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Luxury in the French Alps

Megève

The village the Rothschilds made: a medieval square, horse-drawn sleighs, twelve five-star hotels, a three-star table and Mont Blanc across the valley, an hour from Geneva.

A mountain lake above Megève in summerPhotograph: Unsplash

Bonjour

The Rothschilds’ village

Megève was a farming village of the Haute-Savoie until the 1920s, when Baroness Noémie de Rothschild, looking for a French answer to St. Moritz, chose the slopes of Mont d’Arbois above it. Her family built the Domaine du Mont d’Arbois, and Paris society followed.

The old village has kept its medieval centre: a square around the church, cobbled lanes, horse-drawn sleighs in winter and calèches in summer. The skiing on Mont d’Arbois, Rochebrune and the Jaillet is gentle and wooded, with Mont Blanc in view from almost every run.

It is as much a village of the table and the golf course as of the pistes. Emmanuel Renaut’s Flocons de Sel holds three MICHELIN stars, the Mont d’Arbois course has been open since 1964, and the altiport above the village brings light aircraft to the door.

A few words of French
EnglishFrenchSay it
Hello / Good dayBonjourbon-ZHOOR
Good eveningBonsoirbon-SWAHR
PleaseS'il vous plaîtseel voo PLAY
Thank youMercimair-SEE
The bill, pleaseL'addition, s'il vous plaîtlah-dee-SYON, seel voo PLAY
Enjoy your mealBon appétitbon ah-pay-TEE
GoodbyeAu revoiroh ruh-VWAHR
Timber chalets of Megève among snow-laden trees, with the snowy peaks beyond under a blue sky
Megève after a snowfall

Where to go

Megève at a glance

When to go, the one best hotel and restaurant, and how to arrive by private jet.

Megève

The village created as a winter resort by the Rothschild family in the 1920s, on Mont d'Arbois facing Mont Blanc. It is quiet, elegant and as much about food and golf as skiing.

When to goWinter, December to April; summer, June to September (the Mont d'Arbois golf course dates from 1964).

Arrive privately
By private jet or helicopter
Geneva (GVA/LSGG) for private jets, about 1 hr to 1 hr 15 by road; Megève Altiport (LFHM) above the village for light aircraft and helicopters.
An old timber chalet in deep snow beside a great fir heavy with snow
A chalet in the snow

Stay

Luxury hotels and chalets in Megève

The grand hotels at our standard, and the officially five-star hotels.

The grand hotels

Each holds two or three MICHELIN Keys or a Forbes Five-Star rating, or is a palace of the great resorts.

  • Four Seasons Resort MegèveMegève

    A 55-room ski-in, ski-out resort on Mont d'Arbois, inspired by the Edmond de Rothschild family, with three MICHELIN Keys; it received the French Palace distinction in 2026. Visit website ↗

The five-star hotels

The 12 confirmed, officially five-star hotels in Megève.

See all 12 hotels

Megève

  • Four Seasons Resort Megève

    Five-star, Palace; winter and summer. A 55-room ski-in, ski-out resort on Mont d'Arbois, the resort's only Palace. Visit website ↗

  • Les Fermes de Marie

    Five-star; winter and summer. Founded in 1989 by the Sibuet family, a hamlet of nine reassembled Alpine farmhouses with 70 rooms and private chalets.

  • Lodge Park

    Five-star; winter and summer. A boutique hotel inspired by Canadian lodges, reopened in December 2025 after a full renovation.

  • Le M de Megève

    Five-star; winter and summer. A 42-room Small Luxury Hotels of the World member with a spa and indoor pool.

  • Les Chalets du Mont d'Arbois

    Five-star; winter and summer. The Edmond de Rothschild Heritage hotel on the Mont d'Arbois plateau.

  • Le Chalet Zannier

    Five-star; winter and summer. A 12-room chalet hotel on the edge of Megève, part of Zannier Hotels.

  • Hôtel Le Fer à Cheval

    Five-star; winter and summer. A family-run chalet hotel a short walk from the village centre.

  • Hôtel Flocons de Sel

    Five-star; winter and summer. Chef Emmanuel Renaut's hotel and MICHELIN-starred restaurant in the Leutaz valley.

  • L'Alpaga

    Five-star; winter and summer. A cluster of chalets and suites above the village, with a spa.

  • Hôtel Saint-Georges

    Five-star; winter and summer. A Relais & Châteaux hotel in the village centre.

  • Grand Hôtel du Soleil d'Or

    Five-star; winter and summer. Founded in 1901 and recently reopened, with 29 rooms, three chalets and the resort's only rooftop terrace.

  • L'Écrin de Megève

    Five-star; winter and summer. A 14-room hotel a short walk from the village, with a spa and a heated pool.

Two crystal coupes of champagne in the afternoon sun
Champagne in the sun

Dine

The best restaurants in Megève

The finest tables.

Three MICHELIN stars

A Megève gondola cabin passing high above the snowy village and its chalets
The gondola above Megève

Travel

Private jets, helicopters and first-class travel in Megève

The altiport above the village, and the airlines to Geneva, an hour away.

Private jet airports

  • Megève Altiport

    At 1,470 m on the Côte 2000 site above Megève, opened in 1964, with a 600 m runway for light aircraft and helicopters. Pilots need mountain-landing qualification; it is used for VIP transfers and sightseeing flights.

Airlines to Geneva, the gateway to Megève

First and business class.

