march-2013

SKIING
contrast to the frenetic atmosphere
beyond its doors. Refined dishes such as
ravioli stuffed with foie gras, excellent local
bread, a seriously good cheese board and
charming, knowledgable staff all combine
to make this a lunch experience to savour.
On colder days, Chalet de la Marine on
the Dalles piste is a great stop-off for lunch,
with its cosy Alpine-style dining room and
huge blazing fire in the corner. Nearby
there’s also a surprisingly toasty yurt with
a woodburning stove and rugs for snuggling
under while enjoying a Kir or two. The
restaurant is famous for its steaks and
traditional mountain fare such as tartiflette
(lardons, onion and potato cooked in
cream) and pot-au-feu (a tasty, slowcooked
pot roast of meat and vegetables).
But best of all is its expansive dessert
table offering a wickedly tempting array
of tarts, cakes and chocolate delights.
It may be wise to take a gentle blue run
home afterwards.
But the best indication that ValTho is on
the up is the existence of its latest prize
hotel offering, the Altapura. Part of the
classy Sibuet Hotel group, the self-styled
‘Highest Palace in the Alps’ has clearly
upped the ante, prompting a rash of new
luxury developments including the ambitious
Koh-i-Nor (sic) due to open this December.
The Altapura has been imaginatively
designed with wit, warmth and originality,
offering spacious bedrooms with mountain
views and attractive, airy public spaces.
The look is stylishly Scandinavian – lots of
wood, slate and textured furnishings, big
open funnel fires and a few nice artistic
flourishes such as the multi-coloured
collection of vintage wooden skis attached
to the lower lobby wall. In the spa the walls
are lined with real birch trunks – a rather
lovely way of bringing nature inside.
At its fine-dining restaurant L’Enfant
Terrible, the Altapura prides itself on its
comprehensive menu, with a whole section
devoted to black truffles (a heavenly
ramekin of mashed potato mixed with cream
and black truffle is the stand-out dish), a
magnificent seafood counter, and a wine
list that showcases local Savoie vineyards.
Clearly, with Altapura setting a new
standard for food and hospitality in the
resort, Val Thorens can look forward to living
up to its new-found gourmet reputation.
Altapura Val Thorens, doubles from €250
with breakfast, altapura.fr; chezpepenicolas.
com; lafoliedouce.com; restaurantloxalyis.com;
chaletmarine.com
Delicate fl avours
from L’Oxalys
A tradtional
tartifl ette
two more in the three valleys
Courchevel
Romantically calling itself “the last chalet before the stars”,
the fi ve-star La Sivolière is a small, beautifully appointed
traditional Savoyard-style chalet hotel. Suites with open
fi res, a sublime spa, ski-in-ski-out privileges and a chap
to take your boots off in the evening all signal that this is
a place that takes the needs and desires of its guests
seriously. The fabulous interiors make use of local wood,
slate and stone, and the decor is a combination of muted
shades and electric splashes of colour, with eclectic pieces
of art and nods to local tradition in the public areas. Chef
Billal Amrani’s degustation menu is not to be missed, served
in the candlelit dining room overlooking moonlit pine trees.
Classic double rooms from €400. hotel-la-sivoliere.com
Meribel
This lively, attractive resort’s fi rst fi ve-star hotel, the Kaïla,
opened this season, but there are plenty of reasonably
priced options, such as the Eterlou and Tremplin which has
cosy rooms, hearty breakfasts and a lovely steamy outdoor
pool. For the best après-ski fun, stop off for some toffee
vodka at the (in)famous Rond Point bar on your last run
home. For dinner, nowhere in Meribel does steaks better
than Chez Kiki. lekaila.com; chaudanne.com; chez-kiki.fr
The Altapura,
Val Thorens
La Sivolière,
Courchevel
50 march 2013
FLY TO geneva seven times daily. FLY TO lyon three times daily. brusselsairlines.com
Meribel