Nestled in the heart of the ski resort, the hotel-chalet Le M de Megève is reopening its doors for the winter season on December 16th, 2020. For the very first time, the 5-star hotel, which has 42 rooms – including 21 suites – has partnered with Clarins to open up le Spa by CLARINS and to create a special gastronomic wellbeing menu.
This 5-star hotel, part of the Small Luxury Hotels of the World group, is located 100 meters away from the pedestrian area and from Chamois' cable car in Megève.
Each room or suite at Le M de Megève mingles Savoyard tradition with contemporary style, and includes light coloured wood, stone and Bonneval, fabric from Arpin made in Savoie, as well as luxurious amenities. The 42 rooms, including 21 suites, 3 family suites and M's Royal suite (65 m2), each have their own private balcony with spectacular views of the Village or of the hotel's interior garden.
The hotel has two restaurants, 'Les Grands Crus de Fondues' and the 'Bistrot du M' as well as a cosy bar, where guests can enjoy first rate local produce in a refined setting. The food menus have been created by Chef Edouard Loubet who originally hails from the Savoie region. He has held two Michelin stars for the past 20 years, and earned a grade of 19.5/20 in Gault et Millau’s guide. He was honoured “Grand Chef” by Relais & Château and was also awarded Chef of the year in 2011 by the Gault et Millau guide.
Le M de Megève offers a unique fine-dining experience: les Grands Crus de Fondues, where guests are invited to create their very own personalised cheese fondue, with the help of Le M hotel’s “cheese artisant” or “fromagier”, Thomas Lecomte. Choosing from the region’s best cheeses, all hand selected by an “artisan affineur”, diners can select any blend they desire and are invited to pair their dish with bread, vegetables or fruits (including pineapples or raspberries) for a creative mix of flavours.
Celebrated for over 65 years for its expertise in holistic wellbeing, le Spa by CLARINS is taking over the hotel’s 4 treatment rooms – which includes a couple’s room – to offer guests tailor-made services aimed at relaxing both body and soul. These include the high mountain treatment which is ideal after a straining day on the slopes, as well as the balanced massage with essential oils Tonic or Relax, which aims to simultaneously soothe, stimulate, and revitalise. Any strain or tension will be eased and released thanks to the hotel’s team of great therapists, together with the synergy of the brand’s plant-based products.
Jérôme Garcia, Director of Le M de Megève, commented: “We were immediately drawn to this discreet, family-owned luxury brand, which celebrates health and nature. Treatments and massages in our Spa are now elevated thanks to the medicinal properties of plants. On top of that, Clarins have teamed up with our Chef Edouard Loubet to create a health-conscious gastronomic menu, which is both gourmet and nutritious.”
At Clarins, spa products go hand in hand with nutritious wellbeing because beauty is a whole package. For the hotel Le M de Megève, doctor Olivier Courtin-Clarins and Michelin-starred Chef Edouard Loubet have worked together to create a novel menu: the very first seasonal and healthy 5-course gastronomic menu.
For this first festive winter menu, the pair found inspiration in Savoyard culinary traditions which they have altered to reflect a more health-conscious approach. They have brought together their knowledge of plants, spices and local produce to assemble 5 flavoursome and nutritionally balanced dishes. Chef Loubet’s philosophy mirrors the beliefs of Clarins. Nature, which they respect and admire, is an infinite source of inspiration for them both. Loubet has been rightfully dubbed “the druid of the mountains” as he thoroughly enjoys using fresh and dried plants, which he prepares as condiments or in sauces to highlight certain aromas or flavours.
To begin this gastronomic journey, guests will be served a “detox” juice inspired by the traditional Savoyard salad with chicory. The bitterness of the chicory is tempered by the aroma of the citrus. Lemon balm has been added for a touch of freshness whilst the final touch is turmeric, as to allude to the mythic product Double Sérum®. This cold beverage will be served as a mise en bouche, an introduction to what’s to come: a gustative journey full of discovery.
This regenerative healing journey will then be followed by a smoky bowl of broth, inspired by the Alpine soup and served to mimic a tea ceremony. This broth of root vegetables (carrots, turnips and leeks) is flavoured with an infusion of beech leaves, chestnut burr and hazelnuts. Both konjac vermicelli and diced kumquat are used in this broth, the former to bring a soft texture to this rustic dish and the latter to add some crunch. Once the broth is served, waiters will top it off with grated gentian root and lemon balm, as a nod to the iconic Clarins make-up remover.
To follow the broth, the pair have envisioned a tasty bite combining black trumpets and a creamy quail egg seasoned with fresh flat parsley, handpicked in a neighbouring farm.
As a main, the traditionally hearty Crozet pasta gratin is altered into a light gratin full of health benefits. The Crozet pasta is a wholesome alternative with homemade buckwheat flour from a local flourmill in Trièves. The duo replaced the customary bechamel sauce with a lighter chestnut purée combined with gentian water, helping the pasta bind together before placing the dish in the oven. As an extra treat, a thin crispy biscuit made of lightly ground walnuts and green coffee is then placed on top before serving and is embellished with pieces of Beaufort cheese from Alpine pastures selected at the Flumet cooperative.
Finally, to finish on a sweet note, diners will be served a pear steamed with birch sugar and garnished with ice cream made from hazelnut milk – a key ingredient in the Clarins treatment oils – laid on a bed of tapioca and cranberry, cooked like a rice pudding.
A homemade herbal tea will bring this gourmet ceremony to an end, as an ode to wellbeing and flavours. Notes of lemon balm, chestnuts, buckwheat and rosehip are blended in this digestive brew, which will also be served at the Spa when guests enjoy a treatment.
Generous, delicious and well balanced without being too heavy, le M de Megève’s new wellbeing fine-dining menu is inspired by the famous French saying “Good for the body, good for the soul”.
“I wanted to tickle the senses by uniting the traditions of the Alpine mountains and its cuisine to my vision of wellbeing cooking. I loved working with Edouard Loubet on this exclusive menu and discussing healthy gastronomy.” Dr Olivier Courtin-Clarins.
Le M is more than a hotel. It’s a luxurious chalet, which offers a blend of modern comfort with traditional designs. Guests who check in always receive a personalised welcome.
Winter rates 2020/2021: from 400€ for a double room including breakfast
Opening December 16th 2020 until April 5th 2021
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