Peisey-Vallandry eat, drink, party

MOUNTAIN RESTAURANTS

The main mountain restaurant is Aux Enfants Terrible (+33 4 79 07 90 25)  www.arpette.fr/fr/actualites-aux-enfants-terribles) at the top of the Vallandry chairlift. This is a popular spot (so worth booking in advance; and service may be a tad slow when it’s really busy) with a sunny, panoramic terrace and self-service, snack bar, pizza, take away and traditional restaurant options, with Savoyarde dishes featuring on the menu. The restaurant is also accessible to pedestrians.

A good option if you want to enjoy lunch for under €10 is Le Snack Bar off the side of the Combe and Écureuils pistes. It offers basic, filling grub such as paninis and chips and has superb views over to the north face of the Bellecote from the outside tables, chairs and deckchairs; if the weather is bad there’s a snug indoor dining area.

La Vache (+33 4 79 08 04 63) at the bottom of the Parchey chairlift in Plan Peisey is ski in/ski out and has great burgers and Thai curry as well as good vegetarian options, along with a terrace with lovely views across to La Plagne. They also have live music on Friday nights. Note that La Vache is not strictly a ‘mountain restaurant’ as it can easily be reached on foot from Plan Peisey.

RESTAURANTS IN TOWN

Le Trapoun (+33 4 79 04 20 75 or +33 6 20 83 72 78) at the bottom of the slopes in Vallandry is a friendly spot serving traditional Savoyarde dishes and especially good omelettes – it’s popular with locals, which is invariably a good recommendation, but this also means it tends to be busy at lunchtime.

Also in the same area and thus easily accessible on skis are Le Rilax (+33 4 79 04 21 65), which specialises in crêpes and pancakes, and L’Adress (+33 4 79 06 82 70) which as well as offering a standard resort menu of burgers, pasta etc. also does pizzas, including take-aways from 6.30pm.

Just below this, in the pedestrianised shopping area, is Betty’s Snack Bar (+33 4 79 07 99 16) for quick, reasonably priced snacks (paninis from €5 for example) and occasional themed meals (eg Creole); most of the seating is outside though so it’s not the best option on cold days. Next door is Le Palace de Chocolat (+33 6 03 41 20 33) which does pretty much what it says on the tin and sells more than 60 varieties of chocloate.

More upmarket is La Bergerie de Raphaël (+33 4 79 07 94 95 or +33 620965281; www.labergeriederaphael.com); located off the side of the piste just above the bottom of the Vallandry chair, it has especially good meat and grilled dishes.

In Plan Peisey the rustic Le Solan (+33 4 79 07 15 06) is always popular and offers a good selection of wines plus big screen TVs for sports events. Nearby is La Cordée (+33 04 79 07 01 14 ; www.resto-la-cordee.puzl.com/midi), which has a wide and varied menu and reasonable prices.

In the middle of the village Crêperie Chez Félix (+33 4 79 07 92 41) is popular with locals not just for crêpes and pancakes but also for its regional dishes, which can be enjoyed on a sunny south-facing terrace, whilst down in Nantcroix village Restaurant l’Ancolie (+33  04 79 07 93 20; www.restaurant-lancolie-nancroix.com) is a traditional auberge that’s renowned for its gourmet dishes and welcoming atmosphere.

APRES-SKI AND NIGHTLIFE

As with all the other resorts that make up Les Arcs, the nightlife in Peisey-Vallandry is pretty low key – it’s not the place to visit if you’re more into partying than skiing.

However there are a couple of options that will keep you entertained into the wee small hours. The most renowned of these is Bar Mont Blanc (+33 4 79 04 20 33; www.barmontblanc.com) in Vallandry beside the piste and just below the Grizzly chairlift. It’s the liveliest spot to be once the skiing is over for the day (and often when it isn’t), with live music, a monthly live comedy night, Sky Sports on big screens, pool tables and a good-sized sun deck.

Also in Vallandry is the Mojo Bar (+33 66 20 60 921) which has the advantage of being more accessible on foot since it’s in the pedestrianised area of the village. It’s open until 2am and offers a wide selection of cocktails, spirits and wines along with food, live sports broadcasts and regular live music and DJ sets.