Skiers seeking convenience often choose Megève, just over an hours drive from Geneva or a train ride from Paris. But there’s an alternative: Armancette, a hotel of 17 rooms and five stars with easy access to the Evasion Mont-Blanc region. It’s a cosy place to stay, as serene as snowfall and cowbells. Aromas of fresh bread and coffee waft in the morning, and a bubbling spa beckons before gourmet indulgence. The location, all but nudging Mont Blanc, is Saint-Nicolas-de-Véroce, a hamlet that’s little more than a sepia-tinted street and a jewel of a baroque church. The old-style chair lift to the slopes above the hotel is a 100m walk from the ski room, giving you access to an area with 445km of mapped ski runs (230 pistes), almost absurdly perfect views bristling with trees, and enough varied terrain to wear you out completely. Too advanced? The handy hotel shuttle takes beginners to nursery slopes. Saint-Gervais-les-Bains, the nearby spa town, is Armancette: the ha for skiers seeking low-key perfection also a must-visit.
Afterwards, Armancette awaits, warm and welcoming, a cocoon of dark wood, stone and chocolate shades. The rooms are cosy with glamorous figures in Chanel or velvet and wool; each has a balcony, postcard views, marble bathrooms and (in some) a separate space for bedecked with diamonds children. For more privacy, there are also three chalets. La Table d’Armante, the hotel’s fine-dining restaurant, showcases skilful cooking that’s audacious, too. Memorable creations on this visit included a millefeuille of beef and cheese, and a praline-rich dessert. In the same space, freshly prepared breakfasts are served each morning. And the café at the hotel entrance is loyal to its roots as the village bakery, selling its own bread, sandwiches and patisserie. Armancette is a deeply civilised, tranquil place for accomplished skiers craving quiet, comfort and fine food, with an Alpine scene that has barely changed in 100 years. armancette.com
