Where to eat and drink in Val d'Isère: lunch in the trees, dinner by the fire
Lunch long on the mountain, dinner in the centre of the village. Restaurant 1789 is the dinner to book before you fly, Restaurant l'Edelweiss is the quiet lunch in the trees above Le Fornet, La Folie Douce at La Daille is the afternoon party, and Le B'Bar, run by three brothers, is the bar.
Val d'Isère takes lunch seriously, and the long one on the mountain is the habit to get into. Where you stop depends on the side you are skiing, from Le Fornet at the quiet end to La Daille at the other. In the village, dinner runs from pizza on the fourth night to côte de boeuf cooked over coal.
Restaurant 1789 is the dinner to book before you fly: about ten tables round an open coal fire where the big cuts are cooked, and the côte de boeuf for two is what to order. If the week has gone, ask to go on the cancellation list, because they do call back. By the fourth night, Flash Pizza is the right answer, thin pizzas with a puffed edge and a house wine you can drink, and if the small room is full they will take your pizza next door to the pub.
On the mountain, Restaurant l'Edelweiss is the calm lunch, in the trees above Le Fornet with a log fire inside, and it takes coeliac and gluten free diners seriously. La Folie Douce at La Daille is the other end of the day: boots off at the door, a DJ, and an afternoon you go for rather than a plate. Back in the village, Le Salon des Fous serves galettes and crêpes straight through the afternoon, for the lunch that ran late.
For the evening, Le B'Bar is the bar to know: the three brothers who run it are why people go back, and it draws more of the people who live and work here than tour groups. Book dinner ahead, because 1789 and Flash Pizza are both small rooms. Our dinner picks are all in the centre, so from La Daille or Le Fornet, plan the ride back.
Mountain lunch
Two ends of the mountain day: a log fire in the trees above Le Fornet, and the afternoon party at La Daille.
Restaurant l'Edelweiss
Out at the quiet end of the ski area above Le Fornet, in the trees, with a log fire inside and a sun terrace outside. Three courses at around thirty four euros is strong for a mountain restaurant. It is also the one place up here that handles coeliac and gluten free properly, with a vegetarian option in every course.
La Folie Douce
The afternoon party rather than a quiet lunch, and it is very good at being that. An escalator carries you from the La Daille gondola into the building, your boots come off at the door and go into a heated room, and a DJ takes it from there. Go for the afternoon, not for the plate, and know the drinks are priced for the show.
Dinner
The table that books out for the week, round an open coal fire, and thin pizza with a puffed edge for the fourth night.
Restaurant 1789
Around ten tables and an open coal fire in the middle of the dining room, which is where the big cuts get cooked. The cote de boeuf for two with bone marrow is the order. It books out for the week, but they keep a cancellation list and they do ring back. Dinner only.
Flash Pizza
Large thin based pizzas with a puffed edge, drinkable house wine and jugs of tap water, which is a short list of everything you want on the fourth night. The room is small, so the table is the constraint. If there is not one, they will carry the pizza next door to the pub for you.
Bars
Three brothers, a band or a DJ every week, and more locals and seasonnaires than tour groups.
Le B'Bar
Run by three brothers, and the brothers are the reason people come back. A band or a DJ every week, a short food menu done properly, and a crowd that leans local and seasonnaire rather than tour group. The Passion Spritz is the one to order. Dogs welcome.
Cafes and quick bites
Galettes and crêpes, and a kitchen that keeps going through the afternoon instead of shutting between sittings.
Restaurant le Salon des Fous
Savoury galettes and sweet crepes are the specialism, with a plat du jour that is filling for the money. Service runs straight through the afternoon rather than shutting between sittings, which makes it the answer at half past three. Small room, so book at peak times.
These are our own picks, not paid placements. Opening times and ownership change, so it is always worth checking before you set off.