Chalet Megève
architect & project manager.

Megève is not a ski resort like any other. The birthplace of luxury skiing in France since the 1920s and the development driven by the Rothschild family, the commune (74120) is today the benchmark for the high-end chalet market. The Évasion Mont-Blanc ski area, the listed Place de l'Église, international clients (British, Russian, Parisian, American): every chalet project in Megève sits within a demanding heritage, architectural and regulatory context. Using an architect and project manager experienced in this market is not optional — it is the guarantee of a project that succeeds.

The Megève local plan (PLU) is one of the most restrictive in Haute-Savoie. It imposes a strict Savoyard chalet architectural vocabulary: steep dual-pitch roofs, solid or reclaimed timber, local stone bases, generous roof overhangs, calibrated façade proportions and colours from the municipal colour chart. Contemporary design choices remain possible but must work with the chalet volumes and the reading of the site. On top of this come planning easements (ABF zones around the historic village centre, steep-slope sectors, protected view cones towards Le Jaillet or Mont d'Arbois), which call for a careful reading of the documents and regular dialogue with the planning department.

Our team brings together architect, project manager, general contractor and RGE CertiRénov under one roof. For you, as the client for a chalet in Megève, this means a single point of contact from the first sketch to handover: sketches, building permit application, contractor tendering, coordination of the trades, budget and schedule management, handover. Our office is in Aix-les-Bains, 1 hr 10 from Megève via the A41 and A40, which lets us work on site regularly with our own site teams.

The projects we handle around Megève cover the full range of the prestige chalet market: new chalets of 200 to 800 m², major renovations of 1950s to 1990s chalets that have become thermally obsolete, extensions and additional storeys on existing buildings, wellness areas (spa, hammam, sauna, indoor pool), ski rooms and underground garages, bespoke fit-outs. The works budget is typically €3,500 to €9,000/m² depending on the level of finish and the complexity of the site, with clients who expect rigorous management, illustrated weekly reports and, very often, remote involvement during long phases of the works.

High-end new chalet construction in Megève. This is the core of our work in the resort. Building plots are rare and expensive, and site constraints are numerous (steep slopes, winter access, rocky earthworks). We handle the feasibility study, architectural sketch, building permit submission and turnkey construction: traditional roof structure or timber frame, reclaimed wood or larch cladding façades, local stone bases, slate or clay tile roofs. Indicative works budget: €5,000 to €9,000/m² depending on finishes and complexity. For an example of our work, see our luxury renovation of Chalet Aréliä in Flumet, twenty minutes from Megève.

Major renovation of 1950s to 1990s chalets in Megève. Many Megève chalets built from the post-war period up to the 1990s now suffer from a double obsolescence: thermal (EPC classes E, F, G) and functional (closed layouts, limited ceiling heights, little or no wellness space). The chalet renovation we offer in Megève addresses both at once: timber structure work, external or internal re-insulation, complete replacement of windows and doors, reorganisation of volumes (cathedral-ceiling living room, master suites, cinema room, ski room, spa). The budget is typically €3,500 to €6,000/m² depending on the condition of the existing building and the level of finish.

Extensions, additional storeys and high-altitude chalets. In the hamlets of Mont d'Arbois, Rochebrune and Le Jaillet, as well as in Demi-Quartier, Combloux and Praz-sur-Arly, we regularly carry out extensions: adding a wellness floor, enlarging the living room to double height, garage and ski-room annexes, creating a separate guest bedroom. Each extension is preceded by a local plan (PLU) study (remaining building rights, footprint, building envelope) before work is committed. The architecture must respect the existing chalet volumes while bringing a contemporary signature if the client wishes.

Wellness, ski rooms and bespoke fit-outs for international clients. Chalet clients in Megève now expect 5-star hotel standard facilities: indoor pool with counter-current swimming, spa-hammam-sauna, gym, underground wine cellar, soundproofed cinema room, heated ski room with built-in boot dryers, KNX home automation, multi-room audio system. We coordinate these specialist services with the main trades and guarantee overall consistency. Our sites regularly welcome British, Russian, Swiss, American and Parisian clients, for whom we offer enhanced management with illustrated weekly reports and site video calls.

RGE energy renovation and CertiRénov label. Our firm is RGE CertiRénov certified by Qualitel. For an existing chalet in Megève rated EPC E, F or G, the work combines roof insulation (often the number one item), wall insulation (internal, or external sarking depending on the architecture), replacement of windows and doors with triple-glazed timber units, installation of an air-to-water or geothermal heat pump, and heat-recovery ventilation. These works give access to MaPrimeRénov', CEE and, for furnished-let landlords, worthwhile tax depreciation.

Évasion Mont-Blanc ski area and architectural heritage. Megève lies at the centre of the Évasion Mont-Blanc ski area, with Combloux, La Giettaz, Saint-Gervais-les-Bains, Saint-Nicolas-de-Véroce, Les Contamines-Montjoie and Praz-sur-Arly. This geography sustains a fabric of second-home chalets across the whole massif. Local characteristics vary: Combloux favours a more rural and more accessible feel, Demi-Quartier a discreet prestige standard, Praz-sur-Arly a more family-oriented offer, Saint-Gervais a dual resort-and-spa identity. We adapt each project to these contexts without losing the shared Savoyard chalet signature.