St Gervais - eat, drink, party

Saint-Gervais is by no means party central – if you want pumping nightlife, you’re better off staying in nearby Chamonix. However, if you simply want to enjoy a couple of quiet beers after a day’s skiing followed by dinner in small, unpretentious restaurants surrounded by locals, this is the spot for you.

Mountain restaurants

There’s a decent selection of restaurants to choose from on the slopes. Le Presteau (00 33 450 93 10 89) at Le Bettex serves excellent food (and also opens for dinner), while La Terrasse de Freddy (00 33 450 21 20 56) on Mont d’Arbois is a great spot to enjoy a hot chocolate and soak up the views of Mont Blanc.

The tiny Les Marmottes (00 33 450 93 00 35) on Crête du Mont Joly serves Savoyard specialities and is a delightful place to warm up on cold days.

Restaurants in town

Restaurants in Saint-Gervais are refreshingly authentic and good value and there’s a good choice to suit virtually all tastes and budgets.

L’Affiche (00 33 450 19 63 15) in the centre of town does great steaks, while the cosy Restaurant 4 Epices (00 33 450 47 75 75) does tasty crêpes, fondues and tartiflette.

The traditional restaurant La Galeta (00 33 450 93 16 11) in a beautiful old chalet serves Savoyard specialities and wood grilled meat and fish dishes.

Boulangerie Leseve (00 33 450 47 72 43) is the best bakery in town while Au Chalet Gourmand (00 33 450 47 71 64) next door is ideal for lunches and indulgent afternoon teas. The resort also has a Michelin-star restaurant - Le Serac (00 33 450 93 80 50).

Après-ski and nightlife

With limited options, the pick of the bunch for après-ski is the Oboose Cafe by the base of the gondola in Saint-Gervais. Later in the evening, Le Nulles Part Ailleurs Bar is popular while the trendy Pur Bar in Saint-Gervais does excellent cocktails.

Oboose Cafe is popular with local seasonnaires and open till late while the Karma Lounge Club in Le Fayet is lively. The local disco is Le Duplex in Saint-Gervais.