Sophie Ibbotson was a guest of Ski Weekends in their eco-conscious Chalet Marjorie in the Les Gets-Morzine ski area.
Anticipation builds in the weeks and months as ski season approaches. For more than a decade we’ve taken our seasonal pilgrimages to the mountains, but this year, things were a little different: we had a toddler in tow! Of course, the dynamics of a ski trip change when it’s no longer adults-only, but it makes for lots more hilarity (especially when the child isn’t yours).
Chalet Marjorie is the ideal option for dropping yourself gently into multi-generational skiing. Ski Weekends makes it easy, providing travel cots and high chairs if you want them; and host Lizzie and her team cater for every dietary need, as well as adjusting for little ones’ bedtimes. There’s plenty of space to play, indoors and outside, and you’re close to all the attractions of Les Gets.
Unlike many ski chalets, Chalet Marjorie is completely flexible. If you are travelling in a very large group of 30-40 people, you might want to book it for private use, but smaller parties can reserve a few rooms, or even just one. Outside school holidays, it can be quite quiet, especially during the week, but we found several other families there, including dads skiing with their teenagers. The mix and match of people of different ages creates a sense of happy chaos; the abiding atmosphere is of relaxation and fun.
From the outside, Chalet Marjorie looks like a traditional alpine chalet. In fact, it is new and carefully designed to be energy efficient. It has a ground source heat pump and unusually thick insulation, so it’s cosy inside whatever the weather, without costing the Earth. This is very much in line with Les Gets’ wider environmental policies which encourage skiers to arrive by train and use public transport between the resorts, to reduce and recycle their waste, and to learn about the natural world around them.
All the guest rooms at Chalet Marjorie are spacious — there are options with two, three, and four beds — and have well-designed en suite bathrooms. The style of the decor is “Chalet Chic” with golden-coloured wood panelling, Scandinavian motifs on the textiles, and vintage ski posters on the walls. You don’t need to store your ski boots and coats in your room as there’s a heated boot room which all guests share.
After a long day on the slopes, you need to warm up and relax your muscles. Chalet Marjorie has a well-placed hot tub on the terrace with space for 10 guests at a time. You can also sweat it out in the hammam before rejoining your chalet host and friends for a well-earned beer or glass of local wine.
Food and drink is included in your stay, and the chalet team cook up an absolute feast. Breakfast is always a hearty affair; there are home made cakes every afternoon; and six nights a week, dinner is a three-course meal. Every dish is freshly prepared, often with seasonal ingredients, and you have the chance to taste local favourites like tartiflette, a divine combination of melted cheese, bacon, and sliced potatoes.
If you do have specific dietary needs, they are catered for capably, at no extra cost. Guests sit together on long, sociable tables so even if you’ve come to Les Gets on your own, you will always have lively company and conversation for dinner.
Some dining room conversations continue late into the night, the wine flowing liberally, but for more comfortable surroundings, we’d often retreat to the lounge or one of the chalet’s other cosy seating areas. There’s always somewhere to curl up to read a book, or to play a game of cards.
It is a short walk from Chalet Marjorie to Les Gets’ main ski lifts, which whisk you away to the top of the Les Gets-Morzine ski area, with access to the entirety of the Portes du Soleil. Runs into the resort vary in difficulty, with plenty of options for beginners, and there’s also an excellent ski school, tobogganing, night walks in the forest, and plenty more activities to keep you entertained.
It goes without saying that Les Gets prides itself on its apres ski; and given how many bars there are between the lift and the chalet, it would be rude not to pop in for a beer and to listen to the music!
Tell Me More About Chalet Marjorie in Les Gets-Morzine
Chalet Marjorie, 71 Rue des Marais, 74260 Les Gets, France
Book Chalet Marjorie with Ski Weekends.
A fully catered three-night stay at Chalet Marjorie starts from £482 per person.
Getting to Les Gets and Chalet Marjorie
The easiest way to reach Les Gets is to fly directly from London to Geneva. You can then connect to Les Gets by train and public bus, but if you’re staying at Chalet Marjorie then your coach transfer is included in your package price.
