Megeve Mountain Restaurants

With a predominantly upscale French clientele including plenty of celebrities, it’s hardly surprising that Megeve has some of the best mountain restaurants in the France. Mountain restaurant prices in Megeve are relatively expensive in comparison to most other ski resorts so it pays to shop around to find the best value. We asked Megève specialist operator Stanford Skiing to give us the lowdown on some of the best mountain restaurants, grouped by sector…

Mountain restaurants in Rochebrune

Terrasse du Mas (Tel: +33 4 50 21 45 91)
In the main block, at the top of the Chamois lift/shoebox, Caboche is fairly basic but convenient. Best dish there is Carbonara, although they have good salads – crucial in a ski resort when you’ve had enough stodge. Service can be slow and it can be busy at times.

Caboche (Tel: +33 4 50 21 55 19)
Located behind the children’s ski school and better than Terrasse du Mas, Caboche serves good salads and offers a children’s menu.

Le Matou (Tel: +33 4 50 58 97 77)
Located at the bottom of Petit Rochebrune, Le Matou’s friendly owners used to run Rond Point in the summer. The hot chocolate is outstanding. 

Super Megeve (Tel: +33 4 50 21 22 05)
Situated at the top of the Rochebrune cable car with decent panoramic views, the Super Megeve self-service restaurant has standard menus, which are superior to Terrasse Du Mas. Super Megeve also has restaurant with waiter service which is rather good. They often have a barbecue outside in good weather, and the Tarte Tatin is superb.

La Forestiere (Tel: +33 4 50 21 12 95) 
On the way to Alpette, this is a wonderfully friendly place to eat. The old farm house offers a pleasant ambience and considering the restaurant sits on the legendary Emile Allais black, you will have earned a decent lunch. While the plat du jour is usually of a high standard, we have had mixed reports on the rest of the menu.

L’Alpette (Tel: +33 4 50 21 03 69)
One of the best places for pedestrians to meet up with skiing friends, L’Alpette is great for an expensive blow out. The patisserie is exceptional and when the skiers go, pedestrians can sit back in front of the fire and enjoy great hot chocolate in cold weather. The restaurant offers a snow mobile taxi for non-skiers to the Alpette charilift and there is a sun terrace. L’Alpette is owned by the same people who run Les Chalet des Fermes and Au Coin du Feu.

La Babotch (Tel: +33 4 50 91 93 96)
Good for beginners to meet up with their more advanced friends as it sits at the bottom of the Rosiere green run to the left of Le Javen. La Babotch is reasonably priced, serves food all day with nice ambience and like the L’Alpette it has a fireplace as well as a sun terrace.

Le Javen (Tel: +33 4 50 91 92 66)
Small but with friendly service and situated at the bottom of the Petit Fontaine chair’ Le Javen serves good honest dishes and Savoyard Pella is especially recommended. For cheaper dishes, the omelettes are particularly good value and the coffee is good. There’s also a kiosk with deckchairs where you can get drinks and sandwiches cheaply in good weather. The terrace sits by the lake.

Le Radaz (Tel: +33 4 50 58 94 44)
Located on the way back from Cote 2000, Le Radaz ownership has recently changed, but it was known for the best value on the mountain, with excellent food. Tartiflette, spaghetti Bolognaise and diots (Savoyarde sausages cooked in the oven) were all very good, with good omelettes for children. You need to get there early as it fills up quickly. Late season the deck is a great suntrap.

Altiport (Tel: +33 4 50 21 31 57)
You can ski to Altiport but it’s a walk back, or you can get the bus if you have had a particularly long lunch. Good food with a friendly atmosphere with reasonable prices. Plat du jour is usually excellent.

Mountain restaurants in Jaillet

Auberge du Christomet (Tel: +33 4 50 21 11 34)
Good food and service, and one of the best for non-skiers to meet up with skiing friends. Auberge du Christomet is not cheap, but offers excellent food and fantastic views of Mont Blanc. Savoyarde specialities are extremely good. It’s open all year round too and has a good sun terrace.

