8 mountain chalet retreats for summer

Head to the hills for a blissed-out holiday filled with fresh air, good food and spectacular scenery. Featuring luxury, quirky, exotic and rustic retreats that are perfect for summer.

Luxury

Chalet la Ferme des Petites Frasses, France

This 18th-century farmhouse is set amid alpine forest just above the French village of Megève. In summer, you can have breakfast out on the terrace with the backdrop being an unblemished vista of the snow-capped Mont Blanc massif, and the sound of cowbells tinkling from nearby private pastures. The farmhouse has a sauna, hammam and huge outdoor hot tub for added relaxation, and – if you’re after unbridled indulgence – a helipad, butler service and wine cellar.

Le St Bernard – Les Chalets Spa Canada

With antlers mounted on the walls, timber beams, plush throws and huge windows through which shards of golden sunshine stream, this remote wooden chalet in Quebec is a great place to immerse yourself in nature without skimping on luxury. Guests can go horse riding, mountain biking and kayaking in the nearby Saguenay–St. Lawrence Marine Park. Or, just fire up the barbecue for an evening of feasting and relaxing in the jacuzzi on the roomy verandah.

Quirky

Ferienhaus Niedernsill, Austria

A converted former ski club hut, this boxy, daffodil-yellow chalet built on an Austrian hillside is brimming with character. The walls are adorned with arts, crafts and vintage porcelain dolls, while the tables and windowsills are laden with vases of fresh flowers and the odd antique sewing machine. It’s even possible to have a quiet sundowner on the porch overlooking the valley with kids in tow – the garden has a slide, climbing frame and swings to keep families entertained.

Alphütte Bielerchäller, Switzerland

This ramshackle chalet in the Swiss Alps, complete with wood-burning stove and entirely wooden interior, feels straight out of Heidi. It also provides access to the Aletsch Arena, an extensive ski area in winter and a natural wonderland in summer – visit the Great Aletsch Glacier (the largest glacier in the Alps), go paragliding or hiking in the Aletsch forest, or rent a little rowing boat for a trip across the calm and clear waters of Bettmersee lake.

Exotic

Chalés Paraty Real, Brazil

Go to sleep to the sound of water cascading down your private waterfall and wake up to tropical birdsong at this blissful chalet on Brazil’s Costa Verde. With views of velvety green mountains and jungle on one side, and the ocean on the other, it’s a panoramic paradise. The feeling of seclusion is enhanced by the breakfast service; each morning (at your preferred time), a basket is left outside the door filled with carrot cake, whole grain breads, freshly-squeezed juices, papayas, mangoes and more – best enjoyed while gently rocking in your balcony hammock.

Solar de Piedra, Argentina

In the underrated Argentinian province of Córdoba, you’ll find a collection of wooden chalets built on stilts on a gently sloping plain facing the Sierras de Córdoba – a rocky mountain range dotted with salt lakes and boulder-filled rivers. Being close to the province’s capital (also called Córdoba), guests here can easily take in the cobbled, floral-scented streets of the city while also getting to know the area’s natural beauty. And there’s an outdoor pool with straw cabanas providing welcome shade on hot summer days.

Rustic

Paraiso de Montaña, Argentina

When summer comes and melts the thick carpet of snow covering this small wooden chalet in rural Argentina, the vista transforms. The surface of Lago Moquehue glistens royal blue below, and dense green foliage entwines itself around the cabin. The terrace acts as a sun trap with panoramic views, a huge stone barbecue and hammock.

Chalet de la Montagne, Canada

Walking up the winding wooden steps of this Canadian chalet built upon stone in a forest clearing, you’ll feel like you’ve arrived in the middle of nowhere. The ideal place to get away from it all, it’s a simply decorated, secluded retreat that’s all about the glorious natural surroundings; only 10 minutes’ walk away, you’ll find Tadoussac Bay, where you can stroll to the end of the wharf to see the wide, island-filled St. Lawrence River and the mouth of the mighty Saguenay Fjord. There’s also whale-watching, sea kayaking, hiking and a number of other nature-related activities to experience in the area.