Val d'Isère Apres-ski France

Restaurants

Disappointing overall for a resort of this standard

Val dIsere has a vast range of over 50 restaurants, but, as in many French resorts, they tend to offer similar menus of Savoyarde cuisine fondues, raclette, tartiflette, etc. Pizzas and pasta are widely available but truly innovative cuisine is hard to come by, and on anything longer than a ski weekend you may feel a little limited for choice. Going full board at one of Vals luxury ski hotels may offer a better experience.

La Taverne dAlsace was rebuilt about 15 years ago but it still has lots of cosy corners in which to drink Alsatian beer or wines or indulge in that regions hearty cooking. The railway carriage shaped Bar Jacques, run by Tom Mongellaz, is a good place for a quiet drink or a fairly simple dinner with a good bottle of Beaujolais. Casa Scara is a popular, tiny restaurant with an Italian menu, tucked away in the old village, away from some of the bigger ski hotels.

Situated on the edge of the piste, the Grande Ourse has a good atmosphere and serves traditional French cuisine. It was taken over not long ago by Lise and Jean (whos brother Pierre continues to run the Perdrix). La Luge, a basement restaurant with a discreet entrance on the main street is one of Vals hidden gems. A meal down here, with its traditional French selection of dishes and some choice bottles always provides a great start to a ski weekend.

Whether you want oysters, lobster, or fillet steak you will find them all and much more besides at that most crucial of Val dIsere institutions, the Perdrix Blanche, which also has a popular little bar. In recent years, however, standards of cooking and service have been somewhat unpredictable and its future is uncertain. Pierre Paul Jacques are the three new restaurant/bars situated in the refurbished Latitudes hotel and run by Luc Reversade of La Fruitiere with, as always, a quirky take on presentation. Sur La Montagne is a relaxed, friendly place run by the charming Terrinini sisters and popular with the locals. Head for La Belle Etoile if you are looking for cuisine with an Asian influence and enjoy Sushi.

Another recent newcomer is the charming LAtelier dEdmond situated in Le Fornet or try La Table de lOurs at the Hotel Barmes de lOurs which has won a much-coveted Michelin star. The less expensive, Rotisserie restaurant in the same hotel has had good reports.

Nightlife

Great for a fun-filled ski weekend, lacking in substance for anything longer

Dicks Tea Bar, the legendary Val dIsere institution, looks set for even bigger things this coming season with even more surprises. If you are coming for a ski weekend, expect to find yourself spending at least one night here. The owners have reinvested this summer and introduced a brand new comfy apres-ski bar, open from 4pm. As the afternoon turns into night, the bar opens up to the larger nightclub area allowing ski bums and nighttime aficionados to dance, with Dicks staying open until five in the morning.

Dicks and Val dIsere have gone hand in hand having grown up together for nearly forty years. Dicks spirit derives from a fun chaotic atmosphere where body shots on the bar are inevitable and chalet-girls dancing on tables lives on from year to year. Heaven knows how these ski hotels and chalets are getting cleaned!

Non Skiers

Not skiing - Not great

Most people in Val d'Isere live to ski, so if you do not ski or board you will inevitably feel somewhat out of place, even if you are simply a non-skier who didnt want to miss out on a mates ski weekend. Ski hotels can especially bring on an attack of cabin fever for any non-skier. Activities for non-skiers are pretty much limited to walking or snowshoeing and there are many prettier resorts for keen winter walkers. There are a few agreeable cafes in which to while away the skiing hours, but a better option is perhaps to meet up with skiing friends for lunch either somewhere around the Front de Neige or at one of the mountain restaurants accessible to pedestrians. Another option might be to take the bus over to Tignes and meet your friends for lunch there.