Ladies who like to lunch would love the Excelsior, Les Tines

Although of course this time of year is full of snow and the excitement of the new season, I was prompted to remember a very fine lunch from our summer holiday when I read about the recent avalanche evacuation in Les Tines. (Thankfully it was just precautionary.)

After quite a wet summer season the last week of August was blessed with a beautiful week following nicely into September. Earlier in the week we’d cycled from the town, through the Bois du Bouchet, up the valley along the side of the Arve and decided to circle back via the Paradis des Praz after cruising through Le Bois.  It was a trip of about 8 miles which the children managed quite comfortably. Part of the route took us through Les Tines. We were spoilt for lunch choices while cycling through Les Bois and Les Tines.

Given the fine weather, when our friends returned for their second leg of their visit we opted for the restaurant with a pool – Hotel Excelsior.  However this was in effect a bonus, as the meal was very fine and it would have been a treat to eat there regardless of the veranda and pool.  I must admit I can’t remember exactly what we ate, but I recall the kids ice creams were top quality .  I remember the food being beautifully presented though and the staff extremely accommodating, particularly as two of our party seemed to add an extra 13 miles onto their cycle trip so arrived a little after 2pm.  The bill was around 100E for the 4 of us including drinks.

After our lovely lunch the kids played in the pool for an hour or so, the pull of Paradis des Praz not being quite as large as it usually is.  So it was just as well we were cycling not driving, with the parents making the most of the bar facilities. Restaurant Le A, just at the corner of our road is also a lovely dinning experience with a pool, but perhaps not as informal and rural as The Excelsior.

The bit that tickled Yas and I the most was seeing a small number of slightly older ladies arriving for afternoon tea.  Then taking it by the pool and going for a dip. How marvellous, we can’t wait for retirement.

Kilian’s quest at the Adventure Film Festival

We’ve heard rumours about how exceptional this man is. we’ve seen the films, last night was an extraordinary opportunity to see and hear the man himself in the flesh.

Having popped along to the adventure film festival last year we thought we’d do the same again this year, particularly after having watched the trailer of Cold by Simone Moro and his fellow climbers. Unfortunately we’d missed the premiere of that but we weren’t disappointed with the Saturday night line up.

Both the Feel the Hill and Wild Water were a breath-taking watch. Seb Montaz’s work, as usual was beautiful, although perhaps less of a surprise as we are followers of his work.

However to see Kilian was fantastic. In the flesh you would first be impressed by his trilingual ability, but to take questions from the audience must have been nerve racking for most 24yr olds and he coped very well in both English & French.
‘There was a rumour that he runs for 30 hrs per week’ – Kilian ‘True.’

‘Do you really ascend 520,000 metres pe year?’Kilian ‘ Yes’
‘Why don’t you run carry any water bottles?‘ – Kilian: ‘There are always mountain streams around and it’s quite easy to run for an hour without water’.
‘Why do you do it?’ – Kilian: ‘Because I can and the mountain is there.’
But the question that got the most amazed response from the audience was his little training jaunt this week. “I took it easy, but yes we ran up Mont Blanc this week. We ran the standard route from Les Houches, past Bellvue and up, it took 4th 15mins’ – excuse me???!!!! ‘Yes just over 4 hrs and we took it easy on the way back down too, we stopped at a refuge for some lunch and got down in about 2.5 hrs” Well what can you say??? The average extremely fit person will take 2 days, but not Kilian. It’s just a afternoon out!!…

From what I gather his sister accompanied him on this ‘slow’ jaunt up MB this week too. What a family!!

However none of these exploits seemed odd to him and he clearly enjoyed what he does. He came across as quite ordinary and humble. Very likeable but clearly amazing.

So with that little bit of prep he is still fit to run the UTMB later this week. Best of luck to him, but it almost doesn’t seem as though he’ll need it. Twice a winner, let’s see if this year is his third.

If you want to watch the final free open air screening of the festival, you’ll find it in Les Houches at Lac des Chavants on Tuesday 2th Aug. Apparently you’ll chance to meet the huskies that evening as well as watch 3 films.

