chalet n.

1782, "hut or cabin in the Swiss mountains for cattle and herdsmen to shelter for the night," from Swiss-French chalet "herdsman's hut, Alpine cottage," probably a diminutive of Old French chasel "farmhouse, house, abode, hut," perhaps from Vulgar Latin *casalis "belonging to a house," from Latin casa "house;" or from Old Provençal cala "small shelter for ships," from a pre-Latin language [Barnhart].