Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Maison Moustache et Filles
is named for the mustachioed owner whose daughter
(fille)
runs the place. It boasts a fun, ski-festooned interior, terrific outdoor patio, and delicious
cuisine at reasonable prices. Locals love it and the duck is delectable (€14-24
plats
, €30
menu
, €10 kid's menu with good burgers, closed Mon, 37 Impasse des Rhododendrons,
tel. 04 50 93 49 68).
La Calèche
presents tasty regional dishes in a warm, hyper-decorated alpine setting
(pass on the outside seating). You'll dine amid antique dolls, cuckoo clocks, copper pots,
animal trophies, and more (find the luge sled from the 1924 Olympic Games). Try the
potée savoyarde
(sausages with melted cheese) or meats grilled at your table on hot stones
(sur la pierre)
. Don't leave without a visit to the WCs (€25
menu,
the €30
menu
is much
better, daily, centrally located just off Place Balmat at 18 Rue du Docteur Paccard, tel. 04
50 55 94 68).
Le Boccalatte Brasserie,
with a convivial atmosphere inside and out, serves a good-
value lunch or dinner a few blocks above the Aiguille du Midi lift. The place is family-
friendly and easygoing. The €15
tartiflette
with salad will fill your belly, or choose from a
large selection of other local specialties, big €10 salads, good pizzas, and 20 kinds of beer.
It's run by English-speaking Thierry, a friendly Alsatian (daily 12:00-22:00, 59 Avenue de
l'Aiguille du Midi, tel. 04 50 53 52 14).
La Flambée
offers reasonable prices in a lively mosh pit of alpine paraphernalia
served by a lighthearted staff. They cook up everything from burgers to pizza to fondue to
steaks (€15-20
plats
, €27
menu
, €10-14 pizza or pasta dishes, closed Mon, a block from
the train station at 232 Avenue Michel Croz, tel. 04 50 54 12 96)
Budget Meals:
Elevation 1904
is a down-and-dirty climbers' haunt across from the
train station, serving cheap and tasty sandwiches, burgers, pasta, and salads (daily until
about 22:30, Wi-Fi, 263 Avenue Michel Croz).
Bistro des Sports
dishes cheap
plats du
jour
and
menus
amid a cacophony of noise in the back of their lively bar (daily, 176 Rue
JosephVallot).
Midnight Express
servesgoodsandwichesuntillateandhasafewoutside
tables across from the recommended La Calèche restaurant. Try a
pain en rond
(round-
bread rustic sandwich), served hot
(chaud)
or cold
(froid)
.
Drinks:
If a pre-dinner glass of wine from anywhere in the world sounds appealing,
hop on into little
Le Lapin Agile
for cozy ambience and a happy-hour buffet of finger
foods—free if you purchase a drink (closed Mon, a block from the train station at 11 Rue
Whymper, tel. 04 50 53 33 25).
Away from the Pedestrian Center
(See “Chamonix Town” map,
here
.)
