Chalet Alpaca

It seems as though Chalet Alpaca was carved out of the mountain specifically to keep an eye on Méribel.

One of the most breathtaking French Alps chalets you can stay in for a week is this 930-square-meter private home, which is situated in the center of the resort with the Trois Vallées peaks spread out in all directions. Chalet Alpaca, a contemporary alpine sanctuary built in 2017 and named the “World’s Best New Chalet” by the World Ski Awards that same year, combines deep comfort and quiet, sophisticated luxury with glass, stone, and wood.

With expansive balconies and terraces that seem to be suspended above the valley, Chalet Alpaca rises from the exterior in simple lines of stone and wood. The house feels warm and spacious as soon as you walk inside. The tone is set by modern alpine architecture, which features double-height ceilings, enormous glass panes that frame the mountains like moving artworks, and layers of soft textiles and natural materials.

The ambiance is sophisticated without ever feeling formal because every detail has obviously been considered. Instead of asking you to straighten up, the chalet will embrace you if you arrive from the slopes still partially wearing your ski gear.

The primary living areas are intended for spending leisurely, opulent days together. After skiing, a spacious, open-concept lounge with deep couches and a central fireplace becomes the ideal place to congregate, while the games room and bar area keep evenings lively with a pool table and playful accents.

A dedicated movie theater with comfortable seats and a large screen is located just beyond, making movie nights an extravagant occasion—especially when the snow is building outside. Anyone who is still full of energy after skiing can continue working out without leaving the house thanks to a fully furnished gym that includes a climbing wall.

Chalet Alpaca takes wellness just as seriously as ski access. With a sauna, hammam, and special massage treatment room that feel like a boutique hotel tucked away inside the house, the private spa level is a true haven. A heated outdoor pool that gently steams in the chilly air and a hot tub that is ideally situated for post-ski soaks under the open sky await you when you step outside onto the terrace. Slipping between the sauna, hammam, pool, and jacuzzi at night becomes a sort of ritual as the village lights start to twinkle far below and the mountains turn into silhouettes.

Chalet Alpaca can accommodate 10 + 2 guests with plenty of privacy thanks to its six exquisitely designed bedrooms and up to twelve separate beds. Thick mattresses, luxurious linens, views of the mountains, and ensuite bathrooms inspired by spa design with ample showers, soaking tubs, and cozy stone floors make each suite feel like a private haven. Families, couples, and friends can all find the right balance between time spent together and alone thanks to clever zoning.

Due to Méribel’s location in the Trois Vallées, Chalet Alpaca offers direct access to one of the world’s largest interconnected ski areas. The chalet is located in the village, so you can drive to lifts, ski schools, shops, restaurants, and bars in a matter of minutes. Depending on the snow conditions and your pace, many amenities are usually within a ten to fifteen minute walk.

Larger hypermarkets are located further down the valley in Moutiers, typically a 25–30 minute drive away, while smaller supermarkets, bakeries, and a pharmacy are grouped in central Méribel. Hiking and mountain biking trailheads begin in the vicinity of Altiport and the village center in the summer, and they are typically accessible by car in five to ten minutes.

By alpine standards, getting to Chalet Alpaca is simple. For winter charters, Chambéry and Grenoble are the closest gateway airports; Geneva and Lyon frequently have the most international flight options. Under normal circumstances, the drive to Méribel from Geneva Airport takes about two and a half hours; from Lyon, it takes about two and a half hours; from Chambéry, it takes about 75 to 90 minutes; Grenoble is typically in the same range.

At the bottom of the valley, trains from Paris and other major cities arrive at the Moutiers–Salins–Brides-les-Bains station. From there, it is typically a 25–35 minute drive up to Méribel by taxi or private transfer. A comfortable 4×4 or a car with winter tires and chains is highly advised in the winter. The last 1-2 kilometers to the chalet are on well-maintained, fully paved mountain roads through the village, with some gradients and bends typical of an alpine resort.

Chalet Alpaca is an ideal starting point for exploring beyond the slopes because of its central Méribel location. Situated in the center of the Trois Vallées triangle, Courchevel and Les Menuires/Val Thorens can be reached by car in approximately 30 to 45 minutes, depending on the route and traffic, and on skis in a single outing when conditions permit.

The way Chalet Alpaca blends award-winning modern design with an exceptionally comprehensive private resort offering—a heated outdoor pool, a full spa suite, a climbing wall, a movie theater, a bar, and game areas—inside one of Méribel’s largest private residences in the center of the Trois Vallées is what really makes it stand out from other French Alps chalets.

Three experiences that fit Chalet Alpaca perfectly include a full ski day that takes you from Méribel across to Courchevel for lunch on the terrace of a mountain restaurant, then back home for a hammam session and an evening in the cinema room;

a non-ski day that starts with a walk or snowshoe above the village, followed by spa treatments in the massage room and sunset laps in the outdoor heated pool; and a summer stay where mornings are spent hiking toward Lac de Tueda, afternoons lounging by the pool or climbing on the in-chalet wall, and evenings strolling into Méribel centre—often 10–15 minutes on foot—for dinner before returning to your private bar for a nightcap.

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