Chandon

Chalet & Apartment Rentals in Chandon - Méribel

Chandon is one of the most authentic hamlets in the Méribel valley. Perched on the hillside between Le Raffort and Méribel Village, this little Savoyard village has kept its listed barns, bread oven, fountains and chapel. Choosing a chalet or apartment rental in Chandon means staying somewhere genuinely peaceful, picture-postcard pretty, yet only minutes away from the lifts of the 3 Valleys, the largest linked ski area in the world. It is also a different idea of a ski holiday: less passing traffic, more silence, neighbours who live here year-round and sunrises over the Les Allues valley you will not forget.

Chandon at a glance

A historic hamlet of the Les Allues commune, a mix of renovated farmhouses and newer chalets built in the local style, a pleasant hillside exposure and a strategic position between the villages of the valley: that is Chandon in a nutshell. There are no apartment blocks and no busy snow front here - just a preserved setting where you can hear the river below and the chapel bells. Families love the traffic-free lanes, couples fall for the old stone and timber, and everyone enjoys some of the best value for money in Méribel.

Where is Chandon in the valley?

The hamlet sits on the road that climbs from Les Allues towards Méribel, just above Le Raffort. By car, allow about 5 minutes to Méribel Village, around ten minutes to Méribel Centre and its shops, and 20 minutes to Méribel-Mottaret. Moûtiers and its TGV station are roughly a quarter of an hour down the valley, making Chandon one of the quickest parts of the resort to reach when arriving by train or from the region's airports.

An authentic Savoyard hamlet

Away from the bustle of the snow front, Chandon has kept its mountain-village soul: old farmhouses, listed barns that recall the valley's farming past, a communal bread oven, fountains and a lovingly maintained chapel. The chalets built here over the years respect the traditional architecture while offering all the modern comfort you expect from a holiday rental in Méribel: fitted kitchens, contemporary bathrooms, wifi and, in many cases, south-facing balconies or terraces looking over the valley.

Getting to the 3 Valleys ski area

From Chandon, the Olympe gondola at Le Raffort (a 2-minute shuttle ride) takes you straight to La Chaudanne, at the foot of the Méribel Centre slopes, without touching the car. Alternatively, the Golf chairlift in Méribel Village (5 minutes away) climbs towards the Altiport sector and the link to Courchevel via the Col de la Loze. Within minutes you are on the 600 km of linked pistes of the 3 Valleys: Méribel, Courchevel, Val Thorens, Les Menuires, Saint-Martin-de-Belleville and Orelle. In the evening, riding the gondola back down to Le Raffort takes all the stress out of the end of the day.

Slopes for every level

The Méribel valley offers 150 km of pistes between La Saulire and Tougnète. Beginners head for the Altiport plateau and its gentle forest runs, reached from Méribel Village; intermediates link the wide blue and red boulevards down to La Chaudanne; experts take on the sector's black runs, including the legendary Roc de Fer, stage of the 2023 World Championships. And with the 3 Valleys pass, Courchevel and Val Thorens are easy day trips.

Free shuttles and car-free living

The hamlet is served by the free Méribus shuttles, which run throughout the day between Les Allues, Le Raffort, Méribel Village, Méribel Centre and Mottaret. Once you have settled into your Chandon holiday rental, you can leave the car parked for the rest of your ski trip: morning and evening, the shuttle and the gondola do the work. If you do drive, parking at the hamlet is easy and free - a rare luxury in a major resort.

Shops and restaurants nearby

The nearest restaurants are in Le Raffort, 1.5 km from the hamlet - a favourite stop for a raclette or a côte de bœuf on the way home from the slopes. For groceries there is a mini-market in Les Allues (2.5 km), while most of the resort's shops, restaurants, ski shops and services are found in Méribel Centre, 4 km away. The valley's bakeries, cheese shops and markets will fill your fridge with Savoyard produce: beaufort, crozets, diots and Savoie wines.

Families and ski schools

ESF and independent ski school lessons meet in Méribel Centre, at the top of the Olympe gondola, or in Méribel Village for the Altiport-sector kindergartens. Drop the children off by shuttle in the morning, then head up the mountain; in the afternoon, the Inuits piste and the Altiport fun zones are a hit with young skiers. Back in Chandon, the traffic-free hamlet lets kids play outside in complete safety - sledging and snowmen in front of the chalet.

Our chalets and apartments in Chandon

Our Chandon collection focuses on properties with character: family chalets with fireplaces and big living rooms, apartments in converted farmhouses, south-facing terraces. Every property is selected, equipped and looked after by our Méribel-based concierge team: hotel-quality bedding, linen provided, full kitchens, wifi and - depending on the property - sauna, wood-burning stove or heated ski room. You arrive, everything is ready.

When to book your stay in Chandon

December brings festive magic and illuminated villages; January is the smart month, with the best rates and empty pistes; February is family season during the school holidays; March and April deliver spring skiing, long sunny days and terrace lunches. Because Chandon is a confidential little hamlet, the best properties go early for peak weeks: for Christmas, New Year and February we recommend booking from summer onwards. For January and March, good availability often remains a few weeks out.

