Could the Next ‘White Lotus’ Will Be Filmed in the Alps? We Sure Hope So.

It was announced yesterday,  September 4, that season four of the White Lotus will be filmed in Europe. Creator Mike White and HBO have zeroed in on France as the setting for the upcoming season of the hit series, Deadline reported in an exclusive.

While no exact location has been confirmed, the murder-mystery dramedy has always been shot at a Four Seasons, as HBO has a marketing partnership with the hotel and resort chain. Deadline focused speculation on the luxe Grand-Hôtel du Cap-Ferrat on the French Riviera, with its strong Hollywood tie-in and proximity to Cannes.

However, sources stress to Deadline that no hotel has been locked in. There are two other Four Seasons in France that could be used for filming; the Megève in the French Alps, and Hotel George V, which is located in the heart of Paris.

It’s no surprise that Outside hopes it’s set in the French Alps, an outdoor playground known for its imposing peaks—hello, Mont Blanc—and high-octane world-class skiing and hiking. After all, we have the French Alps to thank for après-ski. While everyone’s favorite custom of warming up with food and drinks after skiing originated in Norway, the term was coined in the 1950s after it spread to France.

The setting is everything in the White Lotus, and it is always part of the larger theme. Hawaii dove into class and colonialism; Sicily played with themes of lust and fantasy versus reality; and Thailand poked at spiritual tourism, and well, karma.

So perhaps a season in the French Alps could tackle ambition and competition?

The Drama of the French Alps Is Perfect for the ‘White Lotus’

Our fellow editors at SKI called it earlier this year: the fourth season of White Lotus should be a ski resort. “It makes perfect sense. Wealthy clientele on vacation: Check. Gorgeous scenery. Check. And resorts that seem too good to be true? Check, check, check.”

But SKI editors also heard a rumor the White Lotus creator Mike White says he’ll never write a season centered around skiing because he doesn’t like the cold. We’ve seen enough bodies floating in the water, what about sticking out the snow? And, of course, the Alps are warm in the summer, when the series is filmed typically.

“For the fourth season, I want to get a little bit out of the crashing waves of rocks vernacular, but there’s always more room for more murders at the White Lotus hotels,” White said at the end of Season 3.

While SKI speculated Courchevel would be a good pick in the French Alps, as it’s where “wealth, status, and ambition would fit right into the White Lotus universe.”Megève is also synonymous with upscale ski culture. After all, it was established as a rival to St. Moritz in the 1920s by the Rothschild family.

We asked French mountain guide Fred Buttard his thoughts on Megève as a ski destination. Buttard was born in the heart of the French Alps, has over 20 years experience as an IFMGA-certified guide, and has led ski touring trips all over the world, most recently 70 degrees north of the Arctic Circle for Klattermussen Experiences.

“Megève is unique because it’s a cosy little town / village, in a small mellow mountain area, but so close to Chamonix and all the big mountain skiing,” says Buttard.

Known for its charming medieval streets and designer boutiques, Megève does also seems like a great setting for wealthy people pushing each other off cliffs. Located in the elegant Evasion Mont Blanc, there are nearly 250 miles of slopes spread over four mastiffs to ski here, and well, to plot.

The Four Seasons Hotel Megève has ski-in, ski-out access to the slopes of Mont d’Arbois, and the region’s largest spa. This could be where the spa manager character Belinda comes in—working at the spa before she starts her own.

If It’s Not in the Alps, the French Riviera Is Still Epic

Yoga Journal digital editor Calin Van Paris says she’s never stayed at a hotel as luxe or visibly epic as the Grand-Hotel du Cap-Ferrat: “The pool, for example, is located down a wooded trail (which can be skipped via hillavator) and built into the surrounding ocean rocks. There are two recently refurbished villas, the front room was designed by Gustave Eiffel (as in Eiffel Tower), and the main building is a beacon of Belle Epoque architecture.

It’s a bit of a trip. The antique elevator makes it feel like you’re traveling through time.”

While it’s not the Alps’ outdoor playground, there are still some active pursuits in the French Riviera. Running, yoga, and cycling would be the most natural outdoor activities here, says Van Paris (there’s a paved trail along the water and mountain bike rentals are available for guests). “The hotel’s recent push to be viewed as a wellness destination could factor into the show’s trajectory,”adds Van Paris.

Maybe the Riviera would show Belinda enjoying her new-earned wealth. “Former spa manager Belinda had been a through line for the White Lotus, and an opportunity to take her passion for wellness (and her newly acquired millions) to a destination that’s defined by heightened glamour could make sense,” says Van Paris.

It’s unlikely Mike White will opt for an urban setting like the city of Paris, but if he is choosing the French Riviera, it does track with the previous opulent settings.

Frankly, it’s all down to the plot and characters for us. We couldn’t get enough of Walton Goggins’s character, Rick. And even though he won’t be making it back for the next the White Lotus, we are excited to see Hoggins play a climber in the upcoming Batso film about trailblazing climbers who took on El Capitan.

High peaks do lead to high-stakes drama and mystery… c’mon Mike White, give us Le Lotus Blanc (Mont Blanc).