Dining

In Morzine, La Grange (450 75 96 40), (450 75 96 40; photo below), where Chef Fabrice Broux, who trained with celebrated chef Paul Bocuse, prepares gourmet and Savoyarde specialties and serves them in an intimate setting that’s both elegant and rustic. Fixed-price menus range from €30–€50, the latter Broux’s Surprise Menu of six dishes based on the availability of fresh products at the market place.

At La Chamade's (450 79 13 91), owner, Thierry Thorens, has trained with celebrated chef Paul Bocuse. Most folks order the pizzas, but don’t ignore the other items on the menu.

More typical of the regional and traditional food, with raclette and fondue, is L’Etale, where a meal will run €15–€20. There is a disco downstairs.

Restaurant Le Clin D’Oeil (450 79 03 10) is a good choice for traditional regional foods as well as pizza. It’s tucked away in Le Bourg section of Morzine, next to the post office. A three-course menu is €15–€25.

Les Sapins (450 75 90 56) with a spectacular view of Lake Montriond is known for its home cooking. Roger Muffat, father of the owner, prepares everything himself including the dried meat and ham. A five-course meal is €18–€30.

Nearby Les Gets has good affordable meals at the Alpages Hotel (450 75 80 88) and Hotel Regina (450 75 80 44) where daily menus start at less than €15.

Avoriaz 1800 has a good collection of restaurants, but book in advance. The three-star Christophe Leroy Restaurant (photo below) in Hotel Dromonts charges about €50 for a three-course meal; Crepy runs €20–€25. La Reserve serves good fish or cheese dishes for about €35. Bistro prepares mountain specialties that with a bottle of wine will cost about €22. For late-night fare try Shooters.

Since Avoriaz is on the mountain, its restaurants qualify as mountain restaurants. However the tiny village of Les Lindarets, on the other side of the ridge, has a wonderful collection of small restaurants. They are all good but Les Marmottes, Pomme de Pin, Crémaillère and La Terrasse stand out.

On the slopes of Super Morzine, Les Cretes de Zorre (450 79 24 73) serves hearty and inexpensive regional food such as Beignet de Pomme de Terre (potato fritters) and occasionally Croute du Valais (fried bread pieces covered with melted cheese and wine accompanied with green salad and roasted ham). No one leaves without a “squirt” of Pschit (pear brandy) right out of a squirt bottle. Parties of 10 or more may book the cabin for an evening.

For a true alpine atmosphere and a grand view of Mont Blanc, lunch at Le Belvedere (450 79 81 52) at the top of the Mont Chéry gondola in Les Gets. Menu is about €12. For a taste of Switzerland, enjoy a lunch of croute at Chez Gaby, in Champousson, overlooking the Dents du Midi.

The Pass’Gourmet, a culinary treat in which numerous restaurants in the Portes du Soleil have decided to highlight their own special recipe or dishes. Each of these recipes is based on Savoyard cooking — salted products; polenta; eggs; and traditional spices such as cumin, juniper, safran, cinnamon and cloves. These recipes and restaurants are grouped together in a free tourist office guide.