Club Med might be better known for its beachy destinations, but the Club Med Alpe d’Huez in the French Alps is set to entice snow bunnies to the so-called Island in the Sun thanks to a total renovation by Studio MHNA.
The resort’s 431,000 square feet integrate 442 rooms, including eight suites with private terraces that, from a perch of about 6,100 feet above sea level, overlook the valley. The palette of materials, explains Studio MHNA co-founder Marc Hertrich, “opposes the beauty of the rough and raw, like structured wood and natural stone, with more modern ones, like white and red lacquered pieces, mirror, and brushed brass and stainless steel.”
The region’s history inspired other details. Illustrations by the 19th Century botanist Gaston Bonnier enter the 21st century via custom floral designs across the Gourmet Lounge Restaurant’s ceiling. And just as the first ski lift across the French Alps was created and installed at the Alpe d’Huez Station in 1936, a dining nook also offers a clin d’oeil to the lift, while a spa clad in local pine is the perfect spot to relax aprés ski.