Table du Skier (Tel: +33 4 50 93 07 15)
A rustic restaurant with an open fireplace, serving pasta and crepes, Table du Skier is located at the top of the Jaillett cable car.

Restaurant En Face du Mont Blanc (Tel: +33 4 50 21 06 51)
There are two restaurants in Restaurant En Face du Mont Blanc so you can usually get a table. Located at the top of the Jaillet cable car, lunch is buffet style, and although it is a little expensive, the views across Megeve with Mont Blanc in the background are simply stunning and won’t find many restaurants with a better view than this.

Mountain restaurants in Mont D’Arbois and St Nicholas

L’Auberge de la Cote 2000 (Tel: +33 4 50 21 31 84)
Situated in the car park, expensive and English speakers are often made to feel unwelcome so why bother. Need we say more? 

Ideal 1850 (Tel: +33 4 50 21 31 26)
Located close to the Mont d’Arbois Telecabine, Ideal 1850 is smart and used to be very expensive and pretentious, but now less so. Food is excellent food and it’s best to book especially at weekends as there is a great sun terrace with a panoramic view featuring Mont Blanc. 

Les Mandarins (Tel: +33 4 50 21 31 27)
Les Mandarins claims to be the oldest high altitude restaurant in France. It is expensive as a result, but there is a nice ambience with an open fire. The food can be first-class, as the Gault Millau will testify, but we have heard mixed reports.

Espace du Mont Joux (Tel: +33 4 50 58 99 67)
Situated at the top of the Mont Joux chair, Espace du Mont Joux has a reasonably priced menu including good spaghetti dishes and service is good. Fantastic views and a good place to take kids as you often get a welcome from three St Bernard dogs. There’s also a drink and snack kiosk if you are looking for a cheaper option.

La Raviere (Tel: +33 4 50 93 15 71)
On the way to Communailles and set in the trees, La Raviere can be tricky to find, but well worth finding for excellent value three-course lunches. The perfect place to go if you want an afternoon off and simply want to eat well before skiing home gently afterwards. You must book in advance and remember that no credit cards are accepted. 

Alpage (Tel: +33 4 50 93 12 76) 
Located at the bottom of Communailles, the food at Alpage is excellent and good value. Some of the starters are almost a meal in themselves.

Relais du Communailles (Tel: +33 4 50 93 17 48)
Situated next to the Communailles drag lift, which can be noisy at times, the Relais du Communaillles boasts a suntrap balcony with splendid views of Mont Blanc. Good food, too.

Le Gouet (Tel: +33 4 50 93 20 97)
Very friendly, family run rustic restaurant with wood burning stoves. Dishes to look out for are Croute du Gouet: think cheese, eggs, and the resultant filling dish, or Pella, a Savoyard speciality including cheese, potatoes and often Aravis or Reblochon cheese. The hot chocolate is divine.

Chez Ernestine (Tel: +33 4 50 93 13 08)
Situated on the ridge above the Croix de Christ bowl, Chez Ernestine is reached by a blue run from Mt Joux, or red runs from top of Croix de Christ. The views are fantastic views and the short (but good) menu is probably the best value in the area.

Vertigo (Tel: +33 4 50 93 05 84)
At the top of the Mont d’Arbois bubble, Vertigo used to be the old Igloo hotel/restaurant that was packed with English. It has been given a complete re-vamp and re-opened in 2011. The menu is very pricey – on the opening weekend the fixed menu was €115 and €165 with wine, but you certainly get what you pay for. The restaurant offers great views.

Mountain restaurants in La Giettaz

Auberge Bonjournal (Tel: +33 4 50 55 80 41)
There are three restaurants at the foot of La Giettaz, of which the most interesting is Auberge Bonjournal, an authentic old wooden chalet set between Megeve and La Giettaz. The restaurant is accessible only by skis or snowshoes from either the Christomet chairlift or the Torraz chairlift. It’s advisable to phone ahead to book a table.