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Val d'Isere Apres Ski Report: 6th December 2012

It's Already Going Off!

featured in Nightlife reviews Author Justine Mulliez, Val d'Isere Reporter Updated

The first week of the season can only mean one thing for Après-Ski and nightlife around Val d’Isère - life is good when you’re here early! This week we saw the opening nights of some of our favorite places to eat, drink, and party and with everyone celebrating opening weekend and the confirmation of the Criterium, Val d’Isere was rocking....


With the clouds puking snow for most of the week, closing lifts and pistes throughout resort, it was a little tough to visit our favorite higher altitude pre, during, and post ski bars and restaurants. One that I hope to visit soon is the mellow Ouillette restaurant on the Solaise side. A bit quieter than la Folie Douce, this place has amazing food (outdoor barbeque anyone?) and incredibly comfortable chairs on its huge deck. We can’t forget that it is an absolutely prime spot to work on the goggle tan as it's just high enough to avoid the 3 o’clock temperature drop when the sun passes the Bellevarde ridge. Add a little music for ambience and some really friendly staff and you've got one of the seasonnaire’s favorite places to “rest” on snow.

For the standard après-ski experience, we’ve been hiding out in the Petit Danois since Saturday to regain our strength with their new and improved menu and Danish beer. While the food has always been delicious, this year they have extended their breakfast menu hours until 4 pm and taken all the meals that worked well last season to the next level. As a biased eater, I definitely recommend the Spicy Chicken Wrap. Their barstaff are all fluent English speakers and more than down for a good dare or two, especially when you come back after a shower and a couple of beers before your night on the town.

Another good place to mellow out after a tough ride is the V-Spot across from the bus station. With their wifi, pool tables, and flat screen always showing the newest ski and snowboard movies, this is a great place to relax, hang out with friends, and recap on the day’s powder escapades. Since special DJs come around almost every night, this place turns into a great go-to bar for your pre-outing drinks.

For a very French après-ski experience, definitely head to Le Salon des Fous near the Office de Tourisme or Le Grand Marnier on the snow front. Salon des Fous hosts concerts and live music nearly every week, fitting the overflow of people outside with an outdoor bar and heat lamps. The ambiance is always lively but without the rowdier crowds in other places. Grand Marnier is an essential stop, especially if you happen to be craving the Grand Marnier alcohol its named after. Who knew you could put Grand Marnier in nearly anything? They did! This is a really quaint place inside but often has tables outside throughout the day to cater to everyone. Their crepes are highly recommended.

If you're into a more relaxing apres vibe then the Centre Aquasportif is the place to go. Since it’s opening a week before the season began, this is an absolutely amazing place to get your destroyed body back in order after even the roughest days on the hill or in the bar! The squash courts, climbing walls, and basketball courts are all available to use in addition to the workout room and free space room should you wanted more cardio after a powder day. More importantly, there is a lap pool and a huge play pool for adults and children alike with a huge spa section including sauna, hammam, and jacuzzi. Don’t forget about the huge bucket of ice-water you can dump on yourself in between sessions…what doesn't kill you makes you stronger and all that....!

While most returnees made a pledge to themselves and their wallets to party less than last year, others were out to prove that their inner-wild child was still very much alive and kicking. Who can blame them when Saloon, Dick’s Tea Bar, and Doudoune all opened in the same week? A Thursday night that was meant to begin and end with the same beer glass turned into a full out excursion ending with Dick’s Tea Bar’s opening night. What happens when the mass of people in Saloon simultaneous floods into the same bar? Madness. Saturday was another epic adventure with Doudoune’s crazy opening party thanks to resident DJ Yohan’s skills behind the disks. And what would you imagine to be the result of hosting an exclusive night for seasonaires on a Tuesday night? If you guessed, insanity in the shape of a party, you would be right.....