La Forêt January 7th, 2008

Although not strictly in Les Praz, I’ve included this as it’s well worth a mention. It’s about ten minutes walk away in the village of Les Tines, and has a lovely garden with a swimming pool, which you can use if you go for lunch. It would be a particularly good place to stay in summer as it’s in a very pretty situation and the garden terrace with the pool looks really gorgeous.

Over the last few years, it seems to have made huge improvements in the food. The menu sounds delicious, and I have heard very good reports from friends that have eaten there. I’ll try it this summer and report back , purely in the interests of research, you understand!

Excelsior website

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La Forêt November 2nd, 2007

(Photographs © La Cabane 2006-7)

This restaurant is part of the Golf Club - there’s a collection of buildings around it including the Hotel Labrador. A few years ago it burned down, and has now been rebuilt in a very atttactive ‘log cabin’ style - Finlandais as it’s called here. I’ve heard good recommendations of the food, so we went to try it out.

It’s a lovely building, and even in this low season time, they’d made an effort to decorate it seasonally with autumn leaves and pumpkins - including some enormous pumpkins piled around the outside. The interior is very pretty - spacious and warm, and nicely divided up with booths and other seating areas. Decor is modern, upmarket Alpine, and I quite liked the animatronic polar bear which gives a nice hint of frivolity. It’s mercifully free of golfing memorabilia.

We were brought a lovely amuse-bouche of pumpkin soup while looking over the menu, which is in both French and English. Some very nice seasonal choices on it (which are helpfully marked out clearly) included a very wide selection of local game.

The standout starter was a beautifully presented small pumpkin filled with truffled pumpkin soup and containing seared scallops, held steady on a mashed potato base and surrounded by rocket. This was one of the nicest things I’ve eaten in Chamonix - truly delicious.

My main course was, unfortunately, the wrong dish - some salmon that was a bit uneventful. Everyone else’s was excellent - highlights included lamb cooked for seven hours, a game confit, and the lovely side dishes.

Puddings were inventive, tasty and beautifully presented - my shortbread with nougat icecream and figs was really special.

Overall it’s a lovely place. Personally, I slightly prefer the food at the Eden, as it’s a little lighter, but La Cabane has the edge in terms of decor, it’s really very pretty inside - the warmth of the wood keeps the spacious interior cosy. It’s quite a smart place, and perfect for a special occasion, or a romantic dinner.

www.restaurant-lacabane.com

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La Forêt September 2nd, 2007

Buvette des Mottets, Chamonix, originally uploaded by chaletlaforet.

This little buvette is in a gorgeous spot on the way up to Montenvers - in front of the buvette itself, there are tables shaded with parasols and behind is a little glade of silver birches around a pond where dragonflies zip to and fro over the profusion of flowers.

Flowers at the Buvette des Mottets, Chamonix, originally uploaded by chaletlaforet.

On a clear still day, it’s a super place to watch the paragliders fly over the Dru, whilst the Mer de Glace creaks and crackles below. The food’s very nice too. We shared a lovely croute - bread soaked in a creamy white wine sauce, with mushrooms (or ham), and then baked with cheese. The owners are very friendly and helpful too.

You can get there a variety of ways, it’s signed from the Petit Balcon Nord. The walk up from Les Praz is really worth doing, taking you through an astonishing variety of Alpine enviroments, from bare glacier-riven red iron rocks, where tiny flowers bloom in the cracks, to lush ferny, mossy forest. You can also get there via the train up to Montenvers and walk down.

Usually open mid-June -September. Tel +33(0)6 14 19 36 77

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La Forêt June 14th, 2007

You can see the beautiful flowered terrace of Chalet Floria high above Les Praz. If you’re feeling energetic, you can hike up there from the village - it’s well signposted and will take about an hour, winding up through the fragrant pine forests and wonderful scenery.

Otherwise, you can let the Flégère lift whisk you up to the top, and have a more relaxing walk down to it.

Once there you can take in the astounding views whilst having a drink or lunch in the riot of flowers - over 4000 plants cover the chalet and terrace, and butterflies flutter around as you eat. The menu isn’t extensive (not surprising, given the location!) but the food is very nice and reasonably priced. The friendly owners both speak English (Madame speaks it perfectly) and have a fascinating book of photos to flip through, showing the chalet over the years.
Opens from the end of April until the end of October.
Lovely photo of the Chalet Floria’s terrace and view on Chamonix.com

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La Forêt May 9th, 2007

(Summer only)
There’s lovely food on the pretty terrace at La Bagna, with occasional barbecues for special occasions. If it’s chilly, eat inside, which is warmly decorated in rich reds. There’s usually a particularly good choice for vegetarians and some deliciously fresh salads - perfect for when you’ve had enough cheese and potatoes and want something a bit lighter. The terrace is a good place for families as there’s plenty of room beside it for kids to play.
They also offer bed and breakfast accomodation.
In winter, the same building becomes becomes Chalet Lounge

Auberge La Bagna

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La Forêt April 14th, 2007

An excellent hotel, British and Swedish run. It’s very reasonably priced with bright, modern, unfussy interiors. They now have apartments on offer as well, which I haven’t stayed in but look very nice. In summer, the terrace bar is a good spot for a glass of wine.

The restaurant is one of the best in Chamonix - fresh, modern food, beautifully presented, and the maître d’ is superb - he’s been there for decades and really knows his stuff. There’s usually a good choice for veggies too.
Hotel Eden

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La Forêt April 14th, 2007

Le Sarpe is a brilliant restaurant - it’s moved on from just traditional Savoyarde cooking - which it still does very well. Now, it serves fine adventurous French cooking in charming, atmospheric, traditional surroundings. It’s in Les Bois, just a pleasant ten minute walk through the woods from Les Praz.

Le Sarpe
30, Passage des Mottets
Les Bois
74400 Chamonix Mont-Blanc
Tel : +33(0)450532931

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La Forêt April 14th, 2007

This place is lots of fun - the friendly owners Sylvie & Didier do all the usual Savoyard specialities, but it’s the pizzas that steal the show. If there’s a big group of you, drop in or call to book in winter, as it’s tiny. In summer the terrace extends the space and is a pleasant spot for a drink. Great for families, cheap and very cheerful, and they also do takeaway.

Cremerie Du Moulin
2186 Route du Bois du Bouchet, Les Praz
0450 537100

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La Forêt April 14th, 2007

A super location on the central green of Les Praz, next to the Flegere lift with a view of the church and Mont Blanc. The terrace is a lovely place to watch the sunset on Mont Blanc with a drink. The hotel is very traditionally French with some rather peculiar decor in some of the rooms, but it’s inexpensive and quiet. The views are lovely, especially if you can get one with a balcony at the front.

The restaurant, like the hotel, is very traditionally Savoyarde and is a good place for a fondue. They also do an excellent trout meuniere. It’s especially nice on summer evenings when you can eat outside on the terrace lit with torches. Ideal for families in summer, as there’s a play area for children, and plenty of room for them to run about on the green.

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La Forêt April 14th, 2007

This is a great find for younger children and their parents - a lovely shady pool under the pines, with pony rides, rope swings, log bridges and forts. There’s a little kiosk cafe - a buvette - with crepes etc, and barbecues in summer. In winter there’s snow tubing for the kids, and vin chaud for adults. They can also arrange birthday parties.
Paradis Des Praz

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