Courchevel gets the headlines, but Megève is the French Alpine resort that Parisians have always kept half-secret. Condé Nast Traveller UK has just refreshed its pick of the village's best hotels, and the picture it paints is of a resort in a second golden age — independent, family-run and considerably more understated than its glossier rivals.
The backstory is properly glamorous. Megève was invented as a luxury destination in the 1910s, when the Rothschild family tired of St Moritz and decided to build their own elegant resort on the French side of the Alps, complete with a hotel of their own. By the post-war 1950s it was the Alpine playground of choice: Brigitte Bardot came for the slopes and the après-ski alike, and Jean Cocteau dubbed the place the "21st arrondissement" because it was so overrun with Parisians. Like St Tropez, it went quiet in the 1970s. Now the crowds are back — up to 40,000 well-heeled visitors at the very peak of the season.
What's changed is the hotel scene. The resort's 35 properties include 13 five-star hotels, seven four-stars and one palace-rated newcomer, yet big international chains are conspicuously rare. Instead you get family-owned addresses, which is a big part of Megève's low-key charm.
Condé Nast Traveller's editor's picks cover three distinct trips. For serious skiers, it's the Four Seasons Megève. For families, Les Fermes de Marie — a classic of the village and a natural fit with its chalet-style set-up. And for a boutique stay, Zannier Le Chalet, for travellers who want something smaller and more personal. The list mixes luxury with lesser-known boltholes, chosen on design, location, service and sustainability credentials.
Why should a traveller care? If you want a French ski trip with genuine Alpine village character rather than a purpose-built glitz-fest, Megève is the answer right now. It's also a two-season destination: the same hotels work as cosy winter retreats and as summer boltholes when the mountains trade snow for hiking and biking. Compared with Courchevel, you get the same calibre of hotel — and fine dining to match — without the diamond-encrusted one-upmanship. And with 13 five-stars competing for guests, service standards across the village are high.
Practically, think of Megève as Courchevel's calmer cousin, an hour or so from Geneva, with a pedestrianised medieval centre, a respectable ski area on Mont d'Arbois and Rochebrune, and enough hotel choice to suit a honeymoon, a family week or a design-focused weekend. Book early for February half-term and the peak weeks, when those 40,000 visitors squeeze in; consider January or March for quieter slopes and better rates, or flip the trip to summer entirely. If you're deciding between the editor's three picks, match the hotel to the trip — ski-first travellers to the Four Seasons, families to Les Fermes de Marie, and couples after atmosphere to Zannier Le Chalet.
