Design enthusiasts, rejoice: Le Coucou, the leading five-star getaway in the French Three Valleys, lures ski-aficionados to Méribel with its exclusive and super-private luxury chalets; the most contemporary and stylish, perhaps, in all the Alps.
They say there’s a time and a place for everything, but since the French like to do things a little differently, they instead have a place where everyone has a great time – that place is called Méribel. Nestled between the millionaire magnet of Courchevel and the Val Thorens, the ski resort that looks like a Coca-Cola Christmas commercial has grown quite the cult following in recent years. To ditch the crowds during a future visit, we’ll be opting for a stay at Le Coucou’s twin chalets.
The luxury lodges sleep up to twelve guests each, making them perfect for a transgenerational winter holiday with your kids and the in-laws (not that bringing either was required, strictly speaking). To celebrate reopening for the remainder of the winter season, Le Coucou is throwing in upgrades to the Biancaneve Restaurant as well as a new Tata Harper Spa Package. Ready to pack your skiers? There’s more:
Chalet guests can look forward to an entirely private Alpine spa, including their very own pool, sauna and, in the case of the Chalet Églantine, there’s even a games room to keep the little ones entertained (if we’ve learned one thing from The Shining, it’s that a lack of ‘play’ in a secluded mountain resort is far from ideal). One gets the sense that the four-storey lodges have been designed to feel like a home away from home, though unlike your average holiday rental, the chalet experience has a more bespoke angle, giving visitors the freedom to choose between self-catering and having their palates spoiled by one of Le Coucou’s talented chefs – talk about tough decisions, right?
OutThere travellers will be particularly drawn to the lodges’ interiors, courtesy of Pierre Yovanovitch, French designer of the hour, whose playful but slimmed-down style adds a totally unexpected and refreshing dynamic to both chalets. For us, it’s what seals the deal: the Alps are dotted with luxury hotels and private cottages, but few – if any – come with the sort of contemporary cool you’ll see on the pages of apartamento. To help you remember your stay at Méribel’s most stylish hideout, Le Coucou is adding a professional photoshoot to each booking. Can’t go yourself? You just watch our Instagram…
Photography courtesy of Maisons Pariente
