Flavours & Mountains
The Journal
Stories from our Italian and Savoyard kitchen, the best places to eat in Val Thorens, and how to dine well at altitude.
A new article every week
What you will find here
Neapolitan pizza at 2,300 metres, tartiflette done properly, the tables of the snow front, dinner for two after the last run. Subjects we know from the inside, because we live them every day from our dining room.
Val Thorens without skiing: what to do and where to eat off the slopes
You can spend a very good week in Val Thorens without putting on a pair of skis. The resort suits it better than most people expect, provided you organise the day differently from everyone else at the table.
Read the articleVegetarian in Val Thorens: eating well without meat in the mountains
Mountain cooking has a reputation as a kingdom of cured pork. That is partly fair, but Alpine tradition and Italian cooking between them offer a great deal without…
Read the articleBooking a table in Val Thorens: when, how and why to plan ahead
In a ski resort, booking is not urban fussiness. It is what separates a smooth week from one spent walking between full dining rooms.
Read the articleSavoie wines: what to drink with tartiflette, pizza or a steak
The Savoie vineyard is one of the smallest in France and one of the least understood. It happens to produce precisely what mountain cooking asks for: acidity, freshness…
Read the articleReblochon AOP, the heart of a tartiflette: what to know before you order one
A tartiflette stands or falls on a single ingredient. Get the Reblochon wrong and no amount of oven time will rescue the dish.
Read the articleFresh pasta versus dried pasta: what actually changes
Fresh pasta is widely assumed to be superior to dried pasta. It is not: they are two different products, made for two different kinds of sauce, and knowing…
Read the articleGroups, birthdays and private hire: organising a meal for many in Val Thorens
Bringing ten, twenty or forty people together around a table in a ski resort takes a little planning. Here are the points to settle, in order, so that…
Read the articleEating out with the family in Val Thorens: timings, portions and patience
A family ski holiday is decided at the table as much as on the slopes. Children tire sooner, get hungry earlier and cope badly with waiting, and a…
Read the articleAprès-ski in Val Thorens: the ritual of cocktails and tapas
Between the last descent and dinner lies a three-hour stretch that the mountains have turned into an institution. Après-ski is not only a matter of loud music; it…
Read the articleA table is waiting
Read enough? Book your table at the foot of the slopes, or call us on +33 4 79 00 10 40.