Words: Jonathan Wells
This may be Montana – but it’s not the sweeping state that’ll first spring to mind. Because, while the ‘Sierre’ district of Switzerland may have the same name, cold climate and jagged horizon as its mountainous US namesake, this more alpine Montana is criss-crossed with the ski slopes, hiking trails and fondue-serving spa towns that typify central Europe.
It also one-ups the clapboard cabins and houses that you’ll find across the pond, with clusters of charming chalets dotted throughout the Valais countryside from Mont Fort to the Furka Pass. And this snow-dusted home, the palatial ‘Chalet Peaks’, is one such good-looking property.
A complex compound of three interconnected chalets, sitting snugly in the village of Bruyeres, this new listing from Knight Frank has 12 bedrooms in total, a garage large enough for ten cars and a warren of underground tunnels and covered walkways that link the buildings.
In the main chalet, you’ll find a luxurious living room with soaring, triple-height ceilings, expanses of exposed wood and a statement, contemporary circular staircase in the centre of the room. It’s an open-plan space that sprawls out in different directions to a kitchen, dining room and bar.
Go down half a level, and you’ll find an office area. Another half-level down, and there’s a conservatory-style summer lounge. For any weary skiers, a massage room and well-appointed wellness centre also offers respite, and is accessible by the underground tunnels.
And the indoor pool, fully heated and a warm world away from the wintry weather outside, offers a soaking sanctuary that’s filled by a fountain and surrounded by glass walls that gaze out across the garden.
The second and third chalets also offer ample space, with a particularly generous balcony on the two-bedroom property. These statement terraces are perhaps the most alluring feature of Chalet Peaks; with outdoor spaces across every level of the three different properties, and private balconies attached to every bedroom.
And it is these views, offered from the south-facing plateau of the Valais valley, that are the chalet’s real selling point — and the finest you’ll find in any Montana.
Want more mountainous property options? At the crossroads between France, Switzerland and Italy, this down-home getaway blends contemporary sensibilities with ski and sun…
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