Gay Open House: Winter wonderland dream homes

December 5, 2022 Queer Forty Staff 5 min read

If “Last Christmas “by Wham! is your go-to festive song, then an Alpine chalet covered in snow with a crackling log fire is probably your idea of winter heaven.

As we look forward to snow season, in the northern hemisphere at least, there’s no better time than now to bag yourself an early Xmas gift and secure a sexy rental in the coveted French Alps.

Our ski-friendly selection is a feast of Christmas day proportions, from a chic cathedral-like chalet in Saint Martin de Belleville to a funky Meribel pad complete with must-have jacuzzi and sauna to soothe away the aches and pains of a day on the piste and on to a dream designer escape in Courchevel with indoor heated swimming pool and steam room.

Our monthly real estate feature sees us team up again with Welshman Rhodri Ellis Owen and Canadian Jameson Farn at LGBTQ Real Estate to bring you some of the finest vacation rentals and real estate on the planet. Based in the south of France, but covering properties all over Europe, the guys at LGBTQ Real Estate pride themselves on their VIP level of personal service which is always delivered without prejudice. The business is dedicated to supporting LGBTQ+ sellers, buyers and their friends find their perfect property match.

Saint Martin de Belleville, France

This area is known for its charming Alpine stone and wood farmhouses and traditional Savoyard restaurants. The surrounding slopes form part of the 3 Valleys ski zone famed for its sheer size and lively apres-ski scene.

This new, prestigious 6-bed chalet rental is in the heart of the village of Saint Martin de Belleville. With an indoor area of 467 m2 it can accommodate up to 15 guests in total splendour.

The property is in an enviable location, close to the slopes offering both high-quality services and spectacular views.

The chalet has an expansive living room, dining room, fully-equipped kitchen, games room, office, cinema room, wellness area, sauna, hammam, massage room, an indoor jacuzzi and swimming pool plus a bar and snooker room, ski room, and garage.

Weekly rates from 6,800 to 38,100 Euro

Meribel, France

Long-prized for its central location amongst some of the finest and longest ski runs in the world, Meribel was conceived by a Scotsman, Major Peter Lindsay, as a new winter sports location away from the ski resorts of Austria and Germany affected by the growing strength of the Nazi regime in the early 1930s.

This fabulous chalet takes full advantage of the mountain views with a living room on the top floor plus a lounge area opening out onto a fantastic terrace, ideal for both entertaining and relaxing with friends and family.

Sleeping up to 12 guests, the 195m2 property has 5 bedrooms and offers a dining area, fully-fitted kitchen, breakfast eating area, and office. In addition, there’s the added bonus of an indoor jacuzzi, sauna, ski room, and garage.

Weekly rates from 3,800 to 15,000 Euro

Courchevel, France

Courchevel 1850 was the first resort in France to be constructed from scratch rather than based around an existing village. As a result, you can’t get much closer to the winter action than staying here. This wonderful chalet offers ski-in, ski-out access given its close proximity to some of the finest and indeed the longest run of connected ski slopes in the world.

This chalet boasts traditional alpine architecture on the exterior which blends perfectly with the ultra-contemporary décor on the interior.

There are six ensuite bedrooms, ensuring the property can comfortably sleep up to 12 people. There is a large lounge with TV room, dining room, fully equipped kitchen, games room, hammam, sauna and indoor swimming pool.

Weekly rates from 18,000 to 58,000 Euro.