Christmas ski chalets, four resorts and one festive week
How Christmas works in a private chalet in Courchevel, Verbier, Zermatt and St. Moritz: the fixed weeks, the chef’s calendar, the snow and what to settle before December.
Christmas ski chalets are let by the full week, and in 2026 that week runs from Saturday 19 to Saturday 26 December, with Christmas Day on the Friday. In Courchevel, Verbier, Zermatt and St. Moritz, the best residences for that week and for New Year are the first of the winter to be taken, so mid-October is the moment to ask. Before you sign, check three things: the arrival day, whether the owner lets Christmas alone or only with New Year, and which evening is the chef’s night off.
This page is the overview for all of our resorts. Each one has its own festive page with the residences we suggest there, linked below; here you will find what is common to all of them: how a festive week is structured, how the private chef’s week fits around Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, where snow is most likely in late December, and a timeline from now to the day you arrive.
One practical point for British families: the Boxing Day bank holiday moves to Monday 28 December this year, so a family arriving on the 19th and staying a week travels home on Boxing Day itself, alongside the guests arriving for New Year. For the whole winter calendar, week by week, see our 2026-27 chalet ski holiday planner.
Christmas 2026 in dates and altitudes
Checked against official sources, so you can plan with confidence.
In England and Wales, Christmas Day falls on Friday 25 December 2026, the Boxing Day bank holiday is moved to Monday 28 December, and New Year’s Day is Friday 1 January 2027.
Source: gov.uk, bank holidaysFrench schools in every zone break up on Saturday 19 December 2026 and go back on Monday 4 January 2027, which fills the French Alps over both festive weeks.
Source: education.gouv.fr, school calendarZermatt’s lifts are scheduled to run from 1 November 2026, so its ski area is already running seven weeks before Christmas.
Source: matterhornparadise.ch, ski passesMatterhorn Glacier Paradise, the top of Zermatt’s ski area, stands at 3,883 metres above sea level.
Source: matterhornparadise.chCourchevel’s ski area is scheduled to open on Friday 4 December 2026 and the wider Three Valleys on Saturday 5 December, three weeks before Christmas.
Source: skipasscourchevel.comVerbier and La Tzoumaz passes are valid from 5 December 2026, and passes for the whole 4 Vallées from 12 December, so the full area is scheduled to be open for Christmas week.
Source: verbier4vallees.ch, winter passesWhich resort suits your kind of Christmas
The four resorts give four quite different Christmases. The question is less which is best than which matches the way your family celebrates: a French réveillon on the 24th, a long British lunch on the 25th, a quiet week by the fire or a house that fills up again for New Year.
| Resort | The festive feel | Snow and altitude | Where to look next |
|---|---|---|---|
| Courchevel | A French resort, where the big meal is the réveillon on Christmas Eve. Courchevel 1850 is the liveliest; Courchevel Village and Moriond are calmer for young families. The tourist office lists torchlit descents and end-of-year festivities among its winter events. | The ski area is scheduled to open on 4 December 2026, three weeks before Christmas. | Christmas and New Year chalets in Courchevel |
| St. Moritz | A real town beside its lake in the Engadin, at 1,856 metres, with an elegant, traditional feel. Suits families who want walks, the spa and long dinners as much as the slopes. | The town itself sits at 1,856 metres, which helps in late December. | Christmas chalets in St. Moritz |
| Verbier | A village at 1,500 metres with the strongest New Year energy of the four. Christmas is quieter than the turn of the year, which suits families who stay on. | The full 4 Vallées pass is valid from 12 December 2026. | festive weeks in a Verbier chalet |
| Zermatt | A car-free village under the Matterhorn, with electric taxis instead of traffic: a storybook Christmas, especially for children. | Lifts run from 1 November 2026 and the glacier tops out at 3,883 metres: the safest bet for snow. | our chalets in car-free Zermatt |
Season dates from the lift companies, altitudes from the tourist offices, checked in October 2026. St. Moritz had not published its 2026-27 lift dates when we checked.