Hotel Le Dahu, Argentiere – good menu du marché

This photo was taken after a morning’s skiing, which gives you flavour of the weather at the end of the last season. – Not a remarkable building, if not a little ‘worn’ by the standards of many Chamonix eating houses.  But it’s probably this 1970s/80s French feel that leads to the no-nonsense, good value, fresh quality food from the kitchens. It’s the kind of place they make the steak tartare in front of you.

Hotel Le Dahu, Argentiere

We didn’t choose anything quite so brave, but went for the 3 course ‘menu du marché ‘. This offered a beautiful fresh salad, followed by pave au salmon and blueberry fruit with fromage blanc.  We were greedy having 3 courses (you could have had only 2), but for 16euros we just had to.

Ordinarily we wouldn’t be in the town, opposite the new market square, but with all that hot weather, a terrace in the sun with beautiful views seemed like a good idea.  (The locals seemed to think the inside was a good idea. Maybe due to their lack of suntan lotion, or the fact that it was a little cheaper?) We’d tried earlier in the week, but got caught out with the French serving hours, just missing 2pm.

Here is a link to the hotel, should you want to get a bit more info.  Some rather clever ‘lifestyle photography’ I think, suggesting the decor is a little more contemporary than it is.  Does it matter though if the food and service are good? You’ll find it on the main road as you drive through the town.

Another place we will be paying a repeat visit to.

Sunday lunch at Le Robinson in the sunshine

With the early arrival of  summer in the ski resort the kids were keen to have ice cream. Driving back from Argentiere towards town we decided to pop down one of the paths that go through the woods (Le Bois du Bouchet) near the river at the edge of Les Praz.  – We needed to get into the shade!!

Promenade des Cremeries, as the name suggests has a number of  rustic restaurants offering refreshments. We chose the one with the most umbrellas that looked the coolest.  We’d passed it a number of times while cycling with the kids (Its a nice flat path around there), but never been in.  It turned out to offer a reasonable menu and have play equipment for the kids, so as a consequence a number of chilled out looking family groups.

Restaurant Le Robinson

309 Promenade des Cremeries

74400 Chamonix

+33 4.50.53.45.87

lerobinson74@orange.fr

Although we didn’t eat on this occasion the menu looked very reasonable for kids, with steak hache,  jambon blanc or chicken nuggets with chips, plus a drink for 7E.  For adults there was mixed grill, chips or vegetables for 18E, steak and chips for 18E, or sausage and chips for 9E.  For starters, again, not necessarily fancy, but a fair price for Chamonix, there was a range of salads around 12E and prawn cocktail at 10E.

We all decided that we’d be happy to visit the restaurant in the summer with our friends when they stay with us, as the older kids would be able to potter around in the woods following one of the way marked paths (you can see 3 levels indicated on the photo above), while the younger ones can jump all over the play equipment.  That will then leave the adults to enjoy the alfresco dining experience in peace.  We considered planning a visit for evening dining, but due to the lack of lighting we figured it would only be open for lunch.

So barely, have we finished our winter holiday and we’re looking forward to summer in the valley

Lunch in Vallorcine’s L’Arret Bougnete, a simple treat

We stumbled upon this place by accident when we were skiing with the kids last year.  Our youngest was tired and we were keen to find a place for hot chocolate at the edge of the La Balme ski area, at Le Tour.  We followed the Piste de la Foret Vert (a blue run last year but red this year) to the bottom.  We found L’Arret Bougnete, the restaurant next to the train station in Vallorcine, and were very grateful for it.  You pass it as you walk from the bottom of the piste towards the cable car Tete de Balme.

We had drinks only on that occasion, but returned again this year to have lunch as the food looked so fresh. It serves simple regional food superbly cooked with no frills. The set menus are swiftly served by friendly staff. – we had local meaty sausages with boiled potatoes and cabbage, crozeflette with polenta and omelette for our main courses.  These dishes followed the anti pasta and green salad starters. Everything was reasonably priced.  For 4 adults each having a two coarse meal with wine, the bill came to 80 euros. As you can see for Chamonix in particular this is good value.

 

We were fortunate to get a table in the sun.  We arrived for a late lunch (2.30pm), as many people were leaving.  I appears that booking is recommended for large lunch parties.

