Chalet du Renard

I went to the chalet at the beginning of June this year with a small hiking group, and everything was perfect. We want to return with another small group, and I’m thinking of booking it again for the end of the year. I did spot a little spider in the kitchen one morning, but it’s a wooden chalet in the middle of nature, so I had no real complaints. Then I saw three negative reviews in quick succession telling the same story, so I assume those people went together. Posting three negative reviews like that doesn’t seem very nice, especially when there aren’t many reviews and it can do a lot of damage. I recommend the place, so don’t let that one review put you off. The chalet is fantastic, surrounded by nature, with magnificent views and a real change of scenery. I recommend it without hesitation.

The owner is attentive and available, and so is the concierge. A friend from the village is also nearby if any problem comes up. We’ve always arrived to find the chalet clean and tidy, and we’ve always been welcomed on time. We come back regularly, with friends or family, in summer and winter, because we absolutely love the place. It’s ideally placed for summer hikes and near Flumet lake, while in winter it’s in the heart of the family friendly village resorts. These are our favorite holidays, and we’ll gladly return.

The rental included bed linen, but there was another problem with that. Five days beforehand, I’d told the concierge we wanted the beds that could be separated made up with the right sheets. We still didn’t have all the sheets, and had to wait until around 6:30 pm for the concierge and his wife to bring them. The contract said arrival from 4 pm and departure at 10 am, with the option to come earlier if the chalet was ready. But when I messaged David Houillet from 3L Propreté in Ugine, he replied on WhatsApp, “The chalet won't be ready before 5:30 pm!” The chalet was filthy. The concierge said the previous tenant, a friend of the owner, Arnaud Renard, was meant to leave it clean and ready, and he was surprised to find it hadn’t been cleaned at all or had only had a superficial clean. The whole chalet needed vacuuming and mopping. The showers were dirty with hair, fur, and dead insects, and the master bedroom shower drain was clogged. We found dirty underwear between the bed and nightstand in the bedroom with a bathtub, and the shared toilet on the first floor was partly clogged. Cleaning costs of €250 were included in the rental price. When we returned, we noticed cameras in various places around the chalet. Arnaud Renard, who we told about them, said they were part of an alarm system. He should at least have warned us about the cameras. We’re dissatisfied with the rental. We understand there was a problem with the previous tenant and the cleaning was rushed because of a lack of time, but we shouldn’t have to deal with the consequences. We asked the owner to refund the cleaning fee, but he refused, saying he had no proof of our claims.

The chalet was in a really poor state of cleanliness when we arrived. The concierge said the previous tenant, who was a friend of the owner, was supposed to leave it clean and ready for us, but that clearly hadn’t happened. The floors needed vacuuming and mopping throughout, there was hair, fur, and dead insects in the dirty showers, and one shower was completely clogged. The first floor toilet was partly blocked, and we found dirty underwear between a bed and nightstand in one of the bedrooms. We even spent an hour cleaning the place ourselves. A €250 cleaning charge is included in the rental price, so this was especially disappointing. The arrival time was supposed to be 4 PM, but we could only get in at 5:30 PM on a scorching day, with temperatures reaching 33°C. His message was, “Go for a walk.” The terrace is very dilapidated and dangerous for children. The parquet flooring is old, poorly maintained, and extremely noisy. There were security cameras everywhere, too. This feels like theft, and the owner, like the cheapskate he is, absolutely refuses to give up those €250. He’s clearly making a ton of money without any regard for his guests. Don’t hesitate to steer clear ;)