Last updated: October 2026
In brief: A chalet host on a French seasonal contract typically earns around €2,000 to €2,200 gross a month in 2026, while chalet chefs in top resorts earn around €3,700 gross a month on contract, or up to €5,000 freelance. Villa chefs are often paid £350 to £800 or more a day, with the very top private villas offering €9,000 or more net a month, and seasonal villa housekeepers are being advertised at €1,800 to €3,000 a month. Pay depends heavily on the contract and the level of luxury, and most packages also include meals, ski passes or other perks, and sometimes accommodation.
There are really two kinds of people who search for chalet and villa pay. Operators want to know what they should be offering to attract good people. And seasonaires, whether they're first-time chalet hosts or experienced private chefs, want to know whether a role is worth packing their bags for.
This guide is for both.
We've pulled together what villa chefs, chalet hosts and housekeepers are actually being paid for the 2026 seasons, along with what usually comes on top, because in this world the package matters almost as much as the salary.
Villa and chalet staff pay at a glance
Here's the quick version. Most alpine roles are paid in euros on French contracts, so we've kept those figures in euros.
• Chalet host – around €2,000 to €2,200 gross a month. Usually included: lift pass, ski hire, meals on shift
• Chalet chef* – around €3,700 gross a month on contract, up to €5,000 freelance. Usually included: accommodation, lift pass, ski hire
• Villa chef – £350 to £800 or more a day, or €9,000+ a month at the top end. Usually included: meals, sometimes accommodation
• Villa housekeeper* – advertised at €1,800 to €3,000 a month. Usually included: meals, sometimes accommodation
• Head housekeeper (year-round chalet)* – €60,000 to €65,000 gross a year. Usually included: varies by role
• Domestic couple* – €4,000 to €6,000 net a month combined. Usually included: accommodation (live-in roles)
For context, the minimum wage in France rose to €1,867.02 gross a month for a 35 hour week from June 2026 (info.gouv.fr). Seasonal contracts often run longer hours than that, which is partly why chalet pay sits a little above it.
*Our figures are drawn from a pool of over 1,800 household roles advertised on MyStaffHQ, and partner data.
What shapes villa and chalet staff pay
If you've ever compared two seasonal adverts for the same job and wondered why one pays nearly twice as much, you're not alone. A few things explain most of the gap.
The contract is the biggest. Chalet work used to be paid as pocket money, with older guides quoting as little as £400 a month for hosts. Since Brexit, many operators in the French Alps employ British staff on French seasonal contracts instead, which means French minimum wage rules, proper payslips and noticeably higher gross pay. Freelancers, meanwhile, often earn more again but cover their own tax and insurance.
Then there's the level of luxury. A host in a large catered chalet run by a mainstream tour operator is doing a very different job from someone working in a private chalet in Courchevel or Verbier, and the pay reflects that. The same goes for villas, where a family cook for a relaxed summer rental sits a long way from a chef cooking daily for a UHNW family.
Finally, look at the whole package. Free accommodation, meals, a season lift pass and travel can be worth thousands of euros over a season, so a lower salary with everything included can easily beat a higher one without.
Villa and chalet chef pay
Chefs are the best paid seasonal role in both villas and chalets, and there's a huge range from top to bottom.
In the Alps, a chalet chef on a French seasonal contract in a top resort like Courchevel can expect around €3,700 gross a month, which is roughly €2,600 net, usually with their own room, ski hire and a lift pass thrown in. A head chalet chef role in Morzine advertised on MyStaffHQ offered €600 net a week, around €2,600 a month, plus accommodation, a lift pass and ski hire. Freelance chalet chefs in the same resorts can invoice up to around €5,000 a month, though without the security of a contract.
Summer villas pay more again at the top end. Holiday villa chefs are typically paid £350 to £800 or more a day, depending on experience and how many people they're cooking for. And for a full season with a private family on the Côte d'Azur, adverts offering €9,000 or more net a month aren't unheard of.
If you're hiring a chef for a family home rather than a rental, our guide on hiring a private chef for your household covers what to look for.
What does a chalet host earn?
A chalet host is the heart of a catered chalet. They cook breakfast and afternoon tea, keep the chalet spotless and look after guests, often running a whole chalet on their own or as a pair.
