let it snow; Richard Alleman explores the best ski lodges in the French Alps.

Byline: Richard Alleman

Courchevel, the star resort of France's Les Trois Vallees, offers sublime skiing-and some of the finest restaurants and hotels in the Alps. This month brings the debut of Le Cheval Blanc. The dream of Bernard Arnault, director of LVMH (Louis Vuitton Moet Hennessy), this chic new property in the tranquil Jardin Alpin section will have 34 suites and penthouses and an individual chalet-all with sleek interiors by a team of designers handpicked by Monsieur Arnault. Along with plans for a Michelin-starred chef, there will be a Givenchy spa, a 65-foot swimming pool, as well as a John Nollet salon and Louis Vuitton and Christian Dior boutiques. Rates range from $9,060 to $10,900 for a week's stay for two people in a deluxe suite, including breakfast and one other meal; contact Kaluma Travel at 011-44-870-442-8044; enquiries@kalumatravel.co.uk.

Megeve came to fame in the 1920s, when Baroness Noemie de Rothschild, having decided that France needed a resort to rival Switzerland's St. Moritz, opened the lovely Palace du Mont d'Arbois. Since the 1980s, Jean-Louis and Jocelyne Sibuet have been behind some of the most elegant hotels in town-from Les Fermes de Marie to the reborn Mont Blanc, ...