Brelin, the suspended icon of Les Menuires

the audacity of the thirty glorious years

LThe Brelin, Snow Liner at Les Menuires
Nestled at an altitude of 1850 m, the Le Brelin residence embodies the audacity of the «Trente Glorieuses» (Thirty Glorious Years). Built between 1969 and 1972 by architects Philippe Douillet and Jean-Benjamin Maneval, this concrete giant – 300 m long, 12 stories, 560 apartments, and 2000 beds – overlooks La Croisette like a ship anchored on the slope. Nicknamed the «Snow Liner,» it symbolizes the «Plan Neige» (Snow Plan) and the tourist boom of the Belleville valley, inaugurated in 1971 by minister Joseph Fontanet. Criticized as the «Snow Sarcelles» for its urban brutalist style, Le Brelin has managed to reinvent itself. Awarded the "20th Century Heritage" label in 2012, it features shopping arcades, elevators, and breathtaking views of the Pointe de la Masse, combining "ski-in/ski-out" functionality with energy renovation through SEM Renov. A modernist icon, it continues to attract skiers and investors in the 3 Vallées.