Stylish Chalet Surrounded by Mountain PeaksN°001
Les Saisies, France
Hauteluce
Garden
Dec 12 – 19 · $6,865 for 7 nights
Photo by SmeakyA sunlit balcony over Mont Blanc in the Beaufortain
Les Saisies sits on a sunny 1,650-metre pass between the Beaufortain and the Val d'Arly in Savoie, with sweeping views of Mont Blanc and access to the Espace Diamant's linked pistes. It is one of the French Alps' friendliest family resorts and a Nordic skiing heartland, and a private chalet here, in the village or above Hauteluce, pairs ski-day convenience with fireside evenings and concierge care.
Updated October 2026
- The Espace Diamant, linking Les Saisies with Crest-Voland, Notre-Dame-de-Bellecombe, Flumet and Praz-sur-Arly
- Grandstand views of Mont Blanc from sunny, south-facing slopes
- One of France's finest cross-country skiing domains, an Albertville 1992 Olympic venue
- Authentic Beaufortain villages, Hauteluce and Villard-sur-Doron, below the resort
- Ski-friendly chalets with fireplaces, saunas and concierge service
Known forThe Espace Diamant ski area, Mont Blanc panoramas, world-class cross-country skiing, family-friendly slopes and Beaufort cheese country
Best time to visitDecember to April for skiing on both alpine and Nordic trails; July and August for hiking, biking and alpine pastures
Nearest airportGeneva (GVA), around 1 hour 45 minutes; Chambéry (CMF) and Lyon (LYS) are alternatives, with trains to nearby Albertville
Ideal forFamilies, groups of mixed-ability skiers, cross-country enthusiasts and summer mountain lovers
Mountain Escape With Stunning ViewsN°002
Les Saisies, France
VillardsurDoron
GardenFireplace
Dec 12 – 19 · $4,119 for 7 nights
Spacious Mountain Loft With Wellness AmenitiesN°003
Les Saisies, France
Hauteluce
Hot tubSaunaGarden
Dec 12 – 19 · $5,374 for 7 nights
Elegant Mountain Apartment With Pool AccessN°004
Les Saisies, France
VillardsurDoron
Garden
Jun 20 – 27 · $2,746 for 7 nights
Stylish Les Saisies Apartment With WellnessN°005
Les Saisies, France
Hauteluce
SaunaGarden
Dec 12 – 19 · $3,021 for 7 nights
Alpine Duplex for Six Near SkiingN°006
Les Saisies, France
VillardsurDoron
Garden
Dec 12 – 19 · $2,314 for 7 nights
7homes available
2–7bedrooms
up to 14guests
Les Saisies in pictures
What's on in Les Saisies
- Mid-January
La Grande Odyssée sled dog race
One of the world's toughest sled dog stage races crosses the Savoie and Haute-Savoie mountains each January, and its passages through the region's resorts are a spectacular free show.
- March
L'Étoile des Saisies
The resort's long-running popular cross-country ski race draws thousands of amateurs and top Nordic racers to the Olympic trails of the plateau, a celebration of the discipline Les Saisies is famous for.
- Early August
Fête du Beaufort
The Beaufortain's beloved cheese festival, held in nearby Arêches-Beaufort, celebrates the valley's alpine cheesemaking with processions, tastings and mountain music.
Les Saisies through the seasons
- Winter (December – April)
Sunny skiing on the Espace Diamant
Confidence-building alpine pistes across five linked resorts, plus one of France's great cross-country domains on the Olympic plateau, all facing Mont Blanc.
- Spring (May – June)
Melting snows and first wildflowers
A quiet, in-between season when waterfalls run full and the pastures green up; late June opens the hiking trails and the first alpages.
- Summer (July – August)
Hiking, biking and alpage life
Flower-filled pastures, the Lac des Saisies wetlands, mountain biking and road climbs, with Beaufort cheese made daily in the surrounding alpages.
- Autumn (September – October)
Golden larches and empty trails
Crisp, clear days turn the Beaufortain gold, ideal for walkers and photographers who want Mont Blanc views entirely to themselves.
All 7 villas in Les Saisies
Every home in Les Saisies that can be booked with Smiling House, as a plain list.
Smiling House also offers a concierge for private chefs, transfers, ski instructors, yachts and cars, a VIP Club with first access to new residences and member rates, chalets for sale in the Gstaad region through its real estate division and instantly bookable homes with live availability.
The Area and Where to Stay
Les Saisies spreads along a high, open col shared by the communes of Hauteluce and Villard-sur-Doron, looking straight across to Mont Blanc. The resort village itself is compact and pedestrian-friendly, with shops, ski schools and lifts within easy reach of most chalets, making it a superb base for families who want everything on foot. On the Hauteluce side, chalets sit among traditional Beaufortain farms with long views down the valley towards the Barrage de la Girotte, quieter and wonderfully scenic, with the Bisanne sector's lifts nearby. Villard-sur-Doron connects the resort to the Beaufortain valley floor. Our chalets here favour timber-and-stone builds with fireplaces, saunas and generous terraces, supported by a concierge for lift passes, ski school, in-chalet chefs and transfers.
Things to Do
In winter the Espace Diamant links Les Saisies with Crest-Voland, Notre-Dame-de-Bellecombe, Flumet and Praz-sur-Arly in one confidence-building circuit of tree-lined, mostly gentle-to-intermediate pistes, ideal for families and mixed groups. The resort's real distinction is Nordic: Les Saisies hosted the cross-country and biathlon events of the 1992 Albertville Olympics, and its high plateau carries one of France's great networks of groomed trails. Add snowshoeing through the Beaufortain forests, tobogganing and paragliding over the col. Summer swaps skis for hiking boots: walk to the Lac des Saisies wetlands, ride the bike park and road climbs made famous by the Tour de France's visits to the region, and picnic in flower-filled pastures with Mont Blanc filling the horizon. The concierge arranges guides, instructors and equipment.
Food and Local Flavour
This is Beaufort country, home of the firm, fragrant alpine cheese the French call the prince of Gruyères, made from the milk of Tarine and Abondance cows grazing the surrounding pastures. Expect it in everything from fondue and croziflette to farm shops selling wheels matured in the valley's cooperatives. The resort and the villages of Hauteluce and the Beaufortain hold welcoming Savoyard restaurants and mountain auberges serving raclette, tartiflette, diots sausages and génépi, while weekly markets in the valley bring honey, charcuterie and mountain herbs. For the full chalet experience, have the concierge book a private chef for a fondue evening at home, or arrange a visit to a working alpage in summer to see Beaufort being made.
When to Visit
The ski season runs from December to mid-April, and the resort's altitude and northern aspects keep conditions reliable while its southern exposure keeps the terraces sunny. February school holidays are the liveliest and busiest weeks; January and March offer the same snow with more space. Cross-country skiers will find the plateau in superb condition through the heart of winter. Summer, from late June to early September, is gentle and green, with hiking, biking, and alpine lakes under long sunny days, and August adding village festivals across the Beaufortain. The shoulder months are quiet, when many lifts and restaurants close, so time your stay around the two main seasons.
Getting There
Geneva (GVA) is the principal gateway, around 1 hour 45 minutes by road, with the widest choice of international flights. Chambéry (CMF), about an hour and a quarter away, is a handy winter alternative, and Lyon Saint-Exupéry (LYS) adds long-haul reach at roughly two hours. By rail, high-speed trains reach Albertville, around forty minutes below the resort, from where the road climbs through Villard-sur-Doron to the col. A car is useful for exploring the Beaufortain, though within the village most things are walkable. The concierge arranges private transfers from any airport or station, including winter-equipped vehicles for snowy arrival days.