It’s a lovely place to eat and relax after a morning’s skiing, walking, or even having done neither of those, going by the range of outfits of the clientel.  I must admit we were in two minds as to whether to have an other drink and just take the train back to Chamonix rather than ski back down to La Tour.

We understand that the restaurant is open in both the summer and winter, but isn’t open in the evenings, closing at 17hrs.

 

Plan de l’Envers 74660

VALLORCINE

04 50 54 63 04

 

L’Impossible – an ecclectic eat house

When we ‘moved in’ we were delighted to find that the building that acts as a great navigation point to our road (it has neon a sign on the roof, less tacky than it sounds, honest) was also a great restaurant.

When we first visited L’Impossible, it was offering a ‘tourist menu’ which was a little more suave than many restaurants in town.  It used to do a super tartiflette, and I think there might have even been frogs legs and beef consume served as well.  It was always a good banker to take guests to as they return suitably impressed. Thankfully for us they also welcome children, however all male parties of slightly mature mountaineers/skiers/cyclist are just a home,  as the group of my girlfriends I took there. Booking was as essential then, as now.

It has changed hands in the last year and is now Italian, focusing on organic, locally produced food.  This is an ethos we are in favor of, being regular recipients of Riverford’s organic frit and veg boxes.  However, I must admit on first sight the new menu didn’t grab us, nor the prices.  A little too much on the offal side for me and I feel that pasta is something that can easily be cooked at home.

Nevertheless, one wet August evening 2010 we gave it a go. We choose 3  entry level set menus (the kids shared) around 30 euros each.  The menus looked quite basic with either risotto or pigs trotters as the main course, however the tastes served up were sophisticated  – being able to create quality meals out of basic ingredients is a skill indeed.  I seem to remember someone having home-made ravioli aswell, which was lovely. Muse bouche was also enjoyed by all.

The service and decor didn’t disappoint either. They still have their marvellously eclectic decor of plush deep red furnishings and old masters set off against the background of a converted barn. They have opened up the entrance area now so it feels more part of the restaurant, although still downstairs.  It has also maintained its viewing window into the kitchen as you enter the foyer. I’m pleased to add to my report that the modern clean toilets are still going strong. – If the state of a restaurant’s toilets are a refection of the hygiene in its kitchen, in some you just regret ordering!!

Gone are the white table clothes (I think they used to have them??) as it moves to greater formality. And it seems that they have live jazz music on Friday evenings.  This is in addition to specific gastronomic evenings off-season.

Although perhaps a little on the more expensive side (190E p.p. for New Years Eve!) it is somewhere we make sure we visit each time we are in Chamonix.  It has become our family treat.   I just love its relaxed, almost decent air.

L’Imposible

Route des Pelerins, Chamonix
tel. +33 (0)450532036 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting            +33 (0)450532036

Eating at Alan Peru. Fantastic!

Chamonix has plenty of restaurants to choose from.  Unlike many French towns there is a plethora of world cuisine to sample, so when you feel a bit heavy after eating yet another cheesy, potatoey savoyarde dish it’s refreshing to find a fusion restaurant.

We found Alan Peru almost accidentally and it was in fact the set meal of tartiflette that drew our attention to the establishment – when dining with kids, homely, familiar dishes can be very attractive. The restaurant is situated between the market square and the l’ Aiguille de Midi lift, so almost off the main tourist thoroughfare, but close enough to feel apart of it all. Its also next to a recess in the pavement, which it shares with one of Chamonix’s Michelin stared restaurants, the Bistro.  The recess offered a little space for the kids to run around, away from other diners, should they get a little fidgety.  So it ticked all the kids boxes, therefore happy parents and we all sat on the terrace.

Then the parents were even happier when they looked at the proper menu!  A great range of meat, fish and vegetarian dishes with a distinctly asian influence. Between the adults we ordered tempura fish, burger, braised beef  and pork hock I think. 4 of the children split two tratiflettes and the eldest had the Yaki noodles that beat him (although no specific kids menus they were happy to split dishes).  All dishes were fantastic and we were spoilt for choice with flavours.  Presentation was also very modern and delicate. We would also have happily swapped the kids for the meals they had.

