Unmissables
10 unusual accommodations to try out in ski resorts
For your holiday rentals and weekends in the mountains in France, show your originality by treating yourself to one or more unusual nights. Nature lovers, adventurers or romantics, experience magical moments in nomadic habitats at the foot of the mountains under a bubble, in a trapper’s hut, a Mongolian yurt, a tepee, an igloo… as a couple or a family.
A wide range of products and services
On the heights of Chamrousse
#1 – A night in a portaledge
For the more adventurous, the resort of Chamrousse offers unforgettable nights right on the cliffs.
Try the experience of suspended beds in the heart of the Belledonne, where you can enjoy a privileged view of the starry sky and discover mountain nightlife.
Valmorel
#2 – A night in a tree house
In an exceptional setting, the Cab’Âne is set in the very heart of the forest, offering you a breathtaking view of the Lauzière massif and the Valmorel area.
A real cocoon of well-being perched 4 metres high for 2 adults and 1 child aged between 6 and 10. Designed with autonomy and sustainability in mind, it is equipped with dry toilets, heating and solar panels for lighting. The 15m² roof top provides a cosy spot to relax on sunny days.
Service included: breakfast based on local produce. Bed linen and organic toiletries. Sawdust shavings for dry toilets.
Open all year round. Car park nearby.
Haute Maurienne
#3 – A night in authentic wooden fustes
In the Haute-Maurienne, not far from Val-Cenis, Le Chenantier campsite offers you a stay in log cabins called “fustes” that will transport your imagination to Canada!
The furniture, accessories and decor have been designed in an authentic, eco-friendly spirit: oil lamps and candles provide the lighting; a small water supply with a stainless steel oil pan and an old-fashioned copper basin; eco-friendly, traditional and healthy bedding in 100% pure wool and organic cotton…
In Les Orres
#4 – A night in a luxury dome
They opened their doors in winter 2020. This atypical hotel at an altitude of 1800 metres is made up of 9 geodesic domes, forming 9 comfortable igloos, ideally located on the ski slopes of the Les Orres resort in the Hautes-Alpes.
The suites, called “D’Hôme”, come in 3 categories: luxury, cosy and family.
A host of services are included: whirlpool baths or Italian-style showers, breakfasts, in-room snacks and “top-of-the-range” ski equipment delivered to your D’Hôme, covered parking, luggage transport… A new way to enjoy the great outdoors… without sacrificing comfort!
7 km from Le Lioran
#5 – A night in a Finnish barrel or kota
7km from Le Lioran, the Les Blats campsite offers, in summer and winter alike, the chance to spend one or more unusual nights in kotas or a Finnish barrel.
The 4.5-metre-long tonneau sleeps two people and has a dining area, making for a truly exotic experience.
3 Finnish kotas are also available for 2 to 5 people.
Straight from Lapland, these hexagonal wooden chalets were used by hunters and fishermen as a refuge or for smoking fish.
Also read: Cabins, yurts, refuges… Unusual nights to try out in summer
Comboux
#6 – A night in a bubble
Have you always dreamt of living in your own bubble? The resort of Combloux (Haute-Savoie) offers you the chance to sleep under a huge transparent bubble, facing the majestic Mont Blanc range, set back on the edge of the forest.
You can fall asleep watching the stars or the snowflakes, comfortably installed in a cosy 160 cm bed. An unusual night… with your head in the stars! You can even organise a romantic dinner with a chef just for you.
Near Gérardmer
#7 – A night perched in cabins
Surrounded by Scots pine, ash and beech trees and majestic fir trees, six cabins have been built in the Vosges, close to the Gérardmer resort.
The six cabins at Les Nids des Vosges are designed for couples and families of up to 6 people.
The luxury comes in the form of running water, an indoor shower and an area reserved exclusively for children. Extraordinary nights await you in these cosy nests, full of charm, in the middle of the forest.
Also in La Bresse: Bol d’Air, a nature adventure park and unusual accommodation.
Jura Mountains
#8 – A nomadic night in a caravan
The nomadic spirit is in evidence at Loges du Coinchet in the Jura mountains.
Their colourful, authentic gypsy caravans offer a real change of scenery: one gypsy caravan for a meal and a second for a rest (up to 4 people).
And don’t forget the perched cabins and trapper’s huts for enchanted nights on the edge of the forest.
Chamrousse, Avoriaz, La Plagne, Les Arcs, La Rosière and Val Thorens
#9 – A night snuggled up in an igloo
This winter, the trend is towards igloo villages. You’ll find them in Chamrousse, Avoriaz, La Plagne, Les Arcs, La Rosière and Val Thorens.
Depending on the resort, you’ll find restaurants, bars and even ice sculptures!
In a more trapper style, at La Plagne and Chamrousse, an Igloo camp welcomes guests with hot drinks. In the igloo restaurant, you can enjoy a fondue before spending an unforgettable night in a dormitory or private igloo.
See also: our article on igloos in resorts
In the heart of the Aussois ski area
#10 – A warm night in a pod!
The 3 Montan’Igloo are perfect for lovers of the great outdoors.
With their distinctive shapes, they are wooden cabins that look like igloos when covered in snow. At an altitude of 2150 metres, the Chalet-Hôtel le Montana in the heart of the Aussois ski area in Savoie offers accommodation for holidaymakers looking for an unusual night’s sleep in three eco-constructed Pods located close to the establishment.
Access exclusively by chairlift. An unforgettable experience.
Also read: Unusual nights in an igloo, come and sleep in my five-star accommodation