Le Blizzard

Val d’Isère

Nestled in the heart of the park of Vanoise, the small, authentic Savoyard village of Val d’Isère is a world famous ski resort with an exceptional skiing area consisting of 1,000 hectares of slopes.

As early as the 1930s, the village exploited its numerous advantages, welcoming the first ski champions including Henri Oreiller, the Goitschel sisters and later, Jean-Claude Killy who created the Val d’isère legend with the creation of a fabulous skiing site with 155 slopes spread over 300 kilometers connecting Val d’Isère and Tignes, and which bears the former champion’s name.

Every year for more than half a century, the ”Espace Killy” has been the venue for the famous “First Snow Criterium”, a World Cup competition which opens the skiing season in France and attracts the world’s finest skiers.

The resort however, has nevertheless managed to preserve the authenticity of a mountain village as its 11^th Century bell tower, its stone chalets and its regional roof tiles known as “lauze” demonstrate. Today, Val d’Isère strictly respects the heritage of its local architecture. All new construction is controlled resulting in the harmonious use of stone and wood and the assurance of reasonable growth. Thanks to its natural surroundings and its typically local architecture, it is one of the most beautiful ski resorts in France.

A luxurious family boarding house

The Blizzard, a must in Val d’Isère, is a large property ideally situated in the village. Owned by the Cerboneschi family, it’s more like a luxury family boarding house than a typical hotel, although the guests who come here regularly, know that they will enjoy the great comfort and elegance of a five star hotel combined with the warmth of a mountain chalet.

Constant renovation by the Cerboneschis themselves without the use of outside decorators, is responsible for creating a style that reflects the owners’ tastes. We find second hand objects as well as upscale furniture and highly creative bathrooms. Each decorative detail has been selected with the goal of providing guests with a convivial and cozy “mountain” atmosphere. There’s an abundance of wood in all the rooms, comfortable wing chairs, feather quilts and an accumulation of objects as one might find in a private home.

Each detail has been carefully selected, from the bed lamp to the water taps. Each suite is different and represents the personality of its owners. Some are more Zen like, others more Art deco. There’s something for every possible taste. The common factors are discreet luxury and a warm ambiance making guests feel truly “at home”. This feeling continues into the salon with its light colored beams, raw stone and filtered lighting.

A Clarins spa is the perfect complement to this discreetly luxurious and refined retreat. A whirlpool bath, an indoor hammam, a sauna, a jacuzzi and a fitness room facing large bay windows provide all the ingredients for an ideal wellness space.

A true highlight of the Blizzard is its outdoor swimming pool surrounded by the snow and the mountains, heated of course so that guests can swim in the evening after a long day of skiing, before heading for the bar, “the place to be”, for the initiated, or to one of the hotel’s two restaurants: The Gastro, with fresh seasonal products from local markets or La Luge with its Savoyard specialties.

Thanks to its warm cushions, its indirect lighting, its checkered red and white table cloths, everything here lives and breathes the comfort guests are seeking after a day of skiing. Luxury takes on a brand new meaning at the Blizzard!