The Alpine Club, a boutique, family-run chalet company operating in St Martin de Belleville in Les Trois Vallées, has announced a stunning new addition to its portfolio of authentic, reclaimed Savoyard chalets.

(TRAVPR.COM) UK - January 18th, 2016 - The Alpine Club, a boutique, family-run chalet company operating in St Martin de Belleville in Les Trois Vallées, has announced a stunning new addition to its portfolio of authentic, reclaimed Savoyard chalets. 

The company, which is run by British couple Helen and Chris Raemers, opened The Ecurie at the end of November 2015 ready for this winter’s ski season. The chalet is an ambitious, designer renovation of a charming 130-year-old tumble-down Savoie stable which was lived in by generations of a local family.  

The renovation was carried out by Chris, who is an architect, and his company Alpine Design Studios, which prides itself on alpine authenticity and updating old buildings. The Ecurie adds to The Alpine Club’s growing collection of beautiful chalets which includes Chalet Abode and Chamois Lodge.

Chris comments: “We’ve retained the ancient roof timbers at The Ecurie and created a double height living room with central fire place. There is old wood in abundance, on the floors and the roof. We’ve also used the floor boards and timbers to line the bedroom ceilings and some of the bedroom walls, to create cosy, cabin bedrooms.” 

In addition to all the ancient wood, the crockery and cutlery is vintage, there are antique Savoie cupboards and console tables, original confiture jars and old cheese boards. The mangers that the cows fed from are being used as part of the wall linings, while there are cow bells, a milk churn, and some roof slates that are being re-used on a wall inside the chalet. 

“We wanted to retain the essence of the old stable and family home,” says Helen, “but we’re not filling the chalet with lots of old Savoyard relics -- that would become cluttered. There are only occasional references. The building felt homely, lived in, with an air of bygone times, so we’ve kept the colours simple, with lots of muted grey tones and soft textures to create a luxury feel. It is understated, but luxurious and homely – more like a stylish mountain alpage.” 

Alpages were chalets in the mountains that farmers lived in when they looked after the cows on the high mountain pastures. The previous occupants of The Ecurie lived on the ground floor of the stable in the winter, next to the cows, with the hay cut from the summer pastures stored above. 

While keeping many of the original features, the chalet has also been luxuriously updated and appointed with contemporary sofas, coffee tables, lights and mountain chairs from Belgium design company AM Designs in the main living space, plus gorgeous bed linens and Hypnos beds in the bedrooms. The bathrooms have slate floors and old latch wooden doors, but also feature gleaming Duravit baths and sinks fitted with granite surrounds. Taps and fittings are by Italian design company Zazzeri.

By retaining the spirit and feel of the old stable in the décor, Chris and Helen have created a chalet that is quite different from their two other properties which they also designed and built or restored themselves. 

Chamois Lodge, which opened in December 2012, is a new-build -- light, airy and spacious, with big mountain views, larger bedrooms and a modern mountain feel. Chalet Abode, the original chalet in The Alpine Club’s collection, which opened in December 2009, is an old building which retains lots of original features but with a more contemporary finish.  

The Alpine Club was launched by Helen and Chris in the winter of 2004/5 as a family- run, boutique chalet company. The couple live in St Martin de Belleville all year round and are part of the community. They fell in love with the resort because it is an authentic Savoie mountain village, full of ancient buildings and lived in by generations of families, closely guarding their Savoie traditions – as well as being fully linked in to one of the most fantastic ski areas in the world, Les Trois Vallées. 

The couple use local artisan producers or service providers that connect their guests to a unique and authentic local experience, ranging from sourcing mountain honey and Tomme de Savoie from fellow villagers to using the local mountain guide and instructor Didier and supporting family-run village restaurants including Le Montagnard and the 3 Michelin-starred La Bouitte.

“We pride ourselves on our alpine authenticity. St Martin de Belleville and Villarabout, the little hamlet outside St Martin where our chalets are located, are original, old villages with a traditional way of life, and the ski industry has just brought new opportunities. We want to preserve and cherish that precious history, as well as share it with our guests,” says Helen.

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