On a French seasonal contract, hosts working for established operators typically start at around €2,000 to €2,200 gross a month, rising with experience. That's usually based on a longer working week than the French standard 35 hours, with overtime and holiday pay settled at the end of the season.
It's worth reading the small print, though. Some operators include free accommodation, while others charge several hundred euros a month for a staff room, which can make a real difference to what you take home. A season lift pass, ski hire and meals on working days are much more standard.
Villa housekeeper salary
Housekeepers keep a busy villa running, especially in high summer when guests change over every week and the laundry never seems to stop.
A seasonal villa housekeeping role in Dubrovnik advertised on MyStaffHQ offered €1,800 to €3,000 a month, usually with meals included, and sometimes a bonus on top for seasonal work. Head housekeepers earn more: a year-round chalet role in Kitzbühel advertised on MyStaffHQ offered €60,000 to €65,000 gross a year.
For tips on finding the right person, have a look at our guide on how to hire a housekeeper.
Chalet and villa couple pay
Many private chalets and villas hire a couple to share the running of the house. Live-in couple roles advertised on MyStaffHQ, from Mykonos and Ibiza to Megève and Italy, have offered €4,000 to €6,000 net a month between them, with accommodation as part of the role.
For luxury rental providers: is offering staff worth it?
If you run luxury villas, a villa rental company or a high-end Airbnb, the pay figures above might have you wondering about the other side of the equation. If you add a chef or a housekeeper to your property, will guests actually pay more for it?
At the very top of the market, staff are a big part of the price. One 2026 guide to fully staffed villas found that moving from a basic chef and housekeeper to a full household team of eight can account for 30 to 50% of a villa's weekly rate (Resident). In other words, guests at that level expect to pay for service, and plenty are happy to.
You don't need to go that far to stand out, though. Even a daily housekeeper or a chef for a couple of evenings a week can lift a property above the dozens of similar listings around it, and it gives guests a reason to book you again. The key is to price it in from the start, using the pay figures in this guide, so the extra service adds to your margin rather than eating into it.
It's also worth thinking about flexibility. Rather than employing staff for a whole season, many providers offer chefs and housekeepers as optional extras, booked for specific stays. Our guide to temporary household staff rates and our guide to staffing a private event both show what that kind of short-term cover typically costs.
Finding chalet host jobs and villa roles, or hiring for them
Whichever side you're on, timing is everything. Most ski season jobs, including chalet roles, are filled through the summer and early autumn, and summer villa roles are often sorted by early spring, so the best people and the best positions go early.
If you're hiring, you can post a job on MyStaffHQ and reach experienced private household staff, including people with chalet and villa experience.
And if you're looking for your next season, whether that's chalet host jobs in the Alps or a summer in a villa, you can browse the latest jobs and set up job alerts so you hear about new roles first. It's also worth making sure your profile stands out, and our piece on the power of a professional headshot is a good place to start.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much do chalet hosts earn?
On a French seasonal contract, chalet hosts typically earn around €2,000 to €2,200 gross a month, usually with a lift pass, ski hire and meals on working days included. Some operators also provide free accommodation, while others charge for it.
What is a typical villa chef salary?
Holiday villa chefs are often paid £350 to £800 or more a day. For a full summer season with a private family, the very top roles can pay €9,000 or more net a month.
How much does a chalet chef earn?
In top ski resorts, chalet chefs on French seasonal contracts earn around €3,700 gross a month, or roughly €2,600 net. Freelance chalet chefs can invoice up to around €5,000 a month.
How much do villa housekeepers earn?
Seasonal villa housekeepers around the Mediterranean are advertised at around €1,800 to €3,000 a month, usually with meals included. Head housekeepers earn more, with year-round chalet roles paying €60,000 to €65,000 gross a year.
Is accommodation included in villa and chalet jobs?
Often, but not always. Many chalet operators provide shared staff accommodation, while some charge several hundred euros a month for it. Always check what's included before you accept a role.
When should I apply for a ski season or summer villa job?
Early. Winter chalet roles are usually filled during the summer and early autumn, and summer villa roles are often sorted by early spring.