How a Christmas chalet week actually works
Outside the holidays, an owner may accept a Wednesday arrival or a five-night stay. Over Christmas and New Year, flexibility shrinks, because every owner knows the week will be let. The terms below are the ones we check for every festive request, and we confirm each owner’s answers in writing in the proposal.
| Point | What it usually means at Christmas | What to ask before you sign |
|---|---|---|
| Arrival day | Saturday to Saturday: 19 to 26 December for Christmas, 26 December to 2 January for New Year. | Is a Sunday arrival possible, and at what time is the house ready on the 19th? |
| Minimum stay | A full week. Short Christmas breaks are rarely accepted, and some owners let Christmas only together with New Year. | Would the owner take ten nights, or is the fortnight the only option? |
| Boxing Day changeover | Departing and arriving guests travel on the same day, on roads and at airports that are busy. | What time must we leave on the 26th, and can our transfer be booked now? |
| The chef’s night off | Most chefs cook dinner five or six evenings a week; the free evening is set by the house. | Which evening is it, and can it be moved away from the 24th, the 25th or the 31st? |
| Festive food and drink | In many chalets, food and drink are charged at cost on top of the rent, and festive produce is ordered in advance. | What is included, and what will be charged at cost for the Christmas meals? |
| Deposit and terms | The booking is confirmed on signature and receipt of the deposit; a security deposit is requested before arrival. | What are the cancellation terms for a festive week? |
The chef, the réveillon and the night off
In a catered chalet, the Christmas meals are the chef’s work, but the calendar is set by the house. The table below shows how the kitchen runs in eight of our residences, taken from each house’s terms, and what that means for the festive week. If you are still deciding how much service you want, our guide to catered and self-catered chalets sets out the difference.
Two traditions often meet in the same house. French and Swiss families celebrate on the evening of the 24th; British families tend to keep the 25th for the main meal. Tell us which you keep, or both, and we build the chef’s week around it: the night off goes elsewhere, the menu is agreed in November and any special produce is ordered well ahead.
| Residence | How the kitchen runs | For Christmas week |
|---|---|---|
| Chalet Gus, St. Moritz | Breakfast and afternoon tea daily, dinner by the chef five evenings a week, early meals for younger guests; house wines and a full bar included. | Two free evenings: place them away from the 24th and the 25th. |
| Chalet Azelia, St. Moritz | Breakfast and afternoon tea daily, dinner with canapés five evenings a week; champagne, wines and an open bar included. | Drinks are already covered, so the festive meals mainly need a menu. |
| Chalet Orizon, Verbier | Dinner five nights, preceded by drinks and canapés; open bar included; an early supper for children can be arranged. | Children can eat early on the 24th while the adults dine later. |
| Chalet Auron, Verbier | Breakfast and afternoon tea daily, dinner by the private chef six nights a week; food and drink charged at cost. | One free evening; festive produce is charged at cost. |
| Chalet Zeyr, Zermatt | Breakfast and afternoon tea daily, dinner six evenings a week; food and drink charged at cost. The kitchen has a wood-fired pizza oven. | The wood-fired oven makes the chef’s evening off an easy pizza night at home. |
| Chalet Anelle, Zermatt | Breakfast, afternoon tea and half-board; ingredients charged separately. A separate professional kitchen keeps the chef out of sight. | Suits a long, formal Christmas dinner for twelve. |
| Chalet Valmont, Courchevel | Breakfast, afternoon tea, and lunch or dinner each day, served by a butler; food and drink charged separately. | Choose lunch on the 25th and dinner on the 24th. |
| Chalet Flys, Courchevel | A private chef and a maître d’hôtel six days a week, breakfast and afternoon tea every day. | Check which day is free before you fix the festive meals. |
Each residence’s full terms are confirmed in the proposal for your dates.
Snow in late December, an honest view
Christmas is early in the season, and no resort can promise fresh snow on the 25th. What you can do is stack the odds. Altitude and glacier skiing matter most: Zermatt’s lifts have been running since November and its glacier reaches 3,883 metres. The town of St. Moritz itself sits at 1,856 metres. Courchevel and Verbier both open their ski areas in early December and, in a lean year, depend on their higher slopes.
If the snow is thin, a well-chosen chalet still carries the week. That is why, for Christmas, we look closely at the indoor pool, the spa, the cinema and the size of the living room. A family that can swim, watch a film and eat well at home is far less exposed to the weather than one that only planned to ski.
A booking timeline for Christmas 2026
- Now: send your dates and your group
Tell us whether it is Christmas, New Year or both, how many adults and children, and which resorts you would consider. Nathalie Nguyen or Adam Haddad replies within the day with what is still free, including residences that are not published online.
- Within days: the proposal and the agreement
You receive a tailored proposal and a written rental agreement setting out the arrival day, the chef’s week and what is charged at cost. The booking is confirmed on signature and receipt of the deposit.
- Late October: flights and transfers
Book flights for the 19th or the 26th early, and the transfer with them: the Boxing Day changeover is the busiest transfer day of the week.
- November: the festive programme
Agree the menus for the 24th and 25th, dietary needs and children’s meal times with the chef. Book private instructors, childcare and any restaurant evenings now, as Christmas week is in demand.