Summer in Chandon

In the warmer months, Chandon is an ideal base for hiking and mountain biking in the Les Allues valley. Waymarked trails start right from the hamlet, baroque heritage fills the neighbouring villages, and the high pastures are home to marmots and grazing herds. Golfers reach the Altiport's 18-hole course in twenty minutes, road cyclists take on the famous climb to Méribel, and families picnic by Lake Tueda in Mottaret. A summer stay in Chandon is the authentic mountains: cool, calm and crowd-free.

Tips from our concierge team

Book your lift passes and ski lessons at the same time as your accommodation - we will have everything ready for your arrival. Ask about grocery delivery so the fridge is full when you open the door. Check the exact shuttle times for your week with us, and ask for the current favourite tables in Le Raffort and Les Allues - we have our habits. And if you arrive by train at Moûtiers, we will happily arrange your transfer up to the hamlet.

Why choose a rental in Chandon?

Staying in Chandon means enjoying rates that are often gentler than in the resort centre, a preserved setting and a real sense of escape - without giving up quick access to the ski area. An excellent choice for a family or group ski holiday in Méribel, and an address people keep to themselves once they have found it.

A little history

Like Le Raffort or Le Villard, Chandon is one of those hamlets that lived from farming long before winter sports were invented. The barns and granaries lining its lanes - now protected - tell the story of that hard-working mountain life, storing summer hay and autumn rye. When the resort of Méribel was created higher up the valley in 1938, the hamlets kept their historic character, protected by strict planning rules - and that authenticity is exactly what makes a stay in Chandon so special today.

The neighbouring villages: Le Raffort, Les Allues, Méribel Village

A few minutes from your door, three different moods complete the picture. Le Raffort, just below, has its roadside restaurants and its gondola station. Les Allues, the commune's main village, offers its baroque church, town hall, mini-market, school and a village life that carries on out of season. Méribel Village, a little higher, adds a bakery, restaurants and direct piste access via the Golf chairlift. From Chandon you enjoy all of it, without the traffic of any of it.

Which lift pass should you choose?

You have two options. The Méribel Valley pass covers the local 150 km of pistes - plenty for a relaxed family ski week. The 3 Valleys pass opens up the full 600 km, essential if you plan day trips to Courchevel, Val Thorens or Les Menuires. Our advice: start with the valley pass and extend by the day depending on the weather - and order your passes with your booking so they are ready when you arrive.

Winter highlights in Méribel

Torchlit descents and fireworks over the festive period, ski school events, international races on the Roc de Fer stadium, end-of-season celebrations in March and April as the terraces stretch out in the sun: the resort is lively all winter long. From Chandon you dip into the programme whenever you like, then return to the silence of the hamlet in the evening.

Frequently asked questions about Chandon

Can you stay in Chandon without a car? Yes: arrive by train at Moûtiers, let us arrange your transfer, then use the free shuttles and the Olympe gondola at Le Raffort to reach the slopes each morning.

Is Chandon suitable for beginners? Absolutely: lessons meet in Méribel Centre or at the Altiport-sector kindergarten, both reached by shuttle, and the Altiport's green runs are ideal for learning.

Is there snow in Chandon itself? The hamlet is a place to stay, not a piste departure point: you ski above it, between 1,400 and 2,950 metres, on a reliably snowy area from December to April, returning by gondola.

What budget should you expect? For equivalent comfort, a Chandon rental is often 15-30% more affordable than Méribel Centre - a real advantage for longer stays and larger groups.

A typical day in Chandon

8.30am: croissants from Le Raffort or Méribel Village, the Méribus shuttle, the Olympe gondola - by 9.15 you are clicking into your skis at La Chaudanne. Spend the morning on the Tougnète boulevards, have lunch on the mountain or picnic facing La Saulire, then head for the Altiport in the afternoon or hop over to Courchevel. At 5pm, ride the gondola back down, hot chocolate at the chalet, and while the children sledge outside the door, the raclette starts to melt. 8.30pm: total silence and a starry sky you simply do not get in the centre of a resort. That is why people come back to Chandon year after year.

Should you book restaurants in advance? In February and over the festive weeks, yes - a few days ahead for the popular tables in Le Raffort and Les Allues. Our concierge team is happy to handle reservations for you.

Are linen and cleaning included? Yes: sheets, towels and end-of-stay cleaning are included in all our rentals, hotel-style, and mid-stay housekeeping can be added on request.

How far are the airports? Chambéry is about 1h30 by road, Geneva and Lyon around 2h15. Private and shared transfers can be arranged right to the hamlet, whatever your arrival time.

Is Chandon good for a summer holiday? Very much so: cool nights, hiking and biking from the door, the golf course twenty minutes away and far gentler prices than in winter - ideal for a family week in the mountains.

Do the shuttles run in the evening? The Méribus network runs from morning until evening during the winter season; for late dinners in the resort we can arrange a taxi, or simply drive - the road is short and well maintained.

Book your stay in Chandon direct

Our chalets and apartments in Chandon are hand-picked and cared for by our local team, based in Méribel. Book direct on our website for the best guaranteed rate with no platform commission, a personal welcome and full concierge service throughout your stay: housekeeping, linen, lift passes, ski lessons, transfers and tailored advice. Get in touch - we reply within the hour.