3-star renovated farm near La Clusaz with sauna, garden and fireplace
- Chalet
- Village 5.6 km
- Sauna in the garden
- Panoramic views
- Play area, pétanque court
Property tour
Chalet Arsène et Léa...
This family-friendly chalet near the village of Manigod is just 1km from the pistes and the ski bus stops just across the road, so you’ll waste no time getting on the slopes.
It was built by the owners’ grandparents, after whom it is named, and the present owners have renovated it using the original materials. Their work now takes them all over the world, and the decor of the chalet reflects that, with a wealth of souvenirs from their travels.
There are two young children in the family, so it’s no surprise the chalet was designed with them in mind – there’s a flat garden bordered by shrubs on the road side with swings and a pétanque piste to the rear of the chalet, and a play area complete with toys indoors. However, there are some steep open stairs, which may not be suitable for toddlers.
The chalet is right on the road, which is regularly cleared of snow, so access isn’t a problem, and the views are incredible – look across the Manigod valley to Etale, Val Sulens, Mont Charvin and Tournette. There is a garage where you can store skis, bikes, and outdoor gear, as well as parking for four cars. Plus there’s an extra special surprise in the mazot in the garden...
About the property...
This much-loved home is a perfect base for a large family group. Enter on the ground floor where you'll find the kitchen, a dining area, a living room with a large central stone fireplace and a library area, which was made from the manger in the original farmhouse.
Glass doors open onto the sunny wooden deck and flat garden, which has incredible views over the valley. There is also a large bathroom with walk-in shower and a double bedroom on this floor. An open staircase leads to the first floor, which is a large open-plan room divided into several areas – curl up on the sofas in front of the television while the children keep themselves busy in the play area.
There's a double bedroom with an en-suite shower room, dressing room and doors to the garden, and above this there's a cosy mezzanine bedroom with two single beds which can be joined to form a double bed. Finally, there are two single beds in a cabin-style bedroom which children will love.
Outside in the garden there's a surprise waiting in the mazot – an authentic Scandinavian sauna. Follow it with a roll in the snow for best results!
About the area...
Skiers will love this chalet, just a few minutes’ drive from the lifts at La Croix Fry. If you’d rather not drive, the ski bus stops just outside your door.
There’s an ESF ski school base at La Croix Fry, where beginners will love the gentle nursery slopes. Those with more experience can ski from here or explore the 220km of pistes between La Clusaz and Le Grand-Bornand.
Cross-country skiers will find plenty of trails to choose from on the nearby Beauregard plateau, as well as snowshoe trails, with a view across to Mont Blanc.
If there are non-skiers in your party, there are heated indoor and outdoor swimming pools at La Clusaz as well as an ice-skating rink and cinema. You could also try snow-shoe walking, dog-sledding and sleigh rides. You’ll be ready to relax after an action-packed day – the sauna back at Chalet Arsène et Léa is the perfect place to soothe those tired muscles!
You’ll never be stuck for something to do in the Aravis valley in the summer. There’s no shortage of walks, from mountain trails to hiking on the Glières plateau, the scene of the Resistance’s campaign against the German army in World War II.
The ski lifts will take walkers or cyclists and their bikes up the mountains, so they can come down at their own pace, and adrenalin junkies can try paragliding, canyoning, climbing, or white-water rafting within a few miles of Manigod. Via ferrata is another great family day out, with children as young as eight able to explore the mountains secured to a harness.
The medieval lakeside town of Annecy is just 30 minutes away by car and is a great place for a day out, whatever the season, with a wide range of restaurants, shops and museums. In the summer it's a great place for watersports, or hire a boat and explore some of the quiet lakeside beaches.
You’ll have plenty of experiences to share back at the chalet, perhaps over a beer and a game of pétanque as the sun sets...
What next?
If you think a family holiday at Chalet Arsène et Léa is just what you need, check our calendar for availability – we will be happy to hold your dates for you for 24 hours while you finalise your plans. But don't wait too long – family-friendly chalets like this are always in big demand.
Guest reviews
“Perfect experience”
Very beautiful chalet, great amenities. Ideally located. Perfect communication with the host. We had an excellent stay! I recommend it!
“Relaxing stay with an exceptional view”
A revitalizing and relaxing stay with a superb view! We all, young and old, and a small dog, had a very pleasant and relaxing stay in this chalet, well-equipped for 8 people, very clean. Good bedding and a nice space for everyone. We had an exceptional view. The proximity to the road did not bother us. Wonderful walks, a very beautiful discovery. We were able to enjoy the sauna for zen moments. We recommend this rental and thank Sophie for her welcome and availability.
“Great stay ❄️”
Great stay ❄️
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Features
- Sauna
- Child friendly
- Fireplace
- Terrace
- Petanque
- Ski store
- More
Inclusions
- Free WiFi
- Linen and towels provided
- Firewood provided
- Animals welcome
- Non-smoking rental
- Car recommended
- More
- Check-in: after 16h00
- Check-out: before 10h00
Full list of features, inclusions, activities, nearby points of interest and special conditions:
Deposit
Book 8 weeks or more before your arrival date and pay only 25% to secure your booking.
