Breakfast
Breakfast if often included in the price of the hotel, especially if you book a package deal. Many hotels even offer copious breakfast buffets complete with eggs, sausages, and cheeses since the clientele is so international.
Le Petit Danois, just behind the La Daille bus station, touts itself as the resort's number one party bar, but it's also a good place to find a full breakfast selection, including full and half English breakfasts, and even vegetarian versions, which is something pretty rare in France. Plan to spend €12.50 for the full breakfast, €8.50 for the others.
For a quicker option, you can always grab a quick café au lait and croissant or baguette and butter at one of the many resort cafés. Try La Sana, which is in the centre of the resort, just across from the ESF ski school, at the corner of rue Noël Machet and the rue du Parc des Sports.
Lunch
Head to La Tête de Solaise, atop the namesake summit, for lunch with a view of the surrounding mountains. The restaurant was recently renovated in a retro mountain style and is actually three different eateries: a self-service cafeteria, a sit-down restaurant, and a pizzeria.
At the base village, a good bet is La Corniche, just behind the church. They serve a wide variety of typical French fare, which is well prepared. Specialities include several varieties of fondue as well as unique dishes like venison with red currants and seafood marmite. Main dishes run from €20-28.
Dinner
High-end
La Table de l'Ours, located in the Barmes de l'Ours hotel, serves fine cuisine that has earned chef Anthony Maubert a Michelin star. The atmosphere could be described as cosy mountain chic, with a blazing fireplace, white linens, and understated refinement. Try some of the traditional mountain fare with a decidedly upscale twist, like the tartiflette enhanced with truffle-stuffed pork belly and lamb morsels. Fixed price menus range from €85€-€185 and can include up to 12 courses.
La Grande Ourse also offers fine dining, with dishes like saffron and lobster claw pasta, Sisteron lamb with stuffed vegetables, and whole roasted bass with gnocchi gratin. The restaurant goes all the way back to 1936, when it was the one of the top places in the resort to grab a sandwich and cup of hot wine. Since the 1970s, it has been serving fine French cuisine, in a warm atmosphere accentuated with time-worn wood beams and a fire that adds a touch of charm. You'll find La Grande Ourse next to La Savonnette drag lift, near the Le Brussels hotel.
The Ormelune restaurant, in the hotel of the same name, goes for a more off-beat style, with polka dot and striped chairs and flashy tableware. On the menu, you'll find quality meat dishes and pasta, as well as handful of varied salads to start. Main dishes range from €18-22.
Low-key
Head back to Le Petit Danois, where you will find wraps and salads for around €10 plus burgers and pub grub for a few extra euros.
Après / Nightlife
Val d'Isère is known for its nightlife, so get après ski started at La Rosée Blanche, which is just at the foot of the La Daille. It's a quiet option, where you can sip Val's best vin chaud and watch the last skiers make their way down the mountain.
Otherwise, the M Bar at the Tsanteleina Hotel sets the mood with lounge music, champagne cocktails, and dimmed lighting. The bar also has free wifi, in case you want to take a little time to connect with loved ones back home to recount your exploits on the pistes.
To finish the night on a hot note, there's Dick's Tea Bar, which has been a staple of Val d'Isère nightlife for 30 years. It came under new management in 2010-2011 and underwent renovations. Now guests party in a cool Nordic atmosphere, bathed in blue, turquoise, and violet light. International DJs regularly rock the dance floor, so check their website for the programme.
