The Ski Chalet Packing List

A chalet week is two trips in one bag: the mountain, and the six hours a day you are not on it. Most people arrive heavy on the first and short on the second.

On the mountain, the honest list is short because you will wear the same things daily. A shell and an insulated mid-layer, two base layers, two pairs of ski socks — not seven, they dry overnight on a chalet boot warmer — gloves plus a thin liner pair, goggles and a spare lens for flat light, and high-factor sun cream and lip balm. Altitude sun in March is harsher than most people expect. Rent skis and boots unless yours are fitted to you; hauling them is rarely worth the flight cost.

Off the mountain is where the gaps show. Snow boots with real grip, because chalet driveways are ice by five. Something warm you would happily sit in for four hours: cashmere, a heavy knit, thick socks. One outfit that works for a restaurant that expects effort — most Alpine dining rooms are smart but not black tie. A swimsuit, because nearly every house we list has a hot tub, sauna or spa, and it is the single most forgotten item.

What the chalet almost certainly has: a drying room, a washing machine, hairdryers, adaptors in European sockets, and more towels than you need. What it may not have: your medication, contact lens fluid, or a specific brand of anything. Buy nothing in resort that you could bring.