A highlight of any ski holiday in the Alps is the classic Savoyard cuisine, and a fantastic fondue is high up on list of meals to try whilst you're here.
Best fondue in Val d'Isère
The guide to must visit restaurants for cheese lovers
If you're heading to Val d'Isère, you'll be happy to hear the resort is littered with great spots to eat yourself into a cheese coma.
Our top tips for eating fondue
- maybe try a fondue at lunchtime rather than in the evening to avoid hot sweats and broken sleep as you metabolise all that cheese
- pimp up your fondue with a side of charcuterie and salad, mostly known as the “Fondue Complet”
- if you're in a group of four, try two different types of fondue between you as most restaurants offer fondues for a minimum of two people sharing
- according to the locals, you should drink white wine and not red with your fondue. Savoie whites, e.g. Aprémont or Rousette, have the necessary acidity to aid digestion
- don’t drink water with your meal - it solidifies the cheese and makes it harder to digest
- agree in advance on the forfeit if you drop your bread into the cheese: the French generally have to buy the next bottle of wine, whereas British forfeits are often less civilised, and generally involve doing something embarrassing
Enjoy!
Top Fondue Spots
L'Alpage des Chaudannes Restaurant
Gourmet restaurant and Savoyard cuisine at the top of Chaudannes chairlift
This cosy restaurant is located on the massif de L'Aiguille Percée, between Tignes le Lac and Tignes les Boisses.
This fantastic mountain restaurant has a wonderful sun terrace for those beautiful blue bird days or alternatively has a cosy and warm interior for those days when the snow comes in. Enjoy fantastic Savoyard gourmet dishes accompanied by a wonderful selection of Savoie wines.
The restaurant is open daily from December to May, dependent on lift access. Accessible from the top of the Chaudannes chairlift from Tignes Le Lac and Tignes Le Lavachet for both skiers and pedestrians.
Le Coin Savoyard Restaurant
A stunning gourmet restaurant serving high quality Alpine cuisine in the heart of Val d'Isère
Le Coin Savoyard is a gastronomic restaurant at the five-star hotel Les Balmes de l'Ours.
Try traditional mountain food such as cheese fondue and raclette in the elegant and luxurious surroundings of the cosy dining room. This restaurant focuses on local specialties and using local products. When it comes to fondues you can choose between Savoyard or Burgandy fondues. Or there are plenty of other items on the menu for those already cheesed out.
Make your own fondue
If you've been inspired whilst eating out in resort and fancy giving it a go yourselves, hosting your own fondue night can be fun. Everything you need is readily available in town and if your accommodation doesn't have a fondue set tucked away somewhere, most supermarkets and épiceries - shops selling local farm produce - will loan you a set if you buy the cheese from them.
The supermarkets are cheaper but the specialist épiceries and cheese shops will offer a better choice of good-quality, local cheese. You can find plenty of recipes online but the method is fairly simple and yummy - so get stuck in.
