ELLE Deco
WELCOME TO ALTAPURA, A FOUR-STAR HOTEL AT THE TOP OF VAL THORENS.
From the hotel's huge terrace, the view is spectacular over the 3 Valleys and the ski area of the highest resort in Europe. Also impressive from the entrance, the reception platform and the monumental staircase spread over two floors.
When Setam, owner of the ski lifts, approached them about this futuristic project, Jocelyne and Jean-Louis Sibuet could only take up the challenge. Their children, Nicolas, a former competitive skier, and Marie, who has made well-being her priority, participated in the work. Each of them put their own touch and this avant-garde living space bears the signature of the four of them. Like the Fermes de Marie in Megève twenty years ago, this "ski-palace" is shaking up routines to be in line with the desires of the time.
From the outset, the building was designed to incorporate state-of-the-art technology and digital weaponry. The ecological approach also imposed certain choices: no balconies at the windows to optimize insulation, evidence of solar panels... "The carcass was defined," explains Nicolas Sibuet, "but we made it evolve with Studio. Arch, the Val Thorens architectural firm, contributed our know-how." Certain noble surfaces have been increased, materials of predilection recommended-mineral stone, granite, also light wood in all its forms, from walls to ceilings, from tables to chairs. In the 88 rooms-including 16 suites, the generous volumes have been resized to the skier's needs. Priority is given to the comfort of the sportsman. And if nature and its elements remain the main source of inspiration for the place, its style has been adapted to the spirit of the resort and its treeless outlook.
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The vast multi-sensory spaces, which house common areas and lounges, herald colour. Nordic influence, pure lines, a strong tribute to some Scandinavian masters or to Charlotte Perriand, Jean Prouvé, Henri-Jacques Le Même... We find the essentials that make up the Sibuet touch: the nobility of the raw materials, the richness of the textiles and the colour palettes, as shown here by the diversity of the tweeds. The furniture was designed by Nicolas and Jean-Louis Sibuet. "It was difficult to find elements adapted to our needs; we had to have custom-made furniture made in the same spirit but all different." Nicolas and Jean-Louis even found a use for the carpenter's "negatives of the cuts": every little scrap of wood was recovered to become paving stone, brick or tile.
The three restaurants each have a well-defined visual identity. Light wood and white monochrome for the La Laiterie restaurant, a more sophisticated style for the Enfants Terribles, a comfortable and functional atmosphere for the Deux Mille Trois. The spa is part of a resolutely sporty approach, with an energetic programme and rituals inspired by Nordic traditions, from the resting igloo to the crushed ice fountain for the after-sauna... Well-being never loses its rights.
