A Charming Family Home in Chamonix

Photography by Laurent Cousin

The stunning property “Caraccard” is sure to have you craving a trip overseas. Nested in the mountains in Chamonix-Mont-Blanc, France, the chalet is a perfect off-the-grid locale. Not too far from incredible skiing, the alpine getaway was a no-brainer for the homeowners. With a relationship fostered from a previous collaboration, architect Renaud Chevallier headed the project. For Chevallier, this was an ideal project despite the homeowners’ ambitious design ideas.

Chevallier began designing a chalet that would be occupied for the larger part of the year, so functionality was key. The most prominent issue in design was dealing with the steep terrain. Despite the slope, Chevallier managed to provide 360° views with large windows to expose living spaces to full sun.

The architectural layout of the home is essentially two boxes sitting diagonally on top of each other. Having chosen to use cubes for the design, the uneven angles required close consideration of layout.

Made of larch, the custom-design cladding was meant to reinforce the overall look.

A highlight of the construction of Caraccard was the delivery and installation of the large bay window. With extraordinary dimensions, the window transformed the home into a viewing spectacle.