Apres Ski in Megeve
Megeve prides itself on the quality of the food available in its 40+ off-mountain restaurants. All the best guidebooks from Michelin to Gault Millau feature restaurants in Megeve and few French ski resorts are better equipped to deal with such demanding palates.
Apres-Ski in Megeve
Apres-ski in Megeve is relatively sophisticated and in keeping with the traditional French flavour of the resort and its well-heeled clientele, Megeve is not a place for rowdy après ski.
For evening entertainment, there is a cinema, bars, restaurants, discos, a casino and a very popular jazz club with frequent live performances.
You can spend hours window-shopping in the many boutiques or sipping cafe-au-lait in the chic cafes before wandering around the historic buildings in the centre of town, then take a sleigh ride home in one of the many horse-drawn carriages.
There are plenty of other activities in Megeve but the chances are – if you are doing it right – that you will want to spend some time in the comfort of your (very agreeable) accommodation after you leave the slopes, before heading out to explore the village or to enjoy a high-quality meal.
Restaurants in Megeve
From the exclusive La Ferme de Mon Pere, boasting three Michelin stars, to the more reasonable, and filling, Savoyard restaurants in the town centre, there is a huge variety. The choice of cuisine available includes French, Italian and the Asian restaurant Bouddha Moor.
Flocons de Sel
Another boasting Michelin stars. Chef Emmanuel Renaut beavers away in the 4-star spa hotel of the same name creating dishes to not only revive hungry stomachs but to also wow bored palates. Renault also offers cookery classes, for those who want to recreate his dishes at home. Tel: +33 4 50 21 49 99. Web: www.floconsdesel.com
La Cintra
This restaurant has served the greats of society since it was established in back in 1937. One of the few places you can get oysters and a glass of white wine without having to take off your ski boots, but for a place of this quality it’s best to go home, change and have a real go at the menu. Tel +33 4 50 21 02 60. Web: www.lecintra-megeve.com
Domaine de La Sasse
Not strictly in Megeve, but well worth the trip and trek if you like steak. Nestled below Mont Joly, the chef prepares bison sourced directly from his herd. It is an exclusive opportunity in that there is limited space in his restaurant and limited heads of cattle. The chef is very inventive with his ingredients and booking is essential. Open for lunch and does not take credit cards. Tel: + 33 6 09 90 30 29. Web: www.domainedelasasse.com
Le Puck
The food on offer here is essentially Flocons de Sel lite. Run by the same chef, Le Puck is more basic and hearty, and with a more artisan price tag. The puddings are worth the trip alone and as there is a huge wine list available by the glass it is a solid choice. Tel: +33 450 21 06 61
Jacques Megean
If you like truffles, and if you can afford them, Jacques Megean is the place to head for. The chef here couples the black gold with pretty much everything and although the decor is not much to look at, the food more than makes up for it. Tel: +33 4 50 21 26 82
Chalet de Mont d’Arbois
Not the most expensive in town, but close. Like many of the top restaurants in Megeve, this hits the high notes, but you pay for it. Well worth it for that blowout meal of the week. The Auberge and the Club are a lot cheaper and good value. Tel: +33 4 50 21 25 03. Web: www.domainedumontdarbois.com
Brasserie Centrale
If Megeve seems like a place that seems for the rich, it is not entirely true. The Brasserie Centrale on the Rue Charle Feige offers superb value for money, providing hearty Savoyard fare. Tel: +33 4 50 21 22 44
The Village of Megeve
Megeve is a charming and traditional resort with a strong Savoyard flavour. The centre is pedestrianised around a medieval church, and horse-drawn sleighs are a common mode of transport throughout the winter.
Megeve is a pretty village with narrow cobbled streets housing a myriad of expensive shops selling designer clothes, jewellery and antiques – so chic is Megeve that in its day it was called the 21st arrondissement of Paris. The standard of the many restaurants is second to none (La Ferme de Mon Pere has three Michelin stars and Les Flocons de Sel has two Michelin stars).
There are also plenty of other activities for sporty visitors when they’re not on the slopes – Megeve’s sports centre has a 25m indoor swimming pool, indoor tennis courts, a climbing wall and two ice rinks (indoor and outdoor) in the centre of the village.
For visitors with a car, there are plenty of underground car parks, some of which are quite expensive so shop around to get the best prices.
Other Activities in Megeve
Megeve’s chic, laid-back reputation and status as a Best of the Alps resort means that those who want to get outside, but not exert themselves too much skiing or snowboarding, are well catered for.
Cross-Country Skiing in Megeve
Megeve is becoming an increasingly popular cross-country ski destination which is a pleasant alternative to downhill skiing and an excellent workout in the clean, crisp Alpine air. Megeve has four cross-country ski circuits and a total of 70km of well-prepared cross-country ski trails from beginner level to highly technical trails for both classic and skate skiing.
Lessons in cross-country skiing are available from the ESF Ski School at the Rocharbois Clubhouse located at the bottom of the Mont d’Arbois gondola and there is a beginner’s trail on the Plaine d’Arly within walking distance of the town centre.
A variety of cross-country trails will take you through pine forests to the sunny Mont d’Arbois plateau, where you can appreciate the fantastic views of the Mont Blanc and the Aravis mountain range. For those who like a challenge, there are the more technical trails at the Cote 2000.
Winter Walking in Megeve
Megeve has 50km of marked footpaths. Walkers can also use the chairlifts and gondolas for access.
Scenic Flights and Hot Air Ballooning in Megeve
There are few better places to fly in the world than in the Mont Blanc massif. Aérocime at the Altiport Megeve provide flights, and hot-air balloon trips, with three circuits: the Chamonix Valley, allee Blanche and the Massif du Mont Blanc.
Aerocime
3368 route de la Cote 2000
74120 Megeve
Tel: +33 4 50 21 03 21
Web: www.aerocime.com (French language only)
Sleigh Rides in Megeve
Traineaux de Megeve
979 route du Villaret,
74120 Megeve
Tel: +33 4 50 21 30 47
Tel: +33 6 87 61 40 75
Megeve Casino
The Megeve casino is perfect for a night out. The casino has 54 slot machines ranging up to €5, while it also offers games such as Roulette, Black Jack and Texas Hold’Em Poker.
SAS Casino de Megeve
199 rue Charles Feige,
74120 Megeve
Tel.: +33 4 50 93 01 83
Web: www.casino-megeve.com
Megeve Sports Centre
The classy Megeve sports centre has a gym, indoor and outdoor swimming pool and two ice rinks, one indoor, one outdoor where you can learn the Olympic sport of Curling. The sports centre also boasts a Turkish Bath, hammam, sauna and tennis courts. There are also tennis courts, a climbing wall and two ice rinks, one outside and one inside. You can also watch the local ice hockey and curling teams perform.
247 Route du Palais des Sports
74120 Megeve
Tel: +33 4 50 21 15 71
Web: www.megeve.fr