Centuries before skiers started carving down its slopes, Val d’Isère was a remote mountain farming community – and its 1664 church steeple still stands at the heart of what was the village. Its transition into a world-class retreat started slowly, beginning with its very first hotel in 1888 after a new mountain road opened up access and accelerating when the pioneering Téléphérique de Solaise cable car was completed in 1942.
Today, however, is another matter entirely. This shimmering enclave is now home to some of the French Alps’ most wondrous private chalets, and a glut of stylish snow-seekers make their annual pilgrimage every season without fail. In turn, the private homestay scene nowadays melds the area’s traditional Savoyard stone and timber architecture with state-of-the-art design and amenities ripe for the modern traveller.
So, whether your priority is quick and easy access to the slope for early morning kickoffs, or simply a cosy fireside lounge to curl up on a long lazy afternoon, there’s a smart address for you. Expect indoor pools with bubbling waterfalls, hammams, heated boot rooms and dedicated resort shuttles – here are our picks of the very best places to hunker down this season.