Les Arcs Food & Drink

Although not as renowned as the haute cuisine of Paris or the fine bistros of Lyon the Alps do have a number of tasty treats in store for those who like to sample some regional specialities. Meat and cheese feature heavily in Alpine cooking – so it’s just as well there are plenty of mountains where you can work off the extra pounds! ... see "Dining in the Alps" for more

Arcs 1800 is definitely the liveliest village in Les Arcs as there is a large choice of both bars and restaurants. The Red Hot Saloon bar in Galerie des Villards is just one of the 34 bars in Les Arcs and is arguably the best for après and late night partying. Known locally as the ‘Red Bar’, there is often live music here (either a rock band or DJ) and the place gets packed to the rafters guaranteeing a great atmosphere. It also has a large dance floor and friendly, English speaking staff.

Jungle Café in the Place des Villards is a popular choice in Arcs 1800 with its jungle themed interior and murals on the walls. It is a pretty cheap place to drink and is open all day until 1am. It attracts a good mix of people, mostly locals and/or seasonnaires and they serve tasty food all day long. The Ambiente Bar, also in the Villards area, (near to the Red Bar) is more of a French style establishment and is a true après ski bar. You can sample one of their tasty cocktails or have a game of darts in a lively but equally chilled atmosphere.

The equivalent to L’Ambiente over in the Le Charvet section of Arc 1800, is Le Gabotte, which is a ski instructor after work hangout. The place also attracts a lot of English and Dutch clientele.

Although it is not as big as 1800 (yet!), Arc 1950 is also very lively and has a good choice of bars. With its ski in/ski out location, the village is perfect for après but there is also a nightclub cleverly named Le Club 1950 for late night antics. La Belle Pinte is a large Irish pub in Arc 1950 which has a sophisticated feel during the day turning into a lively boozy feel when the resort is busy of an evening. Don’t be put off by the fact this place is an Irish pub, it is well worth a visit as the décor is smart and the bar itself is quite grand. There is plenty of seating and it is the perfect place for pint and a chat with friends.

The Mont Blanc Bar is located right at the top of Vallandry close to the Grizzly chair lift. It is accessible from the piste so you can stop off for après without wasting time getting changed! There is a large terrace facing over towards La Plagne where you can catch the last rays of the day. The bar is open late and often has live music and DJ sets with specific nights such as Drum and Bass, normally on Thursday night. The English staff are young, lively and friendly and the bar also has a pool table and Sky Sports. This is not the place to come if you are looking for somewhere with more of a French feel but it is still well worth a visit.

There are nightclubs in Arc 1800, 2000 and 1950 all of which are open until 4am. The Apokalypse club in 1800 is probably the most popular and KL92 in 2000 is also a good choice.

Les Arcs cuisine is very French orientated and therefore there are plenty of places specialising in raclette and fondue. Here are some recommendations of where you can sample some alpine fare.

Arcs 2000

• Chez Eux is renowned for its fine fondue and great 'gastro' dishes

Arcs 1950

• Chez Anne is the place to go in 1950 for some Savoyard specialities

Arcs 1800

• Les Terrasses du Green (Hotel du Golf) - a little more sophisicated than the usual, elegant but pricey at around €40 per person not including wine
• La Santaline - one of the nicest of the local speciality restaurants
• La Plante d'Baton - very traditional French restaurant, reasonably priced, children's menu

Arcs 1600

• Chez Fernand - homecooked regional specialities
• Au Pet't Loup - Traditional Savoyard Fare

If you're looking for something with a bit more of an 'international' flavour you could head to El Latino Loco in 2000 for fajitas, La Cantina in the Ramada SAS Hotel in 1650 for some Mexican/Spanish dishes or East in 1950 which serves great Asian food.

For something a bit special Tantra in 1800 serves an interesting fusion-style menu in glamorous surroundings. Open from 4.30pm to 2am it is also a lounge bar, where you can enjoy a drink and order some sushi.

The Mountain Café in 1800 is the place to go for amazing burgers and tex-mex and has a great atmosphere - ideal for post powder day wind down. Also in 1800, the Jungle Café does good salads and lasagne, and Mamie Crepe is a great place to sit outside on a sunny afternoon.

Over in Vallandry there is the Mont Blanc Café which serves varied menus including mid-afternoon tapas and has a ‘ski-thru’ burger hut.

If you've had a wonderful meal somewhere in Les Arcs or think that we've missed somewhere out that is worthy of a mention please let us know!

Les Arcs is a widely spread resort and restaurants are few and far between in some areas and abundant in others. As in any resort it is good to know where to go and what to expect from a resort. Below are a few suggestions for people who like both quality and value from their food on the slopes whether it be a quick snack or a leisurely three hour lunch! All of the restaurants mentioned are accessible on skis or snowboards but may also be accessed on foot via a telecabine where stated.

Au Pré Gourmand is a large restaurant that uses quality local produce located on the piste near the bottom of the Pré St. Esprit chair lift and also on the road up to Les Arcs 1950 and 2000. The restaurant is cosy inside with a big traditional fire but also has a large terrace where you can eat when the weather permits. There are two options to choose from for lunch time eating. Expect to pay around €15 for the middle value self service option which consists of different choices of starters, hot and cold main courses and desserts. For the more traditional table service option a medium menu will cost around €23. Desserts here are renowned as they are made by a local Chocolatier.

Les Chalets de L’Arc is located at an altitude of 2200m and is near the resort of Arc 2000, five minutes from the Arcabulle chair lift. The building itself is a beautiful, traditional chalet with a terrace that always has the sun as long as it is shining. Set menus start from €18 but you can chose from a menu of dishes from €10 and there is also a good children’s menu. All bread is made on site in the old style ovens and great pride seems to be taken in all preparation and presentation of the food served here. This is a highly recommended restaurant to visit.

There a few restaurants over towards Villaroger, but two in particular that should be visited while you are there. The first is on the way down to the village on the longest marked run in Europe (7km in total) if you start from the top of the Aigulle Rouge. You may need a break halfway down anyway so a good excuse would be to visit Chalet du Solliet at 1750m. The building is an authentic mountain chalet in an exceptional location with a couple of well positioned terraces and good menus. Again, you can choose from the self service (salads, soups, sausages and polenta, omelettes) or restaurant options (Fondues, Raclettes, Tartiflettes) and there is also an interesting menu with specialities from the South West of France including confit and breast of duck and Foie Gras. In the winter you can only access this restaurant via the piste but it is open and is very popular in summer with walkers and bikers.

The second gem that we found in the Villaroger area is La Ferme, located in the village itself, but which can normally be reached on skis throughout the winter. A short walk is involved from the bottom of the piste but it is worth it for the restaurants rustic charm and the buzz that there is when you walk upstairs during a busy lunchtime period. A particular favourite dish of ours is the rabbit casserole from the self service counter which, although not cheap, is deliciously tasty.

If you are looking for a break from French cuisine then head to the Mont Blanc bar and restaurant in Vallandry which is a lively, English run place, popular with seasonnaires and younger holiday makers. The menu is typically English – think ham, egg and chips, bangers and mash and curry. You can also have an early tapas supper or you can choose to grab a burger or homemade soup from the ‘Snack Shack’ at the back of the hotel bordering the Aigle red run.

For more quick bites like paninis, cups of soups (not Cuppa Soup) and tasty deep pan pizza slices go to the very conveniently placed Le Snack. There is plenty of picnic bench seating with spectacular views across the descending slopes and the valley below, there is also always good music playing and it is cheap and has a cool vibe. This is the perfect ski in/ski out snack bar just above and parallel to the mid-station of the Trans Arc bubble.