The full amount of your rental is due 8 weeks prior to your arrival date
Cancellation
Standard option
- 100% refund up to 8 weeks before arrival
- No refund within 8 weeks of arrival
Koala Flex option
- 100% refund up to 8 weeks before arrival
- 90% refund between 8 weeks and 2 days before arrival
Please Note
Please note that Chalet Arsène & Léa is situated on the main road to the Col de la Croix Fry (where the ski fields are), which makes it very convenient in winter but does mean that in busy periods there can be a fair amount of traffic noise.
The owner requires a €1,000 damage and excess cleaning guarantee to be set up before arrival. No funds are taken or blocked on your card. Your card details are securely held for up to 14 days after departure. If no charge is required, they will be deleted.
Every stay includes
WiFi
Local tips & concierge
Linen & towels
Sparkling cleaning
Location
Manigod - La Clusaz
Set in one of the most beautiful Alpine valleys, the village of Manigod is a mountain secret that is a delight to discover.
With its own ski area linking into the famed La Clusaz ski resort, Manigod offers fabulous skiing in winter and world class cycling in the summer.
Beautiful chalets are dotted around the mountains, restaurants range from local auberges to Michelin starred, and you can buy locally made pottery and cheeses fresh from the farm.
Getting around
- Ski slopes
- 1 km
- Ski bus stop
- 50 m
- Town centre
- 5.6 km
- Supermarket
- 11 km
The OVO Network Review
Chalet Arsène and Léa is a 4-bedroom, 2-bathroom restored farmhouse for 8 (max 7 adults) spread over 2 floors, and 170m2 of floor space.
The configuration of the chalet is quite unusual. On the ground floor there is a garage, an entrance hall, a double bedroom, a family bathroom with WC, the kitchen and the dining area.
There is also a unique Moroccan-themed cosy corner around the wood burner – the owners, who are keen travellers, love this cosy snug space in their mountain home. There is a more conventional lounge on the first floor.
The first floor is a large open-plan space with a more contemporary sofa area, a bunk room corner (which is not closed off completely), a library, a play area and a double en-suite bedroom, the roof of which forms the floor of a mezzanine area which is another double sleeping area, beneath the eaves of the chalet, open to and overlooking the rest of the first floor. The photos and 360-degree virtual tour photos on the website describe the spaces perhaps more clearly than these words!
The chalet sits above the road 1km from the slopes at Croix Fry , 6km from Manigod village, ensuring easy access to the hill for nervous drivers even in heavy snow conditions. The south-facing balcony is a perfect spot from which to view the Tour de France when it passes this way.
The owners have planted shrubs between the garden and the road to provide some separation, and dampen some of the sound of passing traffic, again please refer to the photos to better understand the layout. They have also sited the children's slide/swings and the pétanque court in the large flat space to the rear of the property.
With superb views from the terrace outside the dining area, and the sauna in the mazot, Chalet Arsène and Léa is one unique property that we know family groups and groups of friends appreciate tremendously. Plus the property manager offers fresh croissants and bread delivery every morning!
What is the OVO Network Review?
We visit the property and write an unbiased review. What’s good? What’s not so good? We’ll help you find the right chalet for you.
From the owner
Pierre G.
In 1938, my grandfather Arsène, a farmer, decided to build a mountain chalet so that the cows could graze on the summer pastures. He took a carpenter and used the spruce trees in the forests above the site.
My grandmother Léa collected and dried the tree moss, which they used as insulation between the beams.
I was lucky enough to inherit this chalet from my parents, Marie-Louise and René, and it means so much to me (I spent many holidays there, during the summer and at Christmas, when my grandfather took the cows back up to feed on the hay from the barn).
I renovated the ground floor in 1994 and the first floor in 2004, using some of the features of the old property. For example, I used the old mangers as a structure for the library, and stones from the region for the fireplace – a mix of grey Aravis limestone and darker sandstone from Beauregard and Sulens.
Finally, having travelled a lot in Scandinavia and Eastern Europe, my wife and I decided to build a sauna in the garden – a proper wood-fired sauna, which reaches the perfect temperature in 30 minutes. Try following it with a roll in the snow, perfect!
The chalet was our main home until 2014 – we always felt at home in its welcoming atmosphere. But a taste for adventure took us off to other destinations.
All the bedding (except for the upstairs bedroom area) was changed in 2020.
The latest works date from 2023 and included changing the central heating (heat pump instead of oil), changing the joinery and improving the insulation in the living room, changing the parquet flooring in the living room and reorganising the rooms.
We hope you enjoy your stay!
Pierre and Marilyne
Who are you booking with?
All properties on OVO Network are owned and operated by independent property owners.
You are booking Chalet Arsene et Lea directly with Pierre G.. Your payment for the booking will be taken and held securely by Mangopay SA, a licensed and regulated e-money institution, and released to the owner only when the booking becomes non-refundable.
