The Best New Restaurants in French Ski Resorts

Great Ski Resort Restaurants

Gastronomic trend

There is no shortage of beautiful locations in the mountains. Combining snow and sensory pleasure, more new mountain restaurants keep emerging to the delight of all epicureans. In Val d'Isère, there are several options for lovers of haute cuisine.

Firstly, LOULOU is opening in Val d'Isère combining Italian and Alpine flavours led by chef Benoit Dargère. You’ll find a chic atmosphere in this Mademoiselle restaurant, entirely decorated by the works of Jean-Charles de Castelbajac and with an 800m² terrace to soak up the sun. In the heart of the resort, try Poya (loosely translated as ‘climb up the mountain pastures’ in the local dialect). The place may be familiar to you since it is Popeye's former store in famous Bronzés films. Look for French and local cuisine served in a cosy environment, nestled between local stone and wood. It’s the perfect spot to savour original cocktails too, especially concocted by two in-house mixologists.

Also worth noting is the opening of Cucùcina, the new restaurant from the Folie Douce. The spotlight in this magnificent venue is devoted to Leonardo da Vinci and his genius, with a mix of marble, bricks, timber and mosaics. At the helm of this extraordinary new establishment is Francesco Ibba, an Italian chef who will offer meals at an altitude of 2400m above sea level.

Still at altitude, but in Méribel, the Maya Altitude will offer 400 seats in an exceptional setting with a 360° panorama and traditional dishes cooked in a wood-fired oven for a unique taste. In La Rosière, hurry to La Brenva, this hot new venue where wood is the star. ‘Brenva’ means larch in the dialect of the neighbouring Aosta Valley. The food on offer is varied: meat, fish, vegetables, both grilled or baked, all with a hint of the forest.

La Brenva @ La Rosière

In Courchevel, Sylvestre Wahid is opening his restaurant in the Grandes Alpes 1850 hotel. Luxury and pleasure are the keywords at this new intimate spot. And finally, in Saint Martin de Belleville, Raphaël and Antoine, two friends have decided to open Art B, a restaurant offering locally sourced cuisine.    

Les ‘Bons Plats’

It's hard to think of the mountains without their wonderful traditional dishes. This winter, several addresses are opening with menus to delight lovers of local favourites. In La Rosière, in the Savoie, the Le Boréal restaurant, in the Sky La Rosière residence, offers gourmet cuisine for lovers of Savoyard specialties.

Le Boréal @ La Rosière

In Méribel, head for Lilie, a new restaurant-bar that serves good homemade French cuisine, but also has a private ‘traiteur’ with a selection of fine products to buy and taste at home. For meat lovers, the Alpin Steak House in Les Menuires is the place to go: volaille de Bresse, leg of lamb…there’s something for everyone. For those accustomed to Italian cuisine, La Bokka in Les Gets is a treat for all the senses, in a trattoria style environment. Pizza is in the spotlight in the new restaurant La Casa Mia in Les Arcs 1800. And finally, for a truly unusual meal out, how about dining in a panoramic bubble? In Les Menuires, La Marmite offers this meal in the open, blessed with a view of the Pointe de la Masse, the resort's emblematic summit.

Meals on the go

In resort

Sometimes, we like to eat well, but eat fast. Resorts are seeing trendy new places to eat ‘on the go’ or to fill those small hunger pangs during the day. In Peyragudes in the Pyrenees, try the SkyBar at the base station of the SkyVall lift for something to last the day or to nibble on while waiting for the cable car. There’s an après atmosphere at the Chez Nous 2 tapas bar in Les 2 Alpes making it the perfect place to meet up with friends after a day on the slopes. On the menu: tapas platters and great cocktails to savour while you share the day’s adventures. It’s the same story for the HQ in Vaujany, also in the Isère, where you can meet simply to relax with a local beer.

For an unusual venue, try the Degenève Classic Car in Saint Gervais. You’ll find yourself among vintage cars while enjoying a snack with family or friends. The same goes for Alpe d'Huez, where the Camp de Base food court has six counters with various themes (pizza, burgers, vegetarian cuisine etc) in an ultra-friendly atmosphere. Here, everyone can choose their favourite, then gather around large tables, with games and table football available. Everything you need to have a great time this winter.

On the piste

Do you need a break in your ski day? There’s some great new restaurants on the slopes, with some superb views! At Mont Dore, in Auvergne, Le Sommet to enjoy a nice panorama in the middle of the slopes.

Le Sommet © OT Sancy

In Les Orres, in the Hautes-Alpes, you can eat on the slopes with a view of Lake Serre-Ponçon at the new restaurant Le Pic Vert, right by the top of the chairlift of the same name. Also in Les Orres, treat yourself to a gastro break with fresh and local products at the new restaurant on the slopes, Le Refuge Etoilé. And if you’re in a hurry, a brasserie style service is also available. For lovers of the specialties of the alps, La Fragola di Neve in Les Arcs offers everything you could dream of after a morning on the slopes: homemade foccacia, fresh pasta, cold meats, Swiss fondue…you’ll find it hard to resist. And finally, with a nod to the Quebecois of Serre-Chevalier, a ‘cabane à sucre’ has opened. The idea? At more than 2000m altitude, you can taste delicious ‘sucettes au miel’ (honey lollies) made on site. A sweet moment to savour in this 100% ecological and self-supported venue.

Buy local

In the mountains, there are more and more places to eat well, but above all, buy locally. In Pralognan-la-Vanoise, a new bulk-buy grocery store is opening its doors: the Grande Casse Vrac. In Villard de Lans in Isère, local and organic products are in the spotlight at the new Terra Terre boutique. There’s something to delight lovers of good locally produced products.

Also worth noting are the opening of the Concept Store in Avoriaz: a new épicerie which also offers a high-end deli. In Le Corbier, youth leads the way with the new Spagnolo confiserie where jams, sweets, pâtes de fruits and spreads are made in the old-fashioned way, with original machines. It’s a real treat to settle back into childhood again. In Isère, in Lans en Vercors, Laëtitia offers lacto-fermented vegetables as well as workshops to find out more about this method.

Also look out for…

• Tartif: a 24-hour Click & Collect in Les Gets to fill the hunger pangs at any time ;
• The La Cabane d'en Haut in Valmeinier offers snacks and a rotisserie ;
• Le Diable au Cœur in Les 2 Alpes has been awarded the Ecotable label thanks to its dishes based on fresh and local products ;
• The Vi Aï Pi in Devoluy has been renovated and reopened after a fire ;
• L'Imparfait is a new bar restaurant in La Plagne Montalbert