Meet the Team

My passion for skiing and the mountains stems from being lucky enough to go on ski holidays with family and friends from a young age. Driving through the wine regions to get to the French Alps each time instilled a real interest in the French culture and language, which has always fascinated me. It therefore seemed natural to study languages (French and Spanish) at university, giving me ample reason to carry on travelling through my 20’s and incorporate travel into my work and vice versa. Doing my first ski season in Val d’Isère in 2016-17, the ski bug really set in, and so ensued my real love for the mountains and all things snowy.

When I returned to work in the Alps a few years later to manage our Méribel chalet, Pont du Cam, I knew then that I wanted to progress my career within not just travel, but the ski industry in particular. Being the go-to person to arrange clients’ trips, I can help to organise ski lessons, snowmobiling, heli-skiing, restaurant reservations, you name it! As a fluent French speaker, I also deal with many of our suppliers in resort to develop and maintain our local partnerships.

Favourite chalet
I genuinely think they are all incredibly cool chalets, however La Maison wins me over time and time again – I just love how the French heritage and history have been retained whilst designing a chalet that not only works from an operational perspective but also oozes style. What’s more, the facilities are to die for and make you feel like you’re in a dedicated spa.

Favourite run/area
Having lived in Méribel for a season, the Three Valleys became my playground of choice! There are almost too many spots to choose from, but the Lapin piste down to Méribel Village is a lovely blue with lots of fun off piste through the trees either side.

Favourite restaurant
My favourite kind of mountain lunch is alfresco with a glass of Provence rosé in hand and basking in the sunny spring rays. La Cabane in Avoriaz provides all of this with their sun-trap terrace, delicious food and a great location from which to watch the passers-by on the slopes. For Méribel, Le Clos Bernard is a solid favourite as its location is seriously special in the middle of the woods, and the food is amazing!

I founded The Boutique Chalet Company over ten years ago and it’s a real synergy of all my passions. At the core is my love of property; I’m an experienced developer and have always been fascinated by design. It’s an honour to work with the totally unique properties that are in our portfolio, especially those where I have been involved with the owner from the outset of their journey.

Next up, I’m a fully-subscribed foodie. As well as eating out and exploring the world of hospitality whenever possible, I also cook a lot and to this day myself and my wife regularly host dinner parties and events in our home – in some ways our hobby became our profession in this respect. I also love visiting wine regions and, more recently, have even started brewing craft beer.

And then finally, deep down inside, I’m a sportsman. In a past life I harboured ambitions of playing professional rugby but nowadays that competitive streak is fuelled with ski touring and road cycling. I’m one of those types that enjoys the challenge of climbing our beautiful mountains as much as descending them. I also love the variety the Alps has to offer – the scenery is always incredible and there is something for everyone to enjoy, be that in the winter or summer. So to sum up why I started The Boutique Chalet Company in one word, I would say… passion.

Favourite chalet
That would be telling! In reality it’s impossible to choose – every property in our portfolio is unique and each one has its own features and character that make it special. This is always really important to us… there are lots of ‘good’ chalets in the Alps but we try to work with those that really deliver. Which will suit you best will vary depending on your group and aspirations. But there’s no wrong answer, they’re all incredible places to stay.

Favourite run/area
The Vallee de la Manche. It’s not really part of the ski area, not in a downhill skiing sense anyway because there are no lifts here! There are pisted cross country trails you can explore but actually for a truly special experience I would hire a guide and go snowshoeing. This is accessible for nearly all abilities and you’ll experience a totally unique perspective on the mountains which you’ll never find ‘in bounds’ so to speak. For more adventurous types, there is also an abundance of ski touring and mountaineering on offer which again, can make for an amazing experience without taking a lift.

Favourite restaurant
So hard to choose! Well to continue the Vallee de la Manche theme the newly-renovated Crapahut is incredible – the food is superb and the setting second to none. I also love La Cabane in Avoriaz, particularly earlier in the season when you need to escape the cold outside. My main tip, just order the plat du jour and enjoy. Then I also have to mention La Paika for their spring BBQ’s on the terrace – simply epic.