Skiing and eating go hand in hand and no ski trip is complete without at least one great lunch whilst out on the slopes. What makes the Three Valleys special is that you can have fabulous, creative food whilst on the mountain as well as when in resort; I want to tell you about the mountain restaurants that you ski into.
Whilst staying at one of Ski Cuisine’s chalets, you will, of course, be treated to fabulous food by our trained chefs. But there is always something special about skiing up to a restaurant and relaxing in beautiful surroundings with stunning views whilst you go over the great runs of the morning. The Three Valleys has 21 Michelin stars shared between 12 restaurants, so you are spoiled for choice.
However most of these stars are to be found in resort – La Bouitte, with three stars, is tucked away in St Martin de Belleville and Cheval Blanc, also boasting three of those precious stars, is to be found in Courchevel 1850. In fact, there are also four two-star restaurants in Courchevel 1850, whilst the highest two-star restaurant is to be found at 2,300m in the mountains at Val Thorens and that is Jean Sulpice.The restaurant boasts it is the highest Michelin starred restaurant in Europe and with its modern décor, panoramic views and sublime food, it is a treat not to be missed and a great first choice for that special meal.
But this is not all about stars of the Michelin variety, as the valleys are rich with excellent restaurants in incredible locations that you can ski to for a memorable lunch.
Meribel Valley
In the Meribel valley, we have Le Blanchot, one of my regular haunts, which is located at the top of the Lapin run to Meribel Village. On a sunny, spring day, there is no better spot to spend a few hours than on the terrace, where you can savour their fabulous food and excellent wines with your family and friends. Just ski down from Altiport and while away the afternoon!
On the same side of the Meribel valley, the Panoramic, perched at 2,732 meters above sea level at the summit of the Saulire, is at the junction of Courchevel and Meribel. With a 360 ° view of the Alpine massifs and Mont Blanc, the views from this high-altitude restaurant are stunning. As it is located right next to the top of the Saulire Express from Meribel and the Telecabine from Courchevel, it’s a great spot to meet up with any non-skiers in your party.
The view from the terrace at The Panoramic
The Adray Telebar is another great walker-friendly spot. This is a Meribel institution, based at 1,650m just by the Adret chair lift on the Doron piste heading down to Chaudanne. The speciality of the restaurant is their famous L’escalope à la crème, served in large portions to share amongst friends and no trip is complete without a visit to the Telebar! If you are staying at Cecilia or Veronica, you can just wander across the piste – it couldn’t be in a better spot.
Courchevel
Across in Courchevel 1650, as you ski down from Roc Merlet and Pyramide, you are faced with the Bel Air, one of the area’s most popular and best-situated restaurants.
Whether you are stopping here for coffee and hot chocolate or the full a la carte lunch menu, the outside, stepped terraces are magnificent and the views inspiring.
Sipping chocolat chaud on the terrace at the Bel Air
As you head back toward 1850, you will probably go past the Altiport and will have no doubt seen Le Cap Horn resplendent in the snow. One of Courchevel’s prime spots alongside the Altiport piste, Cap Horn Menu is famed for its Cote de Boeuf and delicious Poulet Fermier with truffles. With a wine list to make any oenophile happy, you’ll need to leave enough time to get back into the Meribel Valley!
Further around the valley toward the La Tania side, one mountain favourite is Le Bouc Blanc. At the top of the bubble from La Tania it’s a family favourite with well priced and good sized Savoyard fare such as Tarte au Beaufort. Most of the tables are outside, so when the sun shines it’s a perfect spot for lunch on this side of the mountain.
If you take the Dou des Lanches chair up from Le Bouc Blanc you can then meander down the Col de la Loze piste and around the corner is the beautifully elevated Soucoup. This is a wonderful place to stop and take in the views and watch the world go by as skiers move from the Meribel valley over to Courchevel. Their menu is traditional with Beef Stew (Pot-au-Feu) and sausages with polenta as popular choices, coupled with a wine list that has a decent, yet manageable section of clarets and burgundies.
Val Thorens/St Martin de Belleville
On the higher slopes of Val Thorens and St Martin, there are a couple of cracking restaurants to visit. The Chalet de la Marine is at 2,500 metres and looks out over the valley toward Val Thorens. It is found between the Tete Ronde and Dalles blue runs, so accessible to all, and despite its maritime name, has a menu with dishes as varied as Iberico Pork to St Jacques Risotto. They specialise in Patisserie, so make you leave enough room for dessert!
On the other side of the valley, at the top of the Granges and Roc des 3 Marches chairs at 2,700 metres, is the ever popular Le Bouche à Oreille. With it being so central to the Three Valleys and the spot where you have two chairs meeting as well as The Plattieres 3 bubble coming up from Meribel/Mottaret, this is a perfect meeting place for your group if they have been skiing in different valleys. The view from the terrace is naturally fabulous given the altitude, the food tasty and the staff helpful and friendly.
The great thing about the restaurants across the Three Valleys is that they are all easily accessible and it’s never too far to get back from a good lunch into the Meribel valley and your cosy chalet, where afternoon tea will be waiting for you. Yes, more food!!
I have only mentioned ten of the many restaurants that are in the Three Valleys and I’m sure you will have your own favourites. Why not get in touch to tell me about yours?!
And if you're looking for an excellent January bargain, book Chalets Cecilia, Veronica or Sorbier for 13th January arrival and everyone in your chalet will receive a free 6 day lift pass worth £260! Check availability here.