Mountain Restaurant Guide

Chez Alfred
A small, traditional cabin located just above Reberty. From the mid-station of the Bruyeres gondola, either follow the blue piste towards Reberty and Les Menuires. Just before the top of the drag lift called 'Reberty' there is a signpost 'Restaurant' on your left. Alternatively, take the red piste towards Les Bruyeres and at the bottom of the Montaulever drag lift take the path to the right which goes straight past Chez Alfred.
Log fire inside and sunny terrace outside. Fantastic value lunches with generous portions (particularly good onion soup). Also great for a bit of relaxing in the sun on the way home with a pastis and a piece of Madame Alfred's home-made apple tart!

Chalet de Neige
A traditional stone cabin located just above La Croisette. As you are going up the Coombes chairlift you will see a sign pointing to the right. On leaving the chair, head right and keep high, crossing the Beca and Lac des Combes pistes. You will find the restaurant on the left hand side of the piste, tucked under the hillside. Alternatively, from the Mont de la Chambre telecabine take the Petit Creux piste and the restaurant will be on your right.
Fantastic plat de jour, the fastest waiter in Three Valleys and the best Tarte Tatin in the world. It's worth a diversion here if only for the Tarte Tatin (big portions so one between two is OK but may result in an argument).

La Moutiere
Located by the altiport in Val Thorens, at the top of the Moutiere chairlift (cannot be reached from the Deux Lacs chairlift).
Traditional mountain chalet with a great log fire. Good range of lunch dishes - the ham, egg and chips is fantastic for those with hollow legs - from a small, self-service bar. Gets packed, so either go early (before midday) or after 2.00pm in peak season. Great if you need a warm-up by the fire with a vin chaud.

Hut at the top of the Col de Thorens.
Located on the glacier at the top of the Col chairlift.
Small, somewhat ramshackle hut with no running water or toilets - so be warned! Always warm inside and complete with selection of games and a guitar in case you get stuck there. Most days they run a barbeque outside with great sausages. Alternatively, there's a good selection of cold meats and cheese platters as well as soup and good, if rather sweet, vin chaud available by the jug (you may well need this on the Col de Thorens).

Bel Air
Located above Courcheval 1650 at the top of the Bel Air draglift and the Ariondaz gondola. Tel: 04 79 08 00 93
Big, chalet style restaurant with numerous terraces in a giant sun trap. Excellent food, more expensive than most mountain restaurants but good value. The only place we've found in Courcheval that we don't feel we've been ripped off in! Very civilised waiter service, complete with blankets for your lap - this is a place to do lunch properly. Booking essential - we've seen people close to fighting for a table here!

Les Sonnailles
Located just below Les Bruyeres on the Boulevarde Cumin piste.
Great sunny terrace in a very sheltered location. Mainly for grabbing some warm rays and enjoying a drink in the afternoon.

La Voute
Located in the Centre of St. Martin de Belleville. Tel: 04 79 08 91 48
A lively bar and quite large restaurant in the centre of St. Martin. Why include it in the mountain restaurant section? Well, if you choose to ski the off piste route into the Vallee des Encombres, take their phone number with you. When you reach the road at the end of the ski route, you can either make the 20min walk into St. Martin or give them a call and they'll come and pick you up so you can go and have lunch!