 50 ski resorts to explore. Évasion Mont-Blanc is France’s third largest ski resort, with 108 lifts and more than 450 kilometers of runs between Saint-Gervais, Saint-Nicolas de Véroce, Les Contamines, Megèves, Combloux and la Giettaz. Off piste skiers can connect to Mont Joly, and the vast area offers ski slope restaurants from snack bars to fine dining. Park skiing is available at the WOSP snow park, and cross country skiers can tour 28 kilometers of local trails.

The other local resort is Saint-Gervais/Les Houches, with 15 lifts and 55 kilometers of skiable terrain. Known for their exceptional snow cover and great, all-season conditions, Les Houches is a training ground for the French national ski team and regularly hosts the Kandahar, a World Cup downhill and combined stage ski race. The slopes are accessed via the Tramway du Mont Blanc, France’s highest elevation cog railway. Great for beginners, Les Houches also offers 12 red runs and the 3343-meter-long, 870-meter-high expert slope, the famed Verte des Houches.

There’s plenty to do in the warmer months, too, from hiking and mountain biking, to thermal soaking, to climbing (both rock and mountain), to foraging. Summer is a the season for longer thru-hikes between Alpine mountain huts in the higher elevations, and the charming village of Saint-Gervais offers year-round activity. Scenic and walkable, with a Baroque-era church, the town offers dozens of cafes, coffee shops and rustic regional dining rooms serving up simple dishes like like raclette, a local specialty, to creative menus like those at Le Ferme de Cupelin, a five-minute drive from the chalet.

Location

Saint-Gervais-les-Bains, Haute-Savoie, France. Nearest airports: Geneva, Switzerland (40 miles), Turin, Italy (65 miles), Lyon, France (80 miles)

Best time to visit

Year-round outdoor recreation