The service was friendly, patient and efficient when we were there in the summer.  Despite my command of pigeon French, responses were given in English which at least reduced possible confusion.

I’m sure its a restaurant that would like to position itself as relaxed, trendy and sophisticated and not have kids’ needs front of mind, but eating early evening in the summer it was perfect.  Our youngest daughter liked it so much that she asked to return there for her birthday the week after, and there were certainly no complaints from her parents. (This time I choose the falafel with coleslaw, which was beautifully fragrant and light and the kids shared the yaki noodles).  The second time we sat inside and got chatting to some lovely people who were experiencing the town for the first time.

Our next trip to Chamonix is without kids and in the snow, so we look forward to experiencng the restaurant ‘adult style’.  However I understand that things get busy, so we’ll be sure to book.

Restaurant Alan Peru in Chamonix Mont Blanc
Tel: +33  0450531604
Fax: +33  0450538067
Avenue l’ Aiguille de Midi
74400 Chamonix Mt Blanc
France

 

 

Lunch at Les Vieilles Luge, Les Houches

As the Grand Montets opened this weekend and there is only one day left to bag your pre-season lift discounts, the skiing season has nearly begun in earnest.  As great fun as the white stuff is, my thoughts also turn to cosy mountain meals.

Last year I spent some time pondering where would be best to ski with the kidsand we settled on Argentiere. (We’ll be doing the same again this year, as it worked out nicely for us.)  I also wanted to check out some restaurants I’d heard about.  One such place was Les Vieilles Luge, located  on Telesige de Maison Neuve in Les Houches, accessible by skis, or a 20 min walk up from Maisonneuve.  Its probably one of the Chamonix valley’s few traditional feeling mountain side restaurants, often recommended for special occasions.

We booked a late lunch and found it to be warm, cosy and busy. The menu was relatively limited as you might expect but the cuisine quick and acceptable (the adults had roast duck in a fruity sauce and the kids had local sausages).  The  alpine decor was enchanting.  I’d like to say that the ambiance was fantastic too, but we arrived just as a mature French family were paying their bill and lamenting the existence of the English.  Quite understandably the staff looked rather embarrassed by the comment.  Things became more relaxed after that particular family left, but its a shame when other guests make you feel uncomfortable.

I must admit that, that was the first time we’ve witnessed irritation with the Brits and one of Chamonix’s strengths is that it is welcoming to people other than the locals.  However, it incentivizes you to learn the language, even if it might be just so you know what is being said about you. :-$  I suppose we should just laugh and say ‘vive la difference!’

Anyway little rant over, and here are some photos to give you a flavour of the place as we do intend to go back again even if its just for a vin chaud.

The restaurant is open throughout the ski season, lunch and dinner by reservation, or by special arrangement in the summer.

 

 

Happy Hours, bargin beer in Chamonix

Given Chamonix is a quite a swanky resort it’s not known for being cheap.  As great as being plush and chic is, sometimes it’s nice just to find a cheap beer at the end of the day when the whole ambiance thing isn’t as important as a swiftly before going home for tea.

As much as I don’t endorse binge drinking of course, being married to a Yorkshireman I am conditioned to look out for bargains and happy hours

A recent discussion on Snowheads consequently caught my eye.  I was eager to see all those marvelous bars and restaurants with special offers to look forward to visiting next time we go out a.  Then I realised that we knew them all.  Is that as a result of a well honed yorkshire nose, or the sheer fluke that we’re the Cham Sud side of town?  Um, probably both, but it doesn’t half make it convenient and we’re far enough away not to have to listen to the noise afterwards.

So here we go……

Our closest and favourite is The Jekyll, just next to L’Impossible on the same road as us.  You can sit out in the summer and catch the last few rays of the sun between 4.30 and 6pm, and if I remember correctly a jug of beer is 9E and glass of wine 2E.  Same format in the winter, just indoors of course.  Later in the evening there are promotions on cocktails and shots.

 

A little closer into town we have Cham Sud with a selection of bars.  In the summer you’ll find the Monkey Bar open with it’s BOGOF on beer and wine early evening.  In the winter you have both the Munster Bar and Monkey Bar offering early evening deals.

I look forward to finding some more