A stream of exciting restaurant arrivals has elevated Val d’Isère’s culinary prominence ahead of the French Alps’ 2021/22 ski season.
A view over Val d’Isère in the French Alps.
As travelers return to Val d’Isère for the start of the winter season this month, a number of new culinary hotspots will be waiting to welcome them in. This prominent ski resort near the Italian border in the French Alps is expanding its food and drink scene this season with an influx of new venues, from fine dining spots to casual mountainside cafés.
Gigi is making its debut in Le Refuge de Solaise hotel.
Located at an altitude of 2,551 meters, the cable station turned upscale hotel, Le Refuge de Solaise, provides the scenic location for the December 2021 opening Italian restaurant, Gigi. Far-reaching views of lakes and mountains add even greater appeal to dining space designed in collaboration with Hugo Toro to feel like an Italian home. Just like its sister restaurants in Paris and St Tropez, the mountaintop Gigi Val d’Isère will offer Italian dishes in a space pairing art de vivre with la dolce vita.
Inside the kitchen – LOULOU at Airelles.
The luxurious Airelles Val d’Isère hotel is also garnering a fresh wave of attention with the opening of its chic new dining venue, LOULOU at Airelles, combining Italian flavor with an après ski flair. Tucked into this stylish hotel at the heart of Val d’Isère village, LOULOU will present the Mediterranean menu of chef Benoit Dargère in chic interiors by artist Jean-Charles de Castelbajac spilling out to a large terrace for winter warmer cocktails by a fire pit. Dishes focusing on seasonal produce will range from truffle pizza and pistachio linguine to sweet treats including LOULOU’s chocolate chouquettes and panettone.
The playful interiors of La Cucùcina at La Folie Douce.
Adding to the stream of new Italian restaurants, La Cucùcina is set to make its debut mid-December at the 1980-opened après ski hotspot, La Folie Douce, at the top of the Daille cable car. High ceilings and playful décor inspired by Italian renaissance artists distinguish this space paying homage to Leonardo de Vinci and overlooking Mont Blanc. An all-Italian team is behind the new restaurant’s authentic Italian culinary offering.
The Peruvian-inspired cuisine of L’Altiplano 2.0 at Le K2 Chogori.
These three Italian openings are then joined by several locally and internationally inspired restaurant arrivals expanding the resort town’s dining scene, including the Peruvian-inspired L’Altiplano 2.0 restaurant at the five-star Le K2 Chogori hotel, which debuted last year. Culinary creations served à la carte as sharing plates or presented in a Discovery menu are designed to transport diners from here in the French Alps to the Andes.
A a number of new restaurants have opened in Val d’Isère ahead of the 2021/22 winter season.
Spanning both casual and fine dining options, other additions to the resort town’s growing food scene range from the redesigned Cocorico Val d’Isère serving street food and all-day dining spot Val d’Isère Café to the internationally inspired indoor-outdoor dining venue at the foot of the slope, Le Jean Michel, and family-friendly L’Alpin featuring a terrace and log fire. Poya pairs local gastronomy with mixology and La Charpenterie welcomes diners back into a legendary site where the owner’s grandmother hosted guests in the ‘60s – chef’s specials will be served alongside the wines of independent makers.
Keep up to date on all of Val d’Isère’s news ahead of the 2021/22 ski season.