yinjispace

INTERIOR
Claves
PHOTOGRAPHY
Mr. Tripper
EDITOR
Gina
Collection

Following the complete renovation of Villa Junot in Paris, CLAVES once again joins forces with Iconic House for an ambitious undertaking: the full restoration of Le Sarto, a historic chalet designed by Henry Jacques Le Même, a seminal figure of 20th-century Alpine architecture. Through this second collaboration, the interior architecture studio reaffirms its ability to unite heritage, contemporary design, and bespoke hospitality.

On the edge of the Montée du Calvaire, just above the center of Megève, Le Sarto is a private chalet of 650 sqm with its own annex, nestled within the historic ‘Dessous le Calvaire’ development. Built between 1941 and 1943 for Michel Desmazières, it stands as one of the most accomplished examples of the ‘chalet du skieur,’ a concept developed by Henry Jacques Le Même to reflect the evolving winter sports lifestyle of high society.

Conceived from the outset to marry elegance with functionality, Le Sarto was originally organized around a monumental central staircase, featuring a grand reception floor, a vast fireplace, numerous bedrooms, and an integrated ski room. Renovated in keeping with its original spirit, it now offers a wellness area with gym, and both indoor and outdoor swimming pools.

Henry Jacques Le Même, trained under Émile-Jacques Ruhlmann and influenced by Le Corbusier and the De Stijl movement, developed a unique language, blending Art Deco elegance, modernist rigor, and Savoyard vernacular references. CLAVES continues this legacy by offering a contemporary interpretation, combining meticulous attention to detail with functional design.

True to the spirit of Henry Jacques Le Même, a lover of theatre, the fantastical, and Scandinavian folklore, CLAVES has designed interiors that are warm, dreamlike, and sophisticated, where each room becomes a lived-in stage. This balance between refinement and eccentricity reflects the lifestyle of high society discovering the mountains and winter sports at the beginning of the 20th century, following in the footsteps of the Rothschild and Bourbon families, and figures such as Jean Cocteau, Joséphine Baker, Jean Marais, Jacques-Henri Lartigue, and Juliette Gréco. The artistic direction combines period artworks, vintage objects, and in situ contemporary creations, adding charm and whimsy to interiors that are both structured and expressive.

Conceived as a private home serving the art of living, Le Sarto embodies the shared vision of CLAVES and Iconic House: a discreet form of hospitality, at the intersection of hotel comfort and residential experience. Open year-round, the chalet offers tailor-made stays with a chalet manager, private chef, housekeeping services, spa, gym, and heated outdoor pool.

More than a simple renovation, Le Sarto represents a project of both heritage and reinterpretation, where the work of Henry Jacques Le Même is extended into a contemporary language. A landmark achievement for CLAVES, expressing an interior architecture vision that is contextually rooted, attentive to use, and forward-looking.

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