See all 9
  • Qatar AirwaysDoha

    Flies from Doha to Geneva, Zurich, Munich and Milan Malpensa. Offers first class on some routes. Visit website ↗

  • Air ChinaBeijing

    Flies from Beijing to Geneva, from Beijing and Shanghai to Munich, and from Beijing, Chengdu and Shanghai to Milan Malpensa. Offers first class on some routes. Visit website ↗

  • SwissZurich

    Switzerland's national airline, flying nonstop from Zurich to New York, Newark, Boston, Washington, Chicago, Miami, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Montréal, São Paulo, Dubai, Mumbai, Bangkok, Singapore, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Tokyo and Johannesburg, and from Geneva to New York JFK. Visit website ↗

Green meadows, firs and a fence reflected in a still lake in early autumn
A mountain lake in autumn

Experience

Events and things to do in Megève

The finest things to do in and around Megève.

Golf

  • Golf du Mont d'ArboisMegève

    An 18-hole course designed in 1964 by the three-time Open champion Sir Henry Cotton, at an average altitude of 1,320 metres on the Mont d'Arbois plateau, open from May to October; guests of the Four Seasons Resort Megève have direct access. Visit website ↗

Weddings and celebrations

A fresh snowfield and snowy firs below a great rock peak
Fresh snow below the peaks

Live

Living in Megève

A home in Megève: chalets for sale.

Prime real estate

  • BARNESMegève

    The international luxury agency runs a Megève office on Route Edmond de Rothschild, with sister offices in Chamonix, Saint-Gervais and the Aravis, covering chalets and apartments around Mont Blanc. Visit website ↗

  • John TaylorMegève

    A high-end property agency with an office on Route Nationale in Megève handling chalets and apartments for French and international buyers. Visit website ↗

Snow-laden firs on a sunny slope above Megève, the snowfields beyond
Snowy firs above Megève

Plan your trip

Luxury travel in Megève: your questions answered

Where is Megève?

In the Haute-Savoie in the French Alps, at 1,113 metres, facing the Mont Blanc massif. Geneva is about an hour by road, and the Megève altiport above the village takes light aircraft and helicopters.

Is Megève good for families and non-skiers?

Yes. Its skiing is gentle and wooded, and the village is known as much for its restaurants, golf, spas, horse-drawn sleighs and medieval square as for its slopes.

When is the best time to visit Megève?

Winter, December to April; summer, June to September (the Mont d'Arbois golf course dates from 1964).

Where are the best luxury hotels in Megève?

Four Seasons Resort Megève, three MICHELIN Keys and the French Palace distinction.

How do you arrive in Megève by private jet?

Geneva (GVA/LSGG) for private jets, about 1 hr to 1 hr 15 by road; Megève Altiport (LFHM) above the village for light aircraft and helicopters.

Which are the best restaurants in Megève?

The three-MICHELIN-star restaurant on our list here is Flocons de Sel, Megève.

Do you tip in France?

Service is included in French prices by law ("service compris"). A tip is not owed, but for good service it is usual to leave a few euros or round up, and more at the great restaurants.

What should you wear in Megève?

Ski clothing is normal at lunch on the mountain and at après-ski, which takes place in the bars at the end of the ski day while guests are still in ski gear; the French name is used the world over. In the evening the grand hotels keep their own standards; check each hotel's dress code.

A wooden alpine hut half buried in snow on a sweeping white slope
A mountain hut on the snowfields

Beyond Megève

More in the French Alps

The other great resorts of France, and The Alps beyond.

The French AlpsCourchevel 1850, Méribel, Val d'Isère, Megève and ChamonixExplore the French AlpsThe AlpsFive countries, seventeen resorts, first class onlyExplore The Alps
Snow-laden chalets and forest below the mountains, Megève
Chalets in Megève

Customs and etiquette

Customs and etiquette in France

How France does things.

Language
French is the language of the French Alps, from Chamonix and Megève in the Haute-Savoie to Courchevel, Méribel and Val d'Isère in the Savoie. English is spoken in the palace hotels, the ski schools and the leading restaurants of the big resorts, but a few words of French are always appreciated.
Greetings
Say "Bonjour, Madame" or "Bonjour, Monsieur" on entering a shop, a restaurant or a hotel before asking for anything; skipping the greeting reads as rude. From early evening the greeting becomes "Bonsoir". Friends greet each other with a kiss on each cheek (la bise); a handshake is right on first meeting.
Dress
Ski clothing is normal at lunch on the mountain and at après-ski, which takes place in the bars at the end of the ski day while guests are still in ski gear; the French name is used the world over. In the evening the grand hotels keep their own standards; check each hotel's dress code.
Dining and shopping
Lunch is usually served from noon to about 2 pm and dinner from about 7.30 pm; outside those hours many restaurants do not serve full meals. Book ahead for lunch at the great mountain restaurants in season. In the resorts most shops open every day during the season; in the valley towns many close on Sunday afternoons.
Tipping
Service is included in French prices by law ("service compris"). A tip is not owed, but for good service it is usual to leave a few euros or round up, and more at the great restaurants.
Mountain etiquette
The international FIS Rules for Conduct apply on the pistes. In mountain huts (refuges), book beds and meals ahead, bring a hut sleeping bag, keep quiet in the evening and take rubbish back down.

Every list on this page is checked by hand and dated: last checked October 2026. Hotels, restaurants and events link only to their own official websites, where confirmed.

Gold and diamond chain earrings, rings and a bracelet on a cream display in a jeweller’s window
In the jeweller’s window

The Mediterranean Season Letter

Where to be, every season

Four letters a year, one for each season: the Mediterranean from spring to autumn, and Beyond the Mediterranean, into the Alps, in winter. The one best hotel to book, and the events worth crossing a sea for.