Dining

Most of the restaurants listed below are in Plagne Center. Since Plagne Center is connected with both Aime La Plagne and Plagne Villages by cable car and telebus, it serves as a center for these three complexes. The restau-rants here prove that even in modern surroundings small, cozy eating spots can be created with all the atmo-sphere and charm one might expect to find in a traditional town bistro. Although La Plagne is considered an econom-ical resort by French standards, meals can still cost a bundle. Top restaurants here will run about €32–€35 for a full meal, excluding wine. The moderate restaurant meals run about €18–€25, including wine, and the inexpensive ones will have a fixed-price menu at about €15 without wine. For those looking for less expensive meals, try one of the crêperies or a pizzeria where a meal can end up costing as little as €10 with a beer.

Plagne Center
Le Bec Fin (479 09 10 86) offers excellent French cooking for a fixed-price menu of €10–€25. The decor is best by candlelight. English is spoken.

Le Chaudron (479 09 23 33), in the open field in the middle of Plagne Center, presents excel-lent grilled specialties cooked over an open fire in the middle of the dining room. Expect your meal to cost €20–€30.

Le Refuge (479 09 00 13) is the oldest in the resort. Photographs of bobsled champions cover the walls in the very local, very French bar out front. In the dining room each table is centered under a telescoping cop-per hood, which vents smoke while guests bar-becue their own steaks at the table. Expect to spend about €10–€25.

Follow the Rue de la Gaité to discover three moderate to inexpensive restaurants: L’Estaminet (479 09 12 69) serves Alsatian specialties in huge portions; La Metairie (479 09 11 08) has Savoyard specialties on wooden tables with a fixed-priced menu of €13; and L’Etable serves excellent meat and Savoyard specialities as well in a very charming atmosphere (479 09 04 82).

Walk to the end of the hall and pick up—would you believe—a pizza to go at Pizzeria Domino.

Aime La Plagne
Here, our favorite is l’Arlequin (479 09 05 29). After winding down a circular staircase you will have the chance to sample pizza if you insist, but with a difference. They make a pizza quattro formaggio with four French cheeses; its owners also have created a smoked salmon pizza. One unique creation you’ve probably never tasted—tagliatelli foie gras — is served. Try the normal raclette and fondue or the special rouergat, a duck fondue where the duck is cooked in liver oil. Or order the “royal stone,” a superheated rock upon which you grill mixed meat and foie gras. For the atmosphere, unique food and good service you’ll end up spending €25–€35 and leave stuffed.

Au Bon Vleux Temps (479 09 20 57) on the slopes above Aime 2000 in a charming old chalet, offers specialties from €12 for lunch, or dinner with reservations starting at about €15 for dinner.

Belle Plagne
The most popular restaurant is Le Matafan (479 09 09 19), which is normally packed. Tables fan out around an open fire, country cupboards stand against the wall and lace curtains drape the windows. A series of eleven different luncheon plates are offered, including mountain ham, paté and cheese for €10, or an omelet with bacon, salad and fries for €11. Dinner portions are mountain-sized.

La Face Nord and La Cloche serve up good food in a less formal atmosphere. K2, which offers a meal plan for the Résidence Carene, has a €14 menu for good regional specialties.

Head to The Cheyenne Café for a taste of Tex/Mex at affordable prices.

Plagne 1800
La Mine (479 09 07 75) is perhaps the best gourmet-type restaurant, with the average meal in the €32 range before you add in wine. The elegant dining room with open fireplace and beamed ceiling accompany the up-scale meals and price. Loup Garou (479 09 20 17) also offers tasty dinners. Be careful not to confuse the Loup Garou with Loup Blanc which doesn’t offer dishes quite as tasty.

Plagne Bellecote
La Ferme (479 09 29 32) has good local food with fish specialties.

On the slopes
There are 21 different mountain restaurants, not including the restaurants in the complexes them-selves, which offer excellent midday dining. Included are Le Vega (479 09 00 61), La Galerne (479 09 17 94) and Le Chaudron (479 09 23 33)in Plagne Center. Most of the mountain restaurants are self-service. Le Biolley (479 09 07 52), above Aime La Plagne, gets the most sun. For sitdown meals, try Le Val Sante at the far left edge of the resort area and be ready to ski home slowly, stuffed with lots of great food. L’Arpette (479 09 15 40), just above Belle Plagne and recog-nizable by the motorbike hanging from the rafters, serves up good mountain food. La Bergerie (479 09 07 95; photo above) above Plagne Bellecote has a rustic atmosphere and pricey mid-mountain dining. La Grande Rochette (479 09 09 08), at the top of the gondola from Plagne Center, offers spec-tacular views at lunch and dinners on Thursday.