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A chalet (pronounced in British English; in American English usually ), also called Swiss chalet, is a type of building or house, typical of the Alps region in Europe. It is made of wood, with a heavy, gently sloping roof and wide, well-supported eaves set at right angles to the front of the house.Webster's Dictionary defines a chalet as " A wooden dwelling with a sloping roof and widely overhanging eaves, common in Switzerland and other Alpine regions."
Many chalets in the European Alps were originally used as seasonal farms for dairy cattle, which would be brought up from the lowland pastures during the summer months. The herders would live in the chalet and make butter and cheese in order to preserve the milk produced. These products would then be taken, with the cattle, back to the low valleys before the onset of the alpine winter. The chalets would remain locked and unused during the winter months. Around many chalets there are small windowless huts called mazots which were used to lock away valuable items for this period.
Nowadays, in North America and elsewhere in the world, the use of the word chalet can refer to more than just a mountain location. The term chalet is even used to describe resort-like homes or residential properties located by the beach. For example, in Lebanon a chalet usually refers to holiday homes at one of the six Lebanese ski resorts, but the term can also refer to a beach cabin at seaside resorts.Pierce, Eleanor B. All You Need to Know about Living Abroad: Pan American's Guide to Living Conditions in 93 Countries In North American ski areas, the word chalet is also used to describe buildings that house cafeterias and other services provided to the tourist, even though they may not resemble a traditional Alpine chalet. In the United States, Alpine ski chalets are gaining popularity in Colorado and the Rocky Mountain region during winter months. Most ski chalets are privately owned vacation homes that owners visit two to three times per year and rent out the remaining time. Owners of these ski chalets often hire property management companies to manage and rent their property.
In the Levant, Egypt, and Kuwait and in the Italian region of Marche, chalets refer to beach houses, rather than mountainside homes, and built in any style of architecture.
In Britain, the word chalet was used for basic sleeping accommodation at built around the mid-20th century. Butlins FAQ , Butlins Memories. Retrieved 22 February 2012. "Erehwon Retreat" Retrieved 18 September 2020
The 'chalet' ski holiday was popularised by the British in the 1980s, led by companies such as Ski West, John Morgan and Supertravel. Bladon Lines were the leading 'chalet company' but a combination of Brexit and the pandemic has resulted in few chalets still being offered to British skiers.
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