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Chalet La Marmottière
Out of the ordinary
Marmot holes are getting bigger in Verbier, and much more stylish too. This particular one, combining two neighbouring chalets with a total floor area of 1,500m2, stylishly fuses the warm authenticity of a traditional Alpine setting with an elegantly contemporary ambiance. This is Verbier at its purest.
Located a stone’s throw from the golf course and Le Hameau de Verbier, between the nearest skiable slopes and the centre of the resort, La Marmottière sits behind a screen formed by birch trees and spruces, right beside an irrigation channel. What was once a mere chalet is now a superchalet, one of those prestigious buildings that has taken Verbier to the very peak of Alpine luxury.
The main chalet (900m2), reworked by the Valais firm AMD Interior Designer, has no equal when it comes to allowing the light in. With its huge sliding bay windows embracing the scenery, it even goes as far as to create a new aesthetic for mountain architecture. These windows usher the sunlight into the large cathedral-like lounge on the first floor, which is surrounded by the most panoramic of terraces. They perform the same function on the ground floor, where a shimmering swimming pool that stretches for 17 whole metres, right along the building’s façade, reflects the distant peaks.
Up on the top floor, the two master bedrooms vie with each other in their very own beauty contest. They too boast large windows opening out on to Les Combins and a large private balcony. The sense of scale is the same, as is the sense of fulfilment. One looks out on to the landscape opposite, its king-size bed an island floating off towards the horizon. The other sits to one side, as if out of shyness. Each has its own lounge, complete with a big screen and warmed by a glass-encased fireplace, and ensuite bathrooms: a shower and sleek wood in one; a bathtub and anthracite marble in the other.
The first floor is home to a number of other rooms, where guests can retire in the comforting warmth of aged wood after using all the little toys the house has to offer: an outdoor jacuzzi, sauna, hammam, gym, and a bar created by Italian craftspeople on the theme of luxury cars and featuring a pool table. There is also a games room, poker room, cellar, which itself offers panoramic views, and a bowling alley, hewn out of the rock. Meanwhile, the second chalet (600m2) has a 3D cinema, conference room, massage room and ski room. La Marmottière will take some beating!
