Les Etincelles eyes expansion in France

The company, which only launched in September 2021, has deployed a €500 million investment plan to build its portfolio to more than 35 hotels, chalets and residences in France’s highest mountain resorts.

Les Etincelles specialises in offering ski in-ski out properties, with all of its locations being located less than 200 metres from the slopes.

The current portfolio consists of 10 hotels, 16 chalets and seven residences in the big-name ski resorts of Tignes, Le Plagne and Val d’Isere, with the company also operating 12 restaurants.

This year has seen the company open several new properties, including VoulezVous in Tignes le Lac and Tetras Lodge in Tignes Les Brevieres.

It has also just acquired Lodge & Spa Collection’s three properties in the resorts of Val Thorens, Arc 2000 and Alpe d’Huez.

By the end of 2026, Les Etincelles hopes to be operating 30 hotels, plus 100 chalets and 20 residences as part of its ambitious expansion plans.

The company’s roots date back to 2013 when founding partner and former world champion freerider Guerlian Chicherit built his first chalet in Tignes, which led to the creation of chalet management firm Carte Blanche. Chicherit later teamed up with Nicolas Chatillon to expand Carte Blanche before forming Les Etincelles to manage all the group’s properties.