French word

chalet

Pronunciation

IPA/ʃalɛ/

Meaning

  • masculine nounmountain cabin

Example

Nous avons loué un chalet pour le week-end.

We rented a mountain cabin for the weekend.

Illustration for chalet (mountain cabin)

More examples

Le chalet offre une vue sur la vallée.

The chalet offers a view of the valley.

Core concept

A compact timber lodge set in a mountain landscape, used as both a practical shelter and holiday accommodation.

Common phrases

  • louer un chalet

    rent a chalet

  • un chalet en bois

    a wooden chalet

  • un chalet familial

    a family chalet

Similar words

maison: A residential building where people carry out their daily lives.
appartement: A residential unit with rooms such as a kitchen and bedroom.
gîte: A holiday rental in the countryside or a tourist area, usually for self-catering.
villa: A large, luxurious detached house used as a holiday home or residence.

Definition in French

Petite maison en bois, souvent située en montagne, destinée à l'hébergement ou aux vacances.

Word origin

French borrows chalet from the Alpine Franco-Provençal area, where the word first referred to a small mountain shelter for farm work.

Usage tips

  • In French, the final t in chalet is silent, and the ending sounds like the vowel in English 'let'.

Other meanings

  • mountain lodgenoun
  • vacation homenoun

Word lists with this word