Imagine what mountain chalets ought to be like, and this is it. With knobs on. La Ferme du Lac Vert nestles in the charming small village of Montriond, on the outskirts of Morzine. Once a traditional shuttered farmhouse, it is surrounded by Alpine pasture and just down a winding lane from a jade green lake – hence the name. In winter, it is an ultra-cosy 12 bedroom hideaway stuffed with fur throws, twinkling candles and roaring fires; in summer, it is bright and airy with a sun-drenched terrace and a flower-strewn, meadowy garden.
English owners Rob and Lucy Mundell spent a year restoring the near-derelict building, after winning a ski competition to Morzine and falling in love with the area. Later, they did up another smaller chalet next door called La Petite Ferme, which has three bedrooms, and appeals to those after some extra privacy. Both chalets have access to a hot tub – perfect for soothing those achey legs after skiing. This is a wonderful base for snowsports in the Portes du Soleil, as well as hiking, biking and kayaking in warmer months. Alpine living at its finest.
Highs
- Beautiful, chalet-chic interiors in both chalets – exposed wooden beams, antique furniture, vintage lampstands, squishy velvet sofas – plus an alfresco hot tub with knockout snowy views
- Lovely, relaxed and friendly staff who are passionate about the mountains
- The food. Restaurant-quality, experimental dishes based on classic French food with a modern twist. 5-course dinners in the winter; light and healthy meals on request in the summer
- Excellent value for money
- A flexible set-up, with a choice of weekly or short breaks in winter, and nightly B&B or H/B rates in summer
Lows
- Quite a difference in size between the rooms in the main chalet, yet the pp rate is the same. Ask for the biggest and best room available when booking, ideally Pleney, 'the honeymoon suite'
- Full pre-payment in advance of stay, and while there's a minimum stay of 7 nights (Sunday-Sunday) in peak ski season, shorter stays can be accommodated on request
- A sociable 'shared chalet' feel rather than a hotel feel in La Ferme – guests dine together around a long oak table; stay in La Petite Ferme if mingling is not your thing
- Half board rates include 5 evening meals, so you'll need to eat out on the other nights
- The giant living area in La Ferme is TV-free, and no TVs in the bedrooms either. There is a small TV lounge for kids to escape to
- High chairs
- Baby cots
Some equipment may need to be requested in advance
Childcare can easily be arranged with local English-speaking crèches or nannies
Catering can be arranged accordingly - early teas, or lighter options if children are old enough to join the grown-ups
- DVD library with family films
- Nursery slopes for ski/boarding lessons
- Day care
- An ice rink
- Treetop adventure park
- Horse riding
- Alpine Chalet
- 11 rooms and 1 separate chalet
- Half-board in winter, meal plans in summer, restaurants nearby
- All ages welcome
- Open all year
- Pool
- Spa Treatments
- Beach Nearby
- Babysitting
- Creche / Kids Club
- Car not necessary
- Parking
- Pet Friendly
- Disabled Access
- Restaurants Nearby
- WiFi
- Air Conditioning
- Guest Lounge
- Terrace
- Garden
- Gym
- Daily Maid Service
- Towels & Bedlinen
- Concierge Service
- Laundry Service
Rooms
The rooms in the main chalet vary quite a bit in size, but are all priced the same (based on a per person rate). Some are big doubles, some are triples with 3 single beds or a double and a single (useful for a family), and one is a quadruple. A couple are quite tight doubles or twins with not much space around the bed.
La Ferme du Lac Vert used to be a dairy farm, and Lucy has tastefully picked up on this with her interior design. There are cow-skin rugs, cow-print cushions and bright cartoon cow pictures that she painted herself. Even the toiletries are Cowshed! But it's very tasteful, and perfectly combined with traditional touches such as mahogany antique beds and wardrobes, plus cosy faux-fur throws tossed over the beds. We loved the quirky Ottoman lanterns, and armchairs re-upholstered in Swiss army blankets.
While the rooms are old-style and wood-panelled, ensuite bathrooms are gleaming and contemporary, with shiny chrome and grey slate tiles. Most have showers over baths, but Fondulay and Cote D'Abroz have showers only, while Pleney has a roll-top bath and a separate shower. Cosy robes and slippers are just the thing to wrap up in on a snowy evening, plus there's underfloor heating to keep you snug.
If you're after some more privacy, choose La Petite Ferme: the cosy little sister chalet located away from the main building complete with hot tub and terrace. It has 3 ensuite bedrooms, with 1 on the ground floor and 2 on the upper floor, and can sleep 6 - good for families or couple friends. There's a a lounge with a log burner, an outdoor apero and dining area, and a kitchen for knocking up snacks. It's usually rented half board, but self-catering is available on request at certain times.