- Early December: the final details
Confirm the guest list, arrival times and ski sizes, so that lift passes and equipment can be delivered to the chalet. If you would like a tree dressed before you arrive, ask, and we confirm it with the house.
- Next year: start in spring
For Christmas 2027, the strongest choice of residences is available to those who ask the spring before.
Luxury ski chalets for Christmas, across our four resorts
Residences we suggest for the festive weeks, two in each resort, each visited by our team; others are available without being published online.
The festive residences side by side
Sleeping arrangements and facilities, to see which house fits your family before you ask about the dates.
| Residence | Guests | Bedrooms | Bathrooms | Living area | Highlights |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chalet ValmontCourchevel | 14 | 6 | 7 | 717 m² | Indoor Pool, Cinema Room, Wine Cellar, Hammam, Sauna |
| Chalet FlysCourchevel | 15 | 8 | 9 | 680 m² | Indoor Pool, Cinema Room, Wine Cellar, Hammam, Sauna |
| Chalet GusSt. Moritz | 20 | 9 | 9 | 930 m² | Indoor Pool, Wine Cellar, Hammam, Sauna, Massage Room |
| Chalet AzeliaSt. Moritz | 14 | 6 | 7 | 1,000 m² | Indoor Pool, Cinema Room, Hammam, Massage Room, Jacuzzi |
| Chalet OrizonVerbier | 16 | 8 | 9 | 1,000 m² | Indoor Pool, Cinema Room, Hammam, Sauna, Massage Room |
| Chalet AuronVerbier | 14 | 7 | 8 | 1,150 m² | Indoor Pool, Wine Cellar, Hammam, Sauna, Massage Room |
| Chalet ZeyrZermatt | 12 | 6 | 7 | 565 m² | Sauna, Massage Room, Jacuzzi, Gym, Elevator |
| Chalet AnelleZermatt | 12 | 6 | 6 | 692 m² | Nordic Bath, Hammam, Sauna, Massage Room, Jacuzzi |
Rates are on request and depend on dates and services. Your advisor confirms availability and the final details of every residence.
Christmas luxury ski holidays, arranged from Paris
What we do differently when the request is for the festive weeks.
Four resorts, one request
One message gives you what is still free for Christmas in Courchevel, Verbier, Zermatt and St. Moritz, so you can compare before the weeks go.
Festive terms in writing
Arrival day, minimum stay, the chef’s night off and what is charged at cost are set out in the proposal, not discovered on arrival.
A chef’s week built around your traditions
Réveillon on the 24th, lunch on the 25th or both: the menus and the free evening are agreed with the house in November.
Residences not shown online
Some owners prefer not to publish their chalet. For a festive week, they are often the ones still available.
Christmas ski holidays, your questions
Anything else? Our team in Paris answers personally, usually within the day.
Ask our teamWhen is the best time to book a Christmas ski holiday?
As early as you can. For the best private chalets, Christmas and New Year are the first weeks of the winter to be taken, and some are let a season ahead. In mid-October there is still a choice, but it narrows every week. Send us your dates and your group now; for Christmas 2027, start the conversation the spring before.
Can you book a ski chalet for less than a week over Christmas?
Rarely. Over the festive weeks, owners let by the full week, usually Saturday to Saturday, and some only let Christmas together with New Year. A shorter stay is sometimes possible when a gap appears between two bookings, or in the quieter weeks before 19 December. Tell us your ideal dates and we ask each owner directly.
Is Christmas dinner included in a catered chalet?
The chef’s work is included, but the details vary. Most chefs cook dinner five or six evenings a week, so check that the night off does not fall on the 24th or the 25th. In many chalets, food and drink are charged at cost; in others, wines and an open bar are included. We confirm what applies to your residence in writing.
Which resorts have the most reliable snow at Christmas?
No resort can guarantee snow in late December, but altitude helps. Of our four, Zermatt is the safest bet: its lifts run from November and its glacier reaches 3,883 metres. The town of St. Moritz sits at 1,856 metres. Courchevel and Verbier open in early December and, in a lean year, depend on their higher slopes.
What is there to do at Christmas if you do not ski?
Plenty, especially in a chalet with its own spa. Indoor pools, cinemas and games rooms carry the days at home, and our concierge can arrange in-chalet treatments. Outside, St. Moritz has its lake and valley walks, Zermatt its car-free streets and Matterhorn views, and in-resort outings such as dog sledding can be booked on request in several residences.
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Ask for your festive week while there is a choice
Tell Nathalie Nguyen or Adam Haddad your dates, your group and the resorts you have in mind. We reply within the day on WhatsApp at +33 7 80 98 05 43 or by email at contact@lutetia-group.com, with what is still free for Christmas and New Year.