Yonder

The pitch: a new concept for the time, still relevant

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Before building their own address collection, Jocelyne and Jean-Louis Sibuet already operated the small hotel from Corner of the Fire in Megève. But the couple then wanted to give life to a different project,” Something that has a soul, something that did not exist at the time ”. Jean-Louis Sibuet's vision can be summed up in one sentence: using old wooden farms collected in the region, reconstitute a Savoyard hamlet made up of communicating chalets. Building an exclusive place but where you feel at home.

Between 1980 and 1984, the hotelier travelled through his region and acquired old cottages and cottages, numbered the pieces of wood, dismantled and stored the whole thing. At the same time, Jocelyne Sibuet hunts for antique furniture. In the space of five years, more than 2,000 pieces were restored and stored in a former carpentry workshop. Working day and night, the Sibuets also constitute a large collection of traditional objects from the region.

At the end of the 1980s, with his” man. ”, ski instructors or mountain guides, Jean-Louis takes advantage of the off-seasons to build Les Fermes de Marie on a large piece of land bought from a farmer. It takes the opposite view of the hotels of the time. The rooms are spacious, often offering more than 30 m², the bathrooms are vast, the art of living in the mountains is celebrated everywhere. Tradition, authenticity and simplicity create an exclusive, elegant and refined atmosphere, worked down to the smallest detail and still as current as ever.

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How is the hotel?

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With around thirty rooms, when the hotel opened, Les Fermes de Marie now has a total of 70 keys, to which a set of chalets for rent in their entirety have been added since this year. The exquisite taste of Jocelyne Sibuet, at the origin of the decoration, has never wavered. The huge spa or the most recently renovated suites are the natural extension of the original design, an ode to traditions and mountain life.

The walls are covered with wood, the exposed beams, of course, the exposed beams, the tiles on the weathered floors, and the pottery of yesteryear align their warm colors. Peasant clocks, hunting trophies, family portraits and leather-scabbed books adorn restaurant rooms. The lounges, warm and intimate, give the impression of an ideal country house. You will always feel at ease in this very French interior, a tribute by the Sibuet family to its Alpine origins.

The hotel also has one of the most complete altitude spas in the French Alps, extending over more than 1,000 m². The indoor pool is complemented by a swimming lane reserved for adults, numerous saunas, steam baths, hot tubs and no less than 13 treatment rooms. Most of the facilities are open to the outside thanks to large bay windows.

Finally, on the catering side, the traditional table offers gourmet French cuisine, while the mountain restaurant serves the” Best fondue in Megève ” according to the jury of the gastronomic event Toquicimes. Tasted during our stay, a delicious “sVGE black truffle soup ”, a tribute to the late Paul Bocuse and created according to the rules of the art. Very smart anyone who will notice a difference with the original recipe from Collonges-au-Mont-d'Or. While the service remains thoughtfully casual, the level of cuisine flirts with the Michelin star, at the prices of fine Parisian brasseries.

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And the rooms?

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They are in the same register as the hotel's common areas. Warmth, tradition and comfort remind us that authenticity and simplicity can rhyme with elegance and refinement. The soul infused is so strong that decoration undoubtedly passes the times and trends. The rooms at Les Fermes de Marie are so many rare and unique places where beautiful materials rhyme with antique furniture, wool cushions, plaids and animal skins. The windows on the hamlet's internal courtyards or the neighboring peaks offer pleasant views. We find all the standards of 5-star comfort in a typical mountain hotel.

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What to remember

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Thirty years after their opening, Les Fermes de Marie remains the flagship of the collection of Sibuet Houses and Hotels which now has a dozen establishments in the mountains (Hotel Mont-Blanc and Lodge Park also in Megève), under the sun of Provence (La Bastide de Marie), on the French Riviera (Villa Marie Saint-Tropez) or in the Caribbean (Gyp Sea Saint-Barth). The hotel, a pioneer in its style, will delight lovers of traditional surroundings, eager to let themselves be carried away by the gentle lifestyle of mountain life.

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Where is it?

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Slightly outside the heart of the village of Megève, about ten minutes away on foot. Shuttles provide connections to the various departures of the ski slopes or to the center of the village (departure of the “Le Chamois” gondolas just next to the Place de l'Église).

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5 things we loved about Les Fermes de Marie

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• THEwarm atmosphere of a traditional family mountain house, where every decorative detail is studied;
• The Pure Altitude Spa : more than 1,000 m² dedicated to well-being;
• The Traditional French restaurant, Michelin-starred by the past whose cuisine has lost none of its splendor;
• Les romantic rooms and cocooning, open to the Alpine peaks,
• La Inner courtyard, ideal for enjoying a hot coffee or a lunch on the terrace.

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How much does it cost?

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• Winter: rooms from 300 to 1,100€. Suites from 560 to 1,800€.
• Summer/Fall: rooms from 180 to 540€ and suites from 330 to 940€.

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Good to know? The hotel is open all year round.