An independent guide to luxury ski chalets
From £12,500 exclusive chalet per week
Ultra contemporary, big, practical chalet close to the best mountain in the valley
usp
Chalet Le Marti is the poppy, thoroughly modern sister chalet to Chalet des Drus and La Ferme du Bois, also run by a Chamonix specialist operator. Quite different from the other two, it caters to a more serious skiing clientele and is a big, practical, funky chalet perhaps for a younger crowd because of its modern interiors. Great for weekenders, corporate groups and families.
location
The chalet is located right in the heart of the old part of Argentière up the valley from Chamonix and near the fantastic Grands Montets ski area. It is not ski-in ski-out, but it is just about walkable to the Grands Montets lift station and there is transport laid on all day and night. Given that it is in the village, views are not entirely uninterrupted and there are properties all around it. But it is immensely convenient, with all the restaurants and bars and après joints of Argentière within staggering distance.
style
Groovy, with a decidedly contemporary twist. The chalet operator co-owner Jamie has displayed his personal pop art collection everywhere. There is a wall-long cream sofa, designer light fittings and black velvet armchairs in the main living space. The building is a former school house, then it was a restaurant and then a chalet, and it feels modern and stylish rather than cosy because of its stone walls (as opposed to the ancient timbers of La Ferme du Bois) but nevertheless it is a great space. ^
rooms
Fake cowhide walls combine with lots more pop art in each of the rooms. The first floor master suite is the best to grab, with loads of wooden beams, fur throws and beautiful views of Mont Blanc. Some have flatscreen TVs with Sky TV and DVD player, but not all. Toiletries are supplied by L’Occitane France. ^
food & drink
The thing with Chalet Le Marti is groovy flexibility. They do not insist you buy into a fully laid-on professional chef experience for the entire run of your stay. If you want a four-course feast, it’s there; if you want to dine out, it can be arranged; if you want to rustle something up yourselves – for just one night or for every night of your stay – they are happy to stock the fridge and hand over the keys. That said, most guests opt for the fully laid-on VIP half board, and the food is first class. We sampled roast figs with Aosta ham and mozzarella, followed by confit duck with pomme purée and warm pickled red cabbage, with a fine pear and apple tarte tatin to finish. As for wine, the chalet company work with a sommelier at the beginning of the season to pick out some excellent house wines but they also lay on a selection of more exciting ones that cost extra. Veuve Clicquot is the on-tap house champagne, with the option of spending up on other champagnes such as vintage Krug. ^
service
Not butler-style stuffy or gap-year slack. The staff are friendly and chatty yet professional and can respond swiftly to any demand, however left-field. ^
spa facilities
There is a small treatment room in the basement complete with hammam that can be booked out for your exclusive use so you can have the steam room all to yourself after a treatment. Treatments include anything from a shiatsu massage to a manicure or pedicure. There is also an outdoor hot tub. ^
children
The beautiful couple who run the chalet business (both used to be models) have just had a baby, hence they are quite sensitised to all the possible needs of parents. Baby monitors, security gates, sterilising equipment, you name it, can all be provided, including even a wooden cot if parents prefer that to a travel cot. Spare bedrooms can be turned into playrooms for little ones, plus excellent nannies and babysitters can be raised or even chalet staff can wade in and help with escorting children to and from ski school. ^
extras
Wifi throughout, plus big flat screen TV with Sky, satellite TV & DVD player in the main living space. Nintendo Wii and PS2 too. ^
for skiers
Chalet Le Marti is a perfect base for good, strong skiers, given its proximity to the best mountain in the valley – Grands Montets. But aside from all the challenges and off-piste ducks of the mountain, if you stay here you will also be able to tap into the skiing tradition of the valley. Jamie Strachan, who co-runs the company, used to be the British number one free-skiing champion between 1998 and 2004 (yep, as well as a model, and an accomplished artist, no less). As such he is superbly connected with many of the heavy-duty skiers based in the Chamonix valley. He can raise a day’s skiing for guests with living legend Glen Plake, for example, a good friend. Director Thierry Donard will also come and talk interested parties frame-by-frame through one of his vintage ski videos, while Jamie, too, will take guests out skiing for free – and you can’t get more expert than that. ^
for non skiers
All sorts of other activities can be laid on. There are hot springs trips through the Mont Blanc tunnel to Pré St Didier in Courmayeur, shopping day trips to Verbier or Milan (just a 1hr 30mins heli ride away), even watch-buying trips to Geneva. Heli sight-seeing trips to Italy have also been popular in the past, as have snow-shoe walking expeditions and husky sledding sessions. ^
best thing
The handy location and the funky feel throughout. ^
worst thing
No views from the hot tub and some of the rooms are not enormous. ^
getting there
The chalet operators will pick you up from the nearest airport which is Geneva. Many guests arrive by private jet at Sion, and they will pick up from there too, or either Geneva, Martigny or Annecy train stations. Sometimes transfers are included, sometimes not – depending on the package you arrange with them. ^
bottom line
Rooms at Chalet Le Marti cannot be booked separately – you have to book the whole chalet, and it sleeps up to 20 people. Prices start from around £670pp for an uncatered packaged, increasing to £1660. ^
bookings & enquiries
If you would like to make an enquiry or a booking, please email enquiries at chicchaletguide.co.uk. Remember, we have visited all the chalets we feature so can give you totally unbiased, independent advice on all of them. The prices we quote are also the list prices quoted by the chalets themselves, so there is no advantage in going to the chalets direct.
Chalet - 8
Service - 8
Room - 7
Food & Drink - 8
Luxury - 7
Make sure you try out all the house wines – there really is a top selection from all corners of the world. And check out Argentière's Savoy Bar for some lively après ski.
Quickfinder
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• Food & Drink
* Service
• Spa Facilities
• Children
• Extras
• Skiers
• Non Skiers
• Best Thing
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• Getting There
• Bottom Line
• Bookings & Enquiries
• Other chalets in Chamonix
• Other chalets to suit corporate groups
Bookings and enquiries: enquiries at chicchaletguide.co.uk Telephone:
+44 (0)7772 853996
guestbook
"I just wanted to say a BIG thank you for a wonderful weekend. Everything was perfect and we all thoroughly enjoyed ourselves thanks to your (and the rest of the gang’s) superb organisation. The chalets, instructors, club/bars were spot on."
"I have had the most fantastic feedback from the event... You are a total star! Thank you so much for all your hard work and making this event such a success, it really is such a relief doing ski events with you."
“A perfect blend of good service without being intrusive. We were made to feel very at home and completely chilled.”
summeR
Open on both self-catered and catered basis. Prices start at £6,000 per week for self-catered.
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