La Bouitte
Warm family-run alpine chalet — authentically rustic with serious luxury underneath. No corporate polish; the Meilleur family genuinely greets guests as part of the clan.
Book the restaurant at the same time as your room — it fills up months in advance, especially in peak ski season
Why It Matters
A three-generation family of chefs named Meilleur (meaning 'best') built this from nothing. The restaurant held 3 Michelin stars from 2015 to 2024 and currently holds 2. The property carries the Entreprise du Patrimoine Vivant label, awarded for artisanal excellence. There is no other combination of this calibre — Michelin-starred kitchen, bespoke alpine spa, and genuine family hospitality — anywhere in Les 3 Vallées.
La Bouitte is a 5-star Relais & Châteaux property tucked into the hamlet of Saint-Marcel, a few minutes' drive from the Les 3 Vallées ski lifts. Built literally by hand by René Meilleur in 1976 on what was once a potato field, the chalet is a layered archive of Savoyard life: 17th-century beams, ceramic pots, hand-knitted cushions, cheese moulds and antique fir timber alongside every modern comfort. The real magnet, though, is the restaurant — René and son Maxime run a 2-Michelin-starred kitchen that put this quiet Alpine village on the gastronomy map.
Where You'll Stay
12 room types available
Agathe Comfort Room
From EUR450 / nightDouble or twin with generous red bedspread, faux fur throw, antique hardwood beams and wardrobe. Large balcony with views over Saint-Marcel and the Les Encombres valley. The mistress of the house has tucked teddy bears here and there.
23 sqmAnaïs Junior Suite
From EUR750 / nightDouble or twin with mountain views and a sitting area with a wood-burning stove. Connected to Comfort Room Émilie via an adjoining lobby — good for families.
28 sqmAngeline Superior Room
From EUR550 / nightDouble or twin with ensuite bath and mountain views from a private balcony. One of the rooms from the original 2000 hotel opening, recently renovated.
23 sqmAurélie Superior Room
From EUR550 / nightDouble or twin with mezzanine featuring a single bed and balcony with mountain views. Marked the beginning of the hotel in 2000. Exposed antique hardwood beams, traditional mountain armoire, faux fur throws and a loft ladder up to the mezzanine.
26 sqmCélestine Superior Room
From EUR550 / nightKing or twin room with ensuite bath and mountain views, plus a balcony. Warm red bedspread against wooden finishings and beige-and-brown fabrics. Consistently praised for its views of the village and the Cochet mountain.
24 sqmÉlise Superior Room
From EUR550 / nightDouble or twin with a dedicated study area, ensuite bath and mountain views. Rich red-and-grey colour palette; half-rosette hardwood headboard with small embroidered heart detail. A desk positioned under the gaze of a playful teddy bear. Communicates with the Marie Luxury Suite.
24 sqmÉmilie Comfort Room
From EUR450 / nightOriginally Maxime Meilleur's own room. Abundance of wood, soft fabrics and woolens, snowflake-decorated lamps, teddy bears on wardrobe tops — all in elegant shades of grey. Ensuite bath and mountain views.
22 sqmJuliette Comfort Room
From EUR450 / nightDouble or twin room with a mezzanine featuring a single bed and a balcony with mountain views. Adjoins Junior Suite Joséphine. Classic Savoyard chalet feel with antique timbers and warm fabrics.
22 sqmLéa Comfort Room
From EUR450 / nightDouble or twin room with a private terrace and mountain views. One of the entry-level rooms with the full La Bouitte character — antique beams, plush textiles, mountain objects.
20 sqmLéonie Junior Suite
From EUR750 / nightDouble or twin with mountain views from the balcony and a living area with a fireplace. Connects via lobby to Junior Suite Lucie — can form a family unit.
30 sqmLucie Junior Suite
From EUR900 / nightA duplex two-bedroom suite: both rooms have double beds, plus a lounge with an option for an extra bed and two bathrooms. Mountain views throughout. One of the largest configurations available and ideal for families.
55 sqmMarie Luxury Suite
From EUR1,200 / nightThe flagship suite. Double or twin bedroom with a separate living area including a sofa bed and a fireplace, plus a balcony with mountain views. Communicates with the Élise Superior Room — making it the hotel's best family or group configuration.
52 sqmThe Property
Eat & Drink
2 venues on property
Restaurant
Spa & Wellness
Treatment Menu
On Property
How you'll actually spend your days.
Hands-on cooking classes led by René and Maxime Meilleur. Available on request.
Once a month (5 events per winter season, 4 per summer), La Bouitte gives carte blanche to a guest winemaker who presents 7–10 of their key vintages. René and Maxime Meilleur create food pairings specifically for each event. One of the most-praised experiences at the property.
Private wine tasting sessions with the hotel's sommelier — either in the restaurant cellar or in an alpine mountain hut.
Dog sled excursions available in winter season through hotel organisation.
Direct access to Les 3 Vallées, the world's largest linked ski domain with 600 km of pistes across Saint-Martin-de-Belleville, Val Thorens, Les Menuires, Méribel and Courchevel. Hotel provides a complimentary shuttle to the Saint-Martin lifts. Off-piste routes and glacier runs with a mountain guide also available.
Guided snowmobile tours of the surrounding alpine terrain, organizable through the hotel.
Snowshoe trekking in the Vanoise National Park and surrounding areas. Hotel can arrange guides.
Summer hiking through the vast 230 km² Belleville valley, up to alpine lakes and into the Vanoise National Park. The area supplies the restaurant kitchen with herbs, berries, river trout and mountain honey.
Mountain biking through the Belleville valley, Vallée des Encombres and surrounding terrain. Can be organised by the hotel.
Available through hotel organisation, launching from the slopes above Saint-Martin-de-Belleville.
A 5 km walking trail through Saint-Martin-de-Belleville with 12 stops covering 17th-century Baroque churches, old farmsteads, chapels and the village museum. Takes approximately 2 hours.
Amenities & Practical Info
The details that matter for planning.
Fully-equipped private meeting lounge available for seminars, incentives and private hire. The entire hotel can be booked out for exclusive use.
Daily buffet breakfast using local Savoyard produce. Widely praised by guests. Charged as a supplement (~€42/person). Note: cooked items such as omelettes and eggs cost extra.
Cosy lounge bar with a garden terrace overlooking the Encombres pass.
MEILLEUR Nature product shop and gift boxes available for purchase. Includes spa experiences, restaurant dinners, and hotel stays.
Complimentary hotel shuttle to and from the ski lifts and the Simple & Meilleur bistro in the village.
Alpine hay sauna (Solan steam bath) inside La Bèla Vya Spa. Free access for guests 9:00–20:00.
Balneotherapy pool with massage jets and waterfall cascade inside the La Bèla Vya Spa. Free for hotel guests 9:00–20:00.
Citrus-scented hammam inside La Bèla Vya Spa.
BUILD YOUR LA BOUITTE PLAN
Rooms, dining, spa, and resort experiences — organized into one trip plan.
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