A hamlet of old Savoyard farmhouses gathered into a cosy chalet hotel.
Les Fermes de Marie in Megève is the chalet hotel that defined Alpine luxury, and its story is remarkable. In 1989, Jocelyne and Jean-Louis Sibuet took apart a collection of centuries-old Savoyard farmhouses, documented every beam, transported them to Megève and rebuilt them as a hamlet of chalets around a two-hectare park. The result became one of the most influential mountain hotels in the Alps, creating a style of cosy, antique-filled chic that has been widely imitated since. More than three decades on, it remains the flagship of the Sibuet family's Maisons & Hôtels collection.
Location: Megève, France
The hotel stands in a park about 500 metres from the centre of Megève, at around 1,100 metres in the Haute-Savoie, in the shadow of Mont Blanc. Megève is one of the most elegant villages in the French Alps, with a medieval centre of cobbled streets, horse-drawn sleighs and chic boutiques. It was developed as a ski resort in the 1920s by the Rothschild family as a French answer to St. Moritz, and it retains a relaxed, refined atmosphere.
Geneva Airport is around an hour by road. Megève's ski area, part of the large Évasion Mont-Blanc domain, is known for its gentle, tree-lined slopes and views of Mont Blanc, and Chamonix's higher, steeper terrain is a short drive away. The hotel is not ski-in, ski-out; a hotel car takes guests to the lifts. Unlike many Megève hotels, it is open year-round.
Rooms and suites at Les Fermes de Marie
The hotel has 70 rooms and suites, including 10 suites, spread across nine chalets that are linked underground, so guests can reach the spa or restaurants without stepping outside. Each room is individually decorated with antiques chosen by Jocelyne Sibuet, old wood, wool cushions, plaids and animal skins, creating a warm, romantic, cocooning atmosphere. Most Club Rooms have balconies with mountain views.
There are romantic suites, family-friendly rooms and, for complete privacy, standalone chalets with full hotel service. The largest, the Chalet des Fermes, offers around 400 square metres of space for up to 10 to 12 guests, with its own lounge, dining room and terrace.
Facilities at Les Fermes de Marie
The Pure Altitude Spa was a pioneer when it opened, long before mountain spas became commonplace. It covers more than 1,000 square metres, with over a dozen treatment rooms, an indoor pool, indoor and outdoor saunas, a Jacuzzi, hammam, fitness and relaxation rooms, a herbal tea room and a hair salon. Treatments use Pure Altitude, the family's own skincare line, made with extracts from more than 200 mountain plants and minerals. The hotel also runs wellness retreats with yoga and other activities.
There are several restaurants on site, including Le Restaurant Traditionnel, serving refined Savoyard cuisine, Le Carnotzet for cheese specialities such as raclette and fondue, and L'Alpage, a table d'hôte in a magical setting. Half-board guests can also dine at the group's other restaurants in the village. Children have their own Hameau des Enfants, a dedicated chalet with activities, games and a concierge. There is a ski shop and "skiman" service, and pets are welcome.
The mountain moment
The defining moment at Les Fermes de Marie is the return from the slopes on a winter afternoon: stepping out of the snow into a chalet glowing with firelight, sinking into a sofa draped in fur throws with a glass of Champagne, while tall windows frame the snowy landscape outside. It is the very image of the Alpine chalet holiday, and it was perfected here.
On clear days, the slopes above Megève offer some of the finest views of Mont Blanc in the Alps. In summer, the meadows around the village are full of flowers, and walks, golf and mountain biking take over.
Why Les Fermes de Marie is one of the best mountain hotels
Les Fermes de Marie earns its place as one of the defining mountain hotels of the past half-century, the original that shaped the look of Alpine luxury. Its antique-filled rooms, superb spa, varied dining and family facilities make it a wonderful all-round choice, in one of the most charming villages in the Alps.
It is not for those who want to ski straight from the door, and its style is traditional rather than contemporary. But for romance, warmth and timeless chalet elegance, it is hard to beat.
When to go to Les Fermes de Marie
Unlike many Megève hotels, Les Fermes de Marie is open year-round. Winter, from around December to April, brings skiing on the Évasion Mont-Blanc slopes, horse-drawn sleighs in the village and the hotel at its most magical. Christmas, New Year and February holidays book up first. Spring and autumn are quieter and ideal for spa breaks and wellness retreats. Summer fills the meadows with flowers and brings walking, golf and mountain biking, with long evenings on the terraces and Mont Blanc clear on the horizon.
Questions, answered
- Is Les Fermes de Marie ski-in, ski-out?
- No. A hotel car takes guests to the lifts, and there is a ski shop and skiman service.
- Is Les Fermes de Marie open in summer?
- Yes. Unlike many Megève hotels, it is open year-round.
- How far is Megève from Geneva Airport?
- Around an hour by road.
