Les Menuires - eat, drink, party

Mountain restaurants

At the top of the Tougnete ridge, on the Méribel side, is restaurant Les Crêtes (00 33 479 08 56 50). This is an old farm building that has a great sun terrace with breathtaking views of the surrounding mountains where you can pull up a deckchair and sunbathe on a blue-sky day. The food is a little more expensive than down in the resort but the food is hearty and you can’t get enough of those views. Also try Chalet des Neiges (00 33 479 00 60 55) at the top of Roc des 3 Marches gondola, or Le Grand Lac (00 33 479 00 08 95 36) next to Grand Lac Chairlift.

In the hamlet of Saint Marcel, just below Les Menuires, you find La Bouitte (00 33 479 08 96 77). This is a wooden building that has some lovely rooms but also what is arguably the best restaurant in the entire Three Valleys. The restaurant, which has two Michelin stars, is run by father and son team René and Maxime Meilleur and the menu relies heavily on local ingredients, including freshly picked Alpine herbs.

As you might expect from somewhere like this, the menu changes every day although foie gras, truffles and sauces reduced to their very essence are sure to appear somewhere on it whenever you visit. Whether they are paired with rabbit, duck or fish from local lakes is anyone’s guess. Start saving now if you fancy the 10-course €199 surprise menu.

Restaurants in town

With so much self-catering accommodation in the resort, it is unsurprising that there is a large number of restaurants, many offering great value for money with everything from local specialities to pizza and pasta.

Ferme de Reberty

In Reberty 2000, the Ferme (00 33 479 00 77 01) is a welcoming place for lunch or dinner and is very popular so dinner reservations are essential. It has a big roaring fire and a sunny terrace with spectacular views. The menu is huge and not overly expensive, particularly the plats du jours.

Les Sonnailles

If you are in Bruyères, make a point of stopping at Les Sonnailles (00 33 479 00 74 28) just off the Boulevard Cumin piste. This has typical mountain food such as tartiflette and fondue and is a little quirky. You order your food at the counter and it is delivered to your table.

Après-ski and nightlife 

Les Menuires is considerably quieter than neighbouring Méribel and Courchevel but there is still plenty to do once the slopes close. There is a selection of bars, the best of which are the Dutch-run Yeti in Preyerand, Le Challenge (00 33 479 00 78 52) and Le Mousse (00 33 479 00 16 16). Leeberty (00 33 479 00 68 49) in a basement in the Bruyères area of the resort has dancing later on; also try. New Pop (00 33 479 00 67 20) in La Croisette.