Megève became a ski resort when Noémie de Rothschild chose Mont d'Arbois for her alpine project in 1920. A hundred years later, the village is still one of the Alps' most elegant – here's how to make the most of two days there.
Megève in Haute-Savoie is one of the few ski resorts in the Alps that was a genuine village before it became a ski resort. The square, the church and the small lanes already existed when Noémie de Rothschild chose the slope of Mont d'Arbois, around 1,200 metres above sea level, for her alpine project in 1920. On the advice of ski instructor Trygve Smith, she had roads, pistes and cabins built, and the architect Henry-Jacques Le Même designed the chalets that came to define what is today known as Savoyard style. From the village, you can see Mont Blanc.
The family remains. Noémie's son Edmond, born in 1926, grew up in the family's chalet and ran the Chalet du Mont d'Arbois hotel for several decades. The hotel was replaced by the Four Seasons Resort Megève, which opened in December 2017. Here is our plan for two days – and what VERA PI's figures say about the village. The entire property market can be found on VERA PI's page about Megève.
Day 1, morning: Skiing at Mont d'Arbois
Start early on Mont d'Arbois, the slope where it all began. The lifts here connect with Saint-Gervais on the other side of the mountain and are part of the larger Évasion Mont-Blanc area. The runs are mainly wide and forest-lined, more suited to long, even turns than to steep terrain, and the view of the Mont Blanc massif accompanies you for almost the entire day.
Megève sits low for being a French ski resort – the village itself at around 1,100 metres. This provides forest, shelter and soft light, but also a season that is more dependent on the weather than in the high resorts of Tarentaise. Those who want to be certain of snow should choose January to March.
Day 1, afternoon: the square and the Calvaire
After lunch, you head down into the village. The square in front of the Saint-Jean-Baptiste church is car-free, and here horse and sleigh await the winter. Around the square are the shops – sportswear, ski clothing, cheese and delicatessen – and small lanes with timber houses and stone. It's one of the few places in the Alps where an evening stroll feels like being in a little town.
Just above the centre, the Calvaire begins, a path with small chapels and stations leading up into the forest. The walk offers one of the best views over the village and the valley, especially in the low afternoon light, and is a good alternative for a day when your legs need a rest.
Day 1, evening: Flocons de Sel
Megève has one of France's three-star restaurants. Flocons de Sel, Emmanuel Renaut's restaurant just outside the village, has three stars in the Guide Michelin 2026. The cuisine is built on produce from the mountains and lakes of Savoie. The village also has Vous, with one star. Book early – during Christmas, New Year and February, tables are often fully booked well in advance.
The information about the stars is taken from the Guide Michelin's list dated 25 October 2026. More starred restaurants in the mountains can be found in our review of the Alps' Michelin tables.
Day 2, morning: Rochebrune or Le Jaillet
On the second day, you switch sides. Rochebrune on the village's southern side is reached by lift near the centre and has long runs with views over the valley. Le Jaillet on the northern side is quieter and often overlooked by visitors. Those who don't ski can go snowshoeing or take a sledge out into the forest.
Day 2, afternoon: the palace and the golf course
Four Seasons Resort Megève comprises four chalets with 55 rooms, three restaurants and a spa of 900 square metres. The hotel holds the Palace distinction from Atout France and is one of the seven alpine palaces in France – five of the others are located in Courchevel, while the seventh is Hôtel Royal in Évian-les-Bains. The hotel is located at the slopes of Mont d'Arbois.
In the same area lies Golf du Mont d'Arbois, an 18-hole golf course between the pistes, which has roots in Noémie de Rothschild's time. In winter it is covered in snow, but it explains why Megève works even in summer, when the village fills up with hikers, golfers and families from Geneva and Lyon.
Megève according to VERA PI
Megève is one of the most expensive resorts in the French Alps for anyone wanting to buy a chalet. According to VERA PI, which is based on the French tax authority's register of property transactions, the median price for villas and houses is 14,583 euros per square metre and for flats 9,184 euros, calculated from January 2021 to June 2026. During the same period, 1,517 properties were sold. 83 per cent of the dwellings in the municipality are holiday homes, and 2,927 people live here all year round.
The fact that the villas are more expensive than the flats is unusual in the Alps and says a lot about the village: it is the detached chalets on Mont d'Arbois and Rochebrune that are the sought-after ones. Compare with the neighbour on VERA PI's page about Chamonix or the whole of Haute-Savoie.
Megève in numbers
| Task | Value |
|---|---|
| Mont d'Arbois was chosen | 1920 |
| Four Seasons opened | December 2017, 55 rooms |
| Houses and detached homes, median per m² | 14,583 euros |
| Flats, median per m² | 9,184 euros |
| Holiday homes | 83 per cent |
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