Les Menuires Local Guide
In recent years, older buildings in La Croisette, the original resort centre, have been revamped and reclad, while the modern largely ski-in/ski-out satellites of Reberty and Le Bruyères have wisely been constructed in a much more sympathetic chalet style.
Lift links towards Val Thorens and towards Méribel and the rest of the Trois Vallées are fast and efficient. The local slopes are great for all standards, and much of the accommodation is ski-in/ski-out both in the original La Croisette sector of the resort as well as in the newer satellites.
On the minus side, many of the slopes are south-facing and quickly lose their cover in hot spring sunshine – Les Menuires is not ideal for either an early or a late season holiday, although the resort stays open almost until the end of April and Val Thorens, the highest resort in Europe with guaranteed snow cover from November to May, is just up the road or lift.
Off-Hill Activities
There’s a great selection of non-ski activities including two impressive wellness spas to recover after an exciting day exploring the Three Valleys.
Restaurants
Predominantly a self-catering resort, restaurants in Les Menuires tend to provide good value grub for families who want a night off from cooking. There are still a few gems to be found though.
La Bouitte — Tucked away in the hamlet of St Marcel, near St Martin de Belleville, and in the same valley as Les Menuires, La Bouitte has earned itself three Michelin stars and it’s not difficult to see why. The cosy farmhouse interior is decorated with old cowbells and other Alpine eclectica, but it’s the kitchen that grabs all the attention. Father and son team René and Maxime have been working together for more than 20 years and they celebrated La Bouitte’s 40th anniversary at the end of 2016. Their creative and subtle cooking draws inspiration from the culinary traditions of the local Savoie area. Book well in advance. You can (almost) reach it off-piste or by heading down to St Martin – in both cases, the restaurant picks you up and delivers you back to the lift in St Martin for the journey home.
Restaurant Le K — A brasserie during the daytime serving quick and wholesome lunches, in the evening, Restaurant Le K in Reberty morphs into a proper restaurant with the chef’s frequently changing Ephémère menu that is accompanied by fine wines.
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