Summer Home Property & Living Chalet, Val d'Abondance

Classic Mountain Chalet

We visit a traditional Savoyard chalet situated high in the Val d'Abondance, Haute Savoie.

The road twists and climbs through steep Alpine meadows, the valley floor and the village of Abondance shrinking visibly at each turn. We climb so high that even the hillside hamlets have disappeared from view, leaving occasional dwellings whose occupants have already departed to spend winter in less remote lodgings. Our journey ends in an impossibly steep and narrow track, which we follow with trepidation. Rain is now falling hard, and the afternoon closing in. It's only early September, yet the temperature has dropped alarmingly since we left the comfort of the village restaurant and we walk the last 50 metres with hoods pulled over our heads.

Clockwise from top: the chalet looks inviting, even on a grey, rainy day; ample winter fuel supplies; traditional full-width balcony.

High altitude living

Our destination is an old mountain chalet occasionally occupied by its owner, although for the most part the chalet serves as a holiday let. The building hugs the mountain as if it had dug itself into the slope, while nearby, only momentarily distracted by our arrival, caramel coloured Tarine cows graze on the lush grass. The metallic clang of their bells is as much a part of the scenery as the splash of glacial spring water overflowing from a roughly-hewn trough near the chalet entrance. A painted edelweiss decorates the doorway lintel, the last of the summer pelargoniums droop with resignation from clay pots ranged up an outside staircase and the figures 1800 are cut into the main gable timbers.

The eclectic furnishings combines traditional Savoyard chalet items with modern comforts to create a welcoming ambiance, even in the worst weather conditions.

Savoyard style interior

Inside, despite the sudden early onset of autumn, it’s warm and dry. The entrance opens onto a vestibule with large pots of dried grasses arranged either side of steps leading to the main living area. Opening the ancient metal latch of the inner door reveals a large room with a low ceiling and exposed beams, plus several small rooms leading from it. Flinging open the shutters fills the interior with light and we stand transfixed, gazing around us. The effect is like stepping into a promising French brocante dealer’s combined with your favourite interiors shop. Deep, comfortable sofas and armchairs are piled with welcoming Savoyard-style woven woollen cushions. A life-sized carved wooden ram doesn’t look out of place among the eclectic array of artefacts and personal mementos, and no surface has been left undecorated by the chalet’s antique-dealer owner. The dining table is festooned with candles and baubles, the festive theme continuuing on a low chandelier decorated with seasonal frippery including miniature wooden figures, small Santas and red hearts attached with ribbons. Decorative bouties and linens spill from an antique linen press, and walls are hung with pictures, displays of bygone tools and classic Savoyard household items.

The Chalet provides an endless succession of mountain ephemera to delight the eye, reflecting the taste and sense of humour of its antique dealer owner.

Tradional chalet construction

There’s also an immense sense of history; some walls, clad in simple oak planks, retain moss and lichen stuffed into the joints to seal out drafts. The main room is partly divided by an open screen of ancient timbers, the remnants of a former division, perhaps between human living quarters and the animals. The floor, which flexes and creaks as we move around, is covered throughout in simple jute carpet. Two small bedrooms, one scattered with children’s toys, are authentically furnished with traditional wooden cots and covered with immense gingham quilts with thick woollen blankets for extra warmth. Bathrooms are equipped with modern fittings, but even here the owner has found a use for old chalet timbers to surround a washbasin.

At the heart of the cosy kitchen the central feature is a large farmhouse stove and the room is just big enough for a table, chairs and a large dresser crowned with local pottery. There's humour too, such as a net food cover decorated with embroidered honey bees. A small door leads to the balcony, from which the view of the Val d’Abondance, even on a rainy day, is breathtaking.

This traditional mountain chalet is both comfortable and comforting, enveloping you like a soft blanket. The chalet is also a feast for the eyes, a visual buffet which satisfied all the senses. It would be tempting to curl up in front of a warm fire with tea and toast, enjoying this wonderful, atmospheric home high in the mountains, but it was time to leave. As we wandered back to the car, occasionally stopping and to take in the view, the cows barely raised their big brown eyes. We have a feeling that living here, in its high mountain setting, would be very nice. Very nice indeed.

©Roger Moss