Alma La Masure

A Ski Chalet for the Centuries

This ancient ski chalet stands four stories tall in a car-free mountain hamlet tucked deeply into the French Alps. The cozy lodge has been welcoming mountain adventurers for more than 350 years, but it recently got a welcome upgrade. 

Today, eight guests can stash and warm their gear in a big, floor-heated mudroom following an exhilarating day on the slopes, before heading upstairs to watch a movie in the projection room. Or opt for more traditional après-ski pleasures, and lounge around a crackling stone and timber hearth, with views of the mighty Alps out of every window.

An 18th-century ski chalet tucked into an Alpine valley on a road to the region’s top ski resorts, this picturesque vacation home for rent in France stands tall and handsome in the tiny hamlet of La Masure, set in the shadow of craggy granite peaks. The home was built to last, having greeted mountain adventurers since 1761, and it recently underwent renovation to host decidedly 21st-century skiers and mountaineers, yet still retains all of its ancient, old-world charms.

Four bedrooms are spread across the home’s middle section, including three en-suite bedrooms with queen beds and one twin room perfect for the kids. The lodge’s fully updated kitchen and welcoming living and dining areas occupy the top floor, where floor-to-ceiling windows, and balconies on both sides, offer breathtaking views on the Tarentaise Valley below and snowcapped peaks in the distance.

A wide, open-mouthed fireplace with a traditional wood clad chimney warms the modern, windowed room, and ancient hand-hewn crossbeams span massively overhead, reminding you that you’re occupying a piece of history. 

Under these well-aged timbers, modern bathrooms and simple, rustic bedrooms are easy, comfortable and warm, and newfangled conveniences such as ample heated gear storage, a floating spiral staircase, an in-home theater, and all new appliances add to the old-meets-new vibe.

AROUND

The wee hamlet of La Masure is an idyllic French mountain village without car traffic (there’s a public parking area nearby), making it all the more picturesque and sought after on the authentic skiers’ circuit. 

This vacation home for rent in France is located on the road to half a dozen of the top ski resorts in the French Alps, including iconic Val d’Isere and hip Tignes. Other stations—Sainte Foy, Les Arcs, and La Rosière—offer closer options to explore, and the opportunity to ski between stations or even into Italy. 

The Tarentaise Valley is famed for its epic, snow-certain skiing in a world-class, celebrated range. The historic chalet is a quick two minutes’ distance from the larger village of Sainte-Foy-Tarentaise, where authentic local foods are served at charming mountain inns, deli and cheese shops and a general store are available to stock the home kitchen, and a village bar welcomes mountaineers fresh off the slopes.

LOCATION

La Masure, Tarentaise Valley, Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes, France. Nearest airport: Chambery or Geneva.

BEST TIME TO VISIT: Last week of December to mid-April for skiing, June-August for warmest temperatures.