Michelin Alpine Restaurant Guide
Resorts in this article: Courchevel, Zermatt, Val d’Isère.
Michelin-starred haute cuisine may not be at the top of the list for every skier heading out to the Alps this year, but for those with a taste for the finer things in life, the quality of the food is often just as important as the chalet itself.
To meet demand, many of Europe’s luxury ski resorts are home to Michelin-ranked restaurants both on and off the slopes, offering fine dining experiences to customers keen to enjoy the freshest ingredients cooked to perfection, all in a snowy mountain setting.
Whether you’re drawn to these luxury surroundings as a one-off special treat during your ski holiday, or fine dining is a regular occurance, resorts across the Alps offer a wealth of high-end dining establishments keen to entice you with delicious menus, sumptuous surroundings and some of the most experienced and talented chefs in the industry.
We’ve cast the net across France and Switzerland to highlight a few Michelin-starred restaurants in the resorts of Courchevel, Zermatt and Val d’Isère. These are resorts which have built up reputations amongst skiers in the luxury market for spectacular accommodation options, stunning slopes and haute cuisine to rival anywhere in the world.
Image courtesy of L'Atelier d'Edmond
Courchevel
No article on fine dining in the Alps would be complete without including the French resort of Courchevel, as this resort is almost as famous for its culinary pedigree as it is for its stunning ski slopes. Courchevel boasts more Michelin-ranked restaurants than any other ski resort in the world, and fine dining and spectacular skiing go hand in hand here.
At the top of the list are establishments such as Le 1947, located in Courchevel’s exclusive Jardin Alpin enclave. Sitting inside the luxury Cheval Blanc hotel and proudly sporting not one but two Michelin rosettes, Le 1947 is one of the finest dining establishments that Courchevel and indeed Europe has to offer. Chef Yannick Alléno has built up a formidable reputation for his ability to blend traditional French cuisine with ingenuity, style and a flair for the unusual, creating truly impressive results.
La Table du Kilimandjaro sits slope-side in Courchevel’s Altiport area, and won its second Michelin star not too long ago. Chef Nicolas Sale painstakingly selects only the finest and freshest ingredients available, and diners and critics alike have been very pleasantly impressed by the team’s efforts. Michelin have noted the restaurant’s comfortable interior and the close attention to detail diners receive, and Kilimandjaro seems perfectly placed to remain high on Courchevel’s list of Michelin restaurants for years to come. Opening hours for dining are 7.30pm to 9.30 pm only, and prices range from around 95 to 200 Euros per person.
Zermatt
The Swiss resort of Zermatt has, like Courchevel, built up a reputation over the years as an internationally recognised home to haute cuisine; from sun-drenched piste-side terraces upon the slopes to opulent, intimate interiors down in the resort, Zermatt’s reputation for fine dining is indeed richly deserved. Whilst Michelin rankings are of course relevant here, Zermatt also features in rival ranking authority the Gualt et Millau.
Image courtesy of L'Atelier d'Edmond
With one Michelin star and an impressive 16 out of 20 on the Gualt et Millau scale, Heimberg bills itself as an “Alpine dining experience.” Visitors have commented on the unique serving style, whereby diners are placed in the hands of head chef Christian Geisler and his team for their meal choices, and professional sommeliers match the food to fine wines from the vast cellar. With no set menu to speak of, diners are encouraged to simply choose how many starters or mains they’d like to enjoy and can mix and match to their own preference. Reserving a table ahead of time is not just advisable, it’s obligatory – with food, service and location of this standard the restaurant books up far in advance.
Val d’Isère
For skiers at the five star luxury end of the ski holiday market, Val d’Isère has been a popular resort choice for many years now. Along with beautifully groomed slopes and an attractive town centre, Val d’Isère boasts some absolutely beautiful restaurants and fine dining options to equal the best in France.
La Table de l’Ours is a prime example. Set inside the resort’s five star luxury hotel Le Barmes de l’Ours at the foot of the Bellevarde home run, this is a restaurant of rare quality. A huge fireplace dominates the aged wood dining room and plush decor makes diners feel truly spoiled. On the menu, specialities such as la tartiflette de la Table de l’Ours and rack of lamb demonstrate the traditional leanings of this exquisite restaurant. Not to be outdone, fish dishes such as roasted scallops and creamy risotto and steamed whitefish fillet bring a wonderful roundedness to the dining choices. The menu runs from 85 to 185 Euros per person and the restaurant is open for dinner only.
Image courtesy of L'Atelier d'Edmond
Another highlight in Val d’Isère is the beautiful L’Atelier d’Edmond. The restaurant is located at the foot of the slopes in Le Fornet, a peaceful village just outside Val d’Isère resort centre. The sunny terrace is the perfect spot to enjoy fine dining and panoramic views, and inside the traditionally designed interior is the last word in Alpine idyll. Chef Benoit Vidal joined the restaurant only two years ago and has, in that short time, achieved a Michelin star and made the menu his own. If rumours are to be believed, L’Atelier d’Edmond is secretly tipped for its second Michelin star in the not-too-distant future.
