The Chalet is quite isolated in an area of great natural beauty. It stands on a small plateau at an altitude of 1,760m in a wood on the west slopes of the Prarion, one of the foothills of Mont Blanc massif. It is a large building on three floors and, lacking electricity, is characteristic of traditional Alpine life. A short distance away on the mountain, the Prarion Hotel, a ski and summer walking resort, provides a link with the modern world.
Hill-walking can extend to several parts of the adjacent mountains and valleys, and the culture, cuisine and flora of the region (the Haute Savoie) offer much to enjoy. Walks are taken every day; but extreme fitness is not a prerequisite.
Participants in Chalet reading parties owe a small daily ‘rent’ to the Trust, and members also pay their own way to the Chalet. The College is able to contribute to food and subsistence. Chaletites share out the normal tasks of living under slightly primitive but atmospheric conditions, and the team spirit of chalet life is part of the enjoyment. Over the years many Balliol alumni – including Tom Bingham and Harold Macmillan – have been to the Chalet; and the diary entries made by each party in succession record an experience that is virtually unique.
You can read about the history of the Chalet in Stephen Golding, Oxford University on Mont Blanc: The Life of the Chalet Anglais (Profile, 2022).