Chamonix - eat, drink, party

In the town

You'll need at least a whole season here to feel you've done the bars and restaurants justice. But with just a week you can still have a stab at it.

To eat, we love the intimate and friendly Swedish-owned Munchies (00 33 450 53 45 41), which does fusion food, Alan Peru (00 33 450 53 16 04) for superb Asian-fusion, and Tigre Tigre (00 33 450 55 33 42) for a curry fix.

For après-ski, Chambre Neuf (00 33 450 55 89 81) often has a live band, and Café La Terrasse (00 33 450 53 09 96) will see you through from après-ski to dinner with good international food served from 4.30pm until 10pm, and live music seven nights a week.

Le Panier des Quatre Saisons (00 33 450 53 98 77) is excellent and a locals' favourite. And worth trying is L'impossible (00 33 450 53 20 36), a rustic Savoyarde chalet away from the centre of town, which has great atmosphere and good food.

Cha Cha Cha (00 33 450 93 47 74) is an elegant wine bar and a real treat is a tasting session.

Want to push the boat out? Le Hameau Albert Premier (00 33 450 53 05 09) is sensational and has 2 Michelin stars to prove it. Other gourmet choices include Le Bistrot (00 33 450 53 57 64) and Les Jardins du Mont-Blanc in the Hotel Mont Blanc (00 33 450 53 05 64).

Mountain restaurants

This is one area in which we think Chamonix could do better. There are not enough. Above Argentière, the small and ancient Chalet-Refuge de Lognan (00 33 688 56 03 54) has incredible views over the jagged ice of the glacier and simple but delicious food (and rooms to stay in, too).

On Les Grands Montets, the Plan Joran (00 33 450 54 05 77) has some excellent gourmet cuisine in its table service section.

Hidden away in the woods to the right (as you ski down) of the home run at Les Grands Montets is the excellent Crèmerie du Glacier (00 33 450 54 07 52). It closes on Wednesdays.

In Les Houches we recently discovered the superb Les Vieilles Luges (00 33 684 42 37 00), a 250-year-old farmhouse beautifully converted into a rustic restaurant. It can be reached via a signposted track off the Col de Voza run.

In Balme we highly recommend the Alpage de Balme  (00 33 683 33 86 61), a converted cowshed with a sunny terrace serving good-value rustic lunches. It is near the bottom of the Aiguilette. Booking is essential.