Features include:
- Bathrobes
- Hairdryer
- In-room treatments available
- WiFi
Eating
The chalet chefs cook to a high standard year-round. In winter, all stays are half-board, including afternoon tea (and 5 dinners excluding Wed & Fri). Evening meals are highly sociable, creative 5-course affairs, including a full cheese board. You begin with elaborate canapés - one day we had miniature steak tartares; another, curious but highly moreish molecular-style blobs of exploding Bloody Mary. The main courses ranged from melting braised shoulder of lamb to perfect pan-fried duck breasts with roasted butternut squash and cherry sauce. All were excellent.
Breakfasts combine porridge or hot muesli with a choice of hot dish - perhaps a full English, pancakes with maple syrup and bacon, or grilled tortilla with peppers, feta cheese and braised fava beans - note it is continental only twice a week. There are also heaps of pastries, a wide choice of cereals and an endless array of herbal teas and freshly ground coffee.
On the chef’s nights off, try excellent nearby restaurants. L’Etale in the centre of Morzine serves good Savoyard dishes, and there are numerous other local options staff can recommend.
The summers are B&B only. If you're booking the whole chalet then half-board stays are available on request. Expect evening meals to have 4 courses, and the emphasis to be on lighter salads, delicious BBQs and giant fruit salads. Note breakfasts are Continental and there's no afternoon tea or evening aperitifs/wine. There's might be a pop-up restaurant celebrating seasonal and locally sourced produce in a surprise tasting menu format - choose between 5 or 8 courses.
Features include:
- Bar
- Breakfast
- Communal dining
- Dinner by arrangement
- Half board
- In-house cook
- Kids' meals
- Restaurants nearby
- Vegetarian options
Activities
- Skiing: the chalet is 5 minutes’ drive from the Ardent ski lift, which whisks guests up into the mighty Portes du Soleil. This is one of the biggest ski areas in the world, with 650km of slopes, and offers something for everyone, from the total beginner to the gnarly black-run skier or hardened off-pister. Nicholas, the chalet's ski concierge, can organise everything for you (lift passes, ski hire, ski school, guides etc)
- When your muscles are aching, head back to the chalet for afternoon tea and a restorative soak in the alfresco hot tub
- In the summer, go boating on Lac Vert, hike through alpine pastures and up the mountains (many of the chair lifts are still open), or try mountaineering, rock climbing and white-water rafting. Golf courses are close, too
- Road cycling is popular, and keen cyclists can attempt some challenging Tour de France climbs nearby
- Go shopping in Morzine, a year-round resort. Or head further afield to cosmopolitan Geneva
- Visit the historic spa towns of Yvoire, Thonon and Evian. Yvoire is a particularly pretty medieval village with lovely (if pricey) shops and restaurants, located right beside Lake Geneva
Activities on site or nearby include:
- Boat trips
- Canyoning
- Cycling
- Golf
- Hiking
- Historical sites
- Kayaking
- Mountain biking
- Rafting
- Shopping / markets
- Skiing
- Snowsports
- Swimming
Best Time to go
In winter, the snow is consistently good, though you might want to avoid the peak, expensive and crazily busy ski weeks of New Year and February half term. Pre-Christmas and the week after New Year are brilliant times to go - excellent value with virtually empty slopes. At the end of March, the Rock the Piste music festival is fun, but it can also be very busy. The chalets are a wonderful base for summer activities from June to September; in our opinion, July and August are the best months.
Our Top Tips
Don’t miss lunch at La Vaffieu at the top of the Pleney lift in Morzine. The best tartiflettes on the mountain, as well as sublime desserts. Open all year round.
Location
La Ferme du Lac Vert sits on a quiet, winding lane leading up the mountain from Montriond, a small village on the edge of Morzine in the Portes du Soleil, France. It is just down from Lac Vert, a beautiful green lake after which the chalet is named, and surrounded by ramshackle old farm buildings and chalets.
By Air:
Fly into Geneva (86km). Click on the links below for a list of airlines.
From the Airport
The chalet is approx 1 hour 15 minutes' drive from Geneva airport. Airport transfers can be arranged or you can hire a car or take a taxi.
By Train:
Cluses is the nearest train station, 30 minutes away. The chalet will do free pick-ups from there.
By Car:
A car is advised for exploring in the summer but not necessary in the winter, when daily transfers to the ski slopes are laid on and included in the price (morning shuttles 0830-1030; afternoon 1600-1900). If arriving via Geneva airport, it’s worth picking up your hire car on the Swiss side of the border, as you’ll find it easier - and probably cheaper - to explore both countries. See our car rental recommendations. Note that you’ll need a vignette (annual permit) to drive on Swiss motorways. You can park for free in the village.
Detailed directions will be sent to you when you book through i-escape.com.
More on getting to France and getting around
Airports:
- Geneva 86.0 km GVA
Other:
- Beach 40.0 km
- Shops 0.2 km
- Restaurant 0.5 km
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