Breakfast
Le Comptoir du Père Sotieu Rue du Général Muffat St Amour (+33 (0)4 50 21 67 51) is the place to start your day off with a drink of this cosy tea shop’s signature "Chocolat de Megeve” and fresh croissants.
Aux délices de Megeve, 290 route du Palais des Sports (+33 (0)4 50 21 30 48) is a wonderful tea room serving food that’s both fresh and fashionable, with both healthy and indulgent options on the menu.
Lunch:
Les Mandarines, Mont d’Arbois (+33 (0)4 50 21 31 27). Beautifully located chalet dating back to 1934, located 1800m up and mentioned in the Gault Millau gourmet guide. Mandarines has a lovely atmosphere and excellent mountain food, served by a cheering open fire. A lovely man takes your skis upon arrival and looks after them until it’s time to leave.
Chalet Du Radaz, Rochebrune (+33 (0)4 50 58 94 44) is accessed directly from the Cote 2000 ski slopes and serves what’s popularly regarded as the best tartiflette on the mountain, as part of a range of Savoyard specialities.
Dinner
Les Enfants Terribles, Place de l'Eglise (+33 (0)4 50 21 20 02). Located next to Hotel Mont Blanc in the village centre. Its name is taken from the famous Jean Cocteau novel and film of the 1950s in a nod to the fact that, at that time, Cocteau remarked that Megeve was a suburb of Paris, such was its popularity then, as now, with residents of the French capital. Cocteau was a regular visitor to the Hotel Mont Blanc. Les Enfants Terribles specialises in taking French Savoyard cooking to new levels and is regarded by locals as very expensive, with main courses typically €28-48. Steak au poivre is the signature dish and it is worth visiting for the stylish 1950s retro décor, again themed on Cocteau films.
Flocons De Sel, 1775 Route du Leutaz (+33 (0)4 50 21 49 99) has made waves not just in the ski world but across the global culinary scene with the achievements of chef Emmanuel Renaut, the only gastronomic genius in the Alps to be awarded 3 Michelin stars. Expect unique gourmet cuisine to a world-class standard, and indeed at a price reflecting that, so that the fact you need to take a taxi ride out of town to the Hotel Megeve is only a small part of your spend.
Le Vieux Megeve. 58 pl. de la Résistance (+33 (0)4 50 21 16 44). Approaching its 50th birthday (established in 1965) a Megeve institution serving traditional Savoyard food, well presented and always busy – so best to book ahead. Main course dishes are typically €22-28.
Flocons Villages, 75 rue Saint-François, (+33 (0)4 50 78 35 01). At the other end of the price scale from Flocons de Sel, Flocons Villages offers the same excellent food in a mountain bistro style and with touches from the great chef, Emmanuel Renaut, but very reasonably priced by comparison with a three course meal coming in around €24.
Apres/Nightlife
Club de Jazz Les Cinq Rues, 19 passage des Cinq Rues, (+33 (0)4 50 91 90 69) is a Megeve institution that has won accolades including “the Ronnie Scott's of the Haute Savoy.” Located in the resort’s atmospheric back streets, it is one of Europe’s oldest surviving jazz clubs, dating back some 65 years and has seen superstars including Memphis Slim and Stéphane Grappelli take to the stage. You’ll be very lucky if such A-listers are in town of course, but there’s still live jazz and normally a great atmosphere every night.
Casino Megève, 199 rue Charles Feige (+33 (0)4 50 93 01 83). Although Megeve is famed for its wealthy clientele, and the casino is indeed a magnet for high rollers, you can in fact enjoy an evening in the casino – which is open until 3am nightly – without spending a fortune if you can stick to the 1 cent slot machines, among the 68 to choose from and not be tempted up to the €5 version or indeed the roulette, blackjack or poker tables. Besides the gambling there’s a good restaurant (this is Megève after all!), the Equipe by the Purple Lounge where there are dinner concerts or other free entertainment every evening. You can also dance the night away in the Palo Alto disco.
