In the mountains, luxury is about more than the price of a week. To tell French resorts apart, you are better off sticking to measures that owe nothing to marketing: the Palace distinction awarded by Atout France, the national tourism agency, Michelin stars, an altiport, a history. On that basis two resorts stand clearly apart, Courchevel and Megève, while a few others cultivate a quieter kind of luxury. Here is how each one measures up.
The yardsticks of resort luxury
- Palaces: 6 in ski resorts out of France’s 33, 5 in Courchevel and 1 in Megève, according to Atout France’s list of 2 June 2026.
- Three Michelin stars: two restaurants in ski resorts, Le 1947 in Courchevel and Flocons de Sel in Megève (2026 guide).
- Two stars: two restaurants in Courchevel 1850 and one in Saint-Martin-de-Belleville (October 2026 selection).
- Altiports: Courchevel at 2007m, Méribel at 1700m, Megève at 1470m.
Courchevel: the benchmark
No other resort ticks as many boxes. Courchevel has five of France’s 33 Palaces: Airelles Courchevel, Cheval Blanc Courchevel, Fouquet’s Courchevel, L’Apogée Courchevel and Le K2 Palace. As for food, the Michelin guide’s selection, checked in October 2026, singles out Yannick Alléno’s Le 1947 at Cheval Blanc, the only three-star restaurant in Les 3 Vallées; two two-star restaurants in Courchevel 1850, Sylvestre Wahid at Les Grandes Alpes and Slalom 1850, formerly Baumanière 1850; and four one-star restaurants.
According to the tourist office, the luxury boutiques are found “mainly along the rue de la Croisette, in the heart of the resort, close to the grand hotels and the foot of the slopes”. Courchevel altiport, at 2007m, is in the town hall’s words “the highest in Europe”; helicopters account for 70% of its winter movements. Designed by the urban planner Laurent Chappis, the resort was named on 30 November 1946, so it turns 80 this winter. Its ski area has 150km of pistes, linked to the 600km of Les 3 Vallées. To stay at the heart of resort life, see our chalets with a pool in Courchevel 1850 and our ski-in ski-out chalets in Courchevel. Our guide to choosing your village in Courchevel covers 1850, Moriond, Courchevel Village and Le Praz.
Megève: village elegance
In 1916, according to the town hall, Baroness Noémie de Rothschild chose Megève “to build a French winter sports resort that could rival St Moritz”. The Hôtel du Mont d’Arbois opened in 1921, “the starting point of Megève’s society era”. A century later, the resort has its first Palace: the Four Seasons Resort Megève, given the distinction for the first time in 2026. Flocons de Sel, Emmanuel Renaut’s restaurant, keeps its three stars.
The tourist office describes a pedestrianised centre of “cobbled lanes”, where you can wander “between elegant boutiques, art galleries and terraces”, and a Mont d’Arbois that “embodies discreet luxury”. Megève altiport, opened in December 1964 at 1470m, was intended, according to the office, “to bring in a wealthy clientele”. Megève is one of the two French resorts in the Best of the Alps network, along with Chamonix. Our guide to Megève’s neighbourhoods helps you choose between the centre, Mont d’Arbois and Rochebrune.
Saint-Martin-de-Belleville: discreet luxury
In the Belleville valley, Saint-Martin-de-Belleville presents itself, in its tourist office’s words, as “a subtle blend of tradition and discreet luxury”. The village, at 1450m, is home to René and Maxime Meilleur’s two-Michelin-star restaurant in the hamlet of Saint-Marcel, and it has held on to its heritage, such as the baroque chapel of Notre-Dame-de-la-Vie. Two lifts are all it takes to reach the rest of Les 3 Vallées via the Col de Tougnète. Our guide to the resorts of Les 3 Vallées sets it against its neighbours.
Val d’Isère, Méribel and Chamonix: a different approach
Some resorts have no Palace, but they have a character all their own. Val d’Isère is the childhood village of Jean-Claude Killy, who arrived in 1946 and became triple Olympic champion in 1968; according to its tourist office it is “recognised as an exceptional winter sports resort”, and the Tignes-Val d’Isère ski area has around 300km of pistes. Méribel, “shaped by a strict and coherent architectural charter” in the office’s words, has kept to wood and stone since its early days and has its own altiport, at 1700m. Chamonix, the other French member of Best of the Alps, trades on high mountains rather than luxury. All three have a Michelin-starred restaurant in the 2026 guide.
For more detail, see our guides to Val d’Isère’s neighbourhoods, Méribel’s neighbourhoods and Chamonix’s villages.
The yardsticks, resort by resort
| Resort | Palaces (2026) | Three and two-star restaurants (Michelin, October 2026) | Altiport |
|---|---|---|---|
| Courchevel | 5 | One 3-star, two 2-star | 2007m |
| Megève | 1 | One 3-star | 1470m |
| Saint-Martin-de-Belleville | None | One 2-star | None |
| Méribel | None | None | 1700m |
| Val d’Isère | None | None | None |
| Chamonix | None | None | None |
AEC tip. Palaces make a resort’s reputation. For a family or a group of friends, though, a large rented chalet gives you what no hotel can: space, privacy and the freedom for everyone to go at their own pace. Choose the resort for its character, then the chalet for its location.
Where to stay
Our chalets and apartments are grouped by resort: Courchevel, Megève, Val d’Isère, Méribel or Chamonix. If you are torn between the two leading names, our Megève or Courchevel comparison sets out the differences. For wellbeing, see also our chalets with a spa and our chalets with a pool. If you plan to fly in privately, see our private jet and helicopter guide; for New Year’s Eve week, our guide to New Year on the slopes.
The simplest thing is to write to us: tell us your dates, the size of your group and the atmosphere you are after, and our agents will suggest a selection in the resort that suits you.
In the end, real luxury often comes down to very little: a sunny terrace, a fire in the hearth and the peaks to yourself.
Frequently asked questions
What is the most luxurious ski resort in France?
On objective measures, Courchevel: five of France’s 33 Palaces according to Atout France in 2026, one three-star and two two-star restaurants in the Michelin guide’s October 2026 selection, and an altiport at 2007m.
How many Palace hotels are there in French ski resorts?
Six, according to Atout France’s list of 2 June 2026: five in Courchevel and one in Megève, the Four Seasons Resort Megève, which received the distinction for the first time in 2026.
Which three-Michelin-star restaurants are there in French ski resorts?
Two, in the 2026 Michelin guide: Yannick Alléno’s Le 1947 at Cheval Blanc in Courchevel 1850, and Emmanuel Renaut’s Flocons de Sel in Megève.
Megève or Courchevel for a luxury ski holiday?
Courchevel has the most Palaces and Michelin-starred restaurants, at altitude, in the heart of Les 3 Vallées. Megève offers a historic village, chosen in 1916 by Baroness Noémie de Rothschild, with its own Palace and three-star restaurant.
Which French ski resorts have an altiport?
In the Alps, Courchevel at 2007m, Méribel at 1700m and Megève at 1470m. L’Alpe d’Huez has one too.
Are there more discreet luxury ski resorts in France?
Yes. Saint-Martin-de-Belleville describes itself as “a subtle blend of tradition and discreet luxury”, with a two-star restaurant and access to Les 3 Vallées. In Megève, the tourist office says Mont d’Arbois “embodies discreet luxury”.
Where can I rent a luxury chalet in the French Alps?
Our chalets and apartments are grouped by resort, from Courchevel to Megève, Val d’Isère, Méribel and Chamonix. Tell us your dates and the size of your group, and our agents will suggest a selection.
