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Best fondue in Avoriaz

Celebrate the enduring relationship between cheese and skis

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By Caro Blackwell, Updated

We've come up with a delicious list of the best fondues for you to try in and around Avoriaz!

There are many things to love about this area of France; the mountains, the wine and the food are amongst them. Thanks to our location, being nestled right up close to our neighbour Switzerland, one of the finest dishes to indulge in out here is the famous cheese fondue.

The word 'fondue' comes from the French 'fondre', which literally means to melt. Popular in the 1800s in the French and Swiss Alps, it was borne out of the necessity to use up aged cheeses and dried up bread during the winter months when fresh food was scarce.

Today the ritual of the cheese fondue is an integral and unmissable part of any ski holiday, and after skiing around a mountain in sub-zero temperatures, you merit the zillion calories in this ultimate cheese-fest.

Avoriaz is home to a number of great restaurants to suit every budget, appetite and group size. Most of these places have a Savoyard menu including a cheese fondue, but here we’ve found the best of the best, so all you have to do is book a table.

Our top tips for fondue eating!

Cheese Fondue with white wine
  • maybe try a fondue at lunchtime rather than in the evening to avoid hot sweats and broken sleep as you metabolise all that cheese
  • pimp up your fondue with a side of charcuterie and salad, mostly known as the “Fondue Complet”
  • if you're in a group of four, try two different types of fondue between you as most restaurants offer fondues for a minimum of two people sharing
  • according to the locals, you should drink white wine and not red with your fondue. Savoie whites, e.g. Aprémont or Rousette, have the necessary acidity to aid digestion
  • don’t drink water with your meal - it solidifies the cheese and makes it harder to digest
  • agree in advance on the forfeit if you drop your bread into the cheese: the French generally have to buy the next bottle of wine, whereas British forfeits are often less civilised, and generally involve doing something embarrassing

Enjoy!

Top Fondue Spots

La Cachette Restaurant, Avoriaz

La Cachette Restaurant

Location
Avoriaz

La Cachette is located in the heart of the historical Dromonts area in Avoriaz. It has a cosy alpine interior that will make you feel instantly at home.

The restaurant has a cosy atmosphere and comforting cuisine - ideal to satisfy your cravings after a long day on the slopes. The menu offers all the classic regional dishes created with passion from carefully selected produce.

Cheese lovers will be won over by the iconic traditional dishes and foodies will appreciate the authentic specialties, such as their pierrade made with quality meats seared to perfection over a hot stone.

La Reserve Restaurant, Avoriaz interior

La Reserve Restaurant

Location
Avoriaz

Located in the heart of the resort, accessible on foot and by skis, enjoy the south facing terrace for a great lunch. 

La Reserve created in 1997, is open every day throughout the winter season from lunch to dinner and is recommended in the Michelin Guide. This restaurant serves a traditionally French Savoyard menu with meat and fish dishes too.

If you're here for a fondue we recommend a Mont d'Or fondue, a typically Swiss fondue or a gastronomic Swiss fondue with summer truffle at this fabulous Savoyard chalet with mountain inspired gourmet cuisine. 

They offer classic gourmet French dishes in their warm dining room or the large terrace. La Reserve is recommended in the Michelin Guide. There are frequent live music events too.

Find them on the Place du Cap Neige.

Les Fontaines Blanches Restaurant, Avoriaz

Les Fontaines Blanches Restaurant

Location
Avoriaz

Located in the centre of Avoriaz, the menu veers towards traditional French Alpine dishes including fondue, but they also have a wood fired pizza oven and host regular theme nights such as BBQ, mussels, buffet, etc. Portions are generous and prices are reasonable, with set menus and children's menus available. You're welcome to come just for a drink or two, either inside in the cosy bar or outside on the sunny terrace. A great après-ski vibe make this a popular restaurant with locals and tourists alike.

Open daily throughout winter from 08:00 to 01:00 for breakfast, lunch, dinner and drinks.

Les Trappeurs Restaurant, Avoriaz restaurant terrasse

Les Trappeurs Restaurant

Location
Avoriaz

Serving Savoyard dishes, as well as Italian specialities, omelettes, burgers and salads, this restaurant is located in one of the busiest piste-side spots in Avoriaz. It's a great place to top up your tan on the terrace and people watch.

Enjoy the express menu and plat du jour, and for kids order the menu ourson. The restaurant is open for breakfast lunch and dinner.

Their menu contains simpler dishes such as omelettes and burgers, which makes it a great option for families, and if you have some non-skiers in your group, the accessibility is easy. Due to the size of the seating area booking a table shouldn’t be necessary, unless you’re visiting in peak times such as kids’ school holidays, Christmas, New Year or end of season. 

If you happen to be staying in Avoriaz for closing weekend in April, this is the place to grab your fondue, as they throw a huge party often with dancers and live music. The restaurant is open every day and you can ski to the door or get to the restaurant on foot from Place du Téléphérique.

L'Etage Restaurant, Avoriaz

L'Etage Restaurant

Location
Avoriaz

Small and elegant restaurant located just off the central square in Avoriaz serving French classic dishes as well as Savoyard specialities.

The menu includes all the mountain favourites: tartiflette, fondue, raclette, pierrade... as well as steak, duck, salads, fish, burgers and much more.

Open in the summer and winter seasons.

A snowy landscape with tables and chairs in the foreground

La Terrasse Des Lindarets Restaurant

Location
Avoriaz - Les Lindarets

Fun restaurant serving Corsican food and specialities, in a magnificent setting you can eat and drink out on the terrace with live music and DJs, or get warm in the restaurant.

The restaurant is on the slope that runs through the adorable and quaint village of Les Lindarets, which runs down to the Ardent telecabine. It's a really unique and fun atmosphere, on a street/piste full of restaurants and bars spilling out onto the snow. This restaurant really stands out, with it's large sunny terrace which is great for groups dining together, with good vibes and music. After lunch the party really starts with live DJs and dancing on the terrace and tables! Their excellent and fast service means you can get back on the slopes quickly if you want to. 

On the menu you'll find a varied selection, with Corsican specialities and fish dishes inspired by the owner David, as well as some traditional Savoyarde plates, steaks, salads, burgers, pastas - something to please everyone! Finish of with a delicious tart or cafe gourmand (a selection of mini-deserts), and wash it down with a Genepy digestif! Although most traditional Savoyard dishes contain or are served with local charcuterie, perhaps the most well-known dish of all is vegetarian - the famous cheese fondue. A Swiss-French classic, the fondue here is a standout dish, combined with a glass of wine and a fantastic après atmosphere mid-afternoon, you’re guaranteed to have a good time. 

This a a great spot for lunch, or to stop of at on your way down to Montriond at the end of the ski day, for a boogie and a drink. You can ski down to the Ardent carpark without taking any lifts.

In the summer, the local farm goats are left to roam wild in the streets, and the village is aptly nicknamed 'goat village', attracting many tourists. Enjoy watching the goats cause havoc and explore the streets whilst you settling in for your your lunch and drinks. 

Open in summer and winter.

Make your own fondue

A person dipping a piece of meat into a fondue pot

If you've been inspired whilst eating out in resort and fancy giving it a go yourselves, hosting your own fondue night can be fun. Everything you need is readily available locally and if your accommodation doesn't have a fondue set tucked away somewhere, most supermarkets and épiceries - shops selling local farm produce - will loan you a set if you buy the cheese from them. 

The supermarkets are cheaper but the specialist épiceries and cheese shops will offer a better choice of good-quality, local cheese. You can find plenty of recipes online but the method is fairly simple and yummy - so get stuck in.

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