Looking for a romantic and truly special experience in the snow? And do you like a good traditional ‘Fondue Suisse’ with Gruyère AOC and Vacherin cheese? Then look no further. This is the experience you have to book when you are skiing in the French Alps. Today I will show you all about dinner and romantic snow fun in Val Thorens.
Around 18.30h this beast of a ‘SnowCat’ will pick you up at the bottom of the slope.
Hello, there’s our ride. You can book the snowcat with your reservation for dinner at Chalet de la Marine, all very easy, all very organised. The cabin is heated and the ride up is not even 15 minutes.
Let’s go!
What a beautiful evening it was. Almost full moon.
At the end of a day skiing, the valley of Val Thorens looks peaceful and pretty, with he sun behind those white mountains.
Cold or not, if you go out you have to look a bit nice? So my dotted legs are definitely IN for mountain adventure in the evening.
Happy feet!
Happy me!
The Venue
After the approximately 15 minutes up in the SnowCat you arrive at Chalet de la Marine, one of the better and nicer places to go to when in Val Thorens. It’s open daily for morning coffees (or chocolat chaud with marshmallows! Yum!) and delicious mountain lunches (hello scallops and oysters and lobster). At la Marine you can choose either for the more upmarket restaurant, if you have the time (I always prefer to MAKE time for that), but if you are a true ski addict who actually prefers to take his or hers bread-from-home in backpack during skiing, then there is a ‘canteen’ style restaurant at La Marine with excellent pizza, sandwiches and simple mountain food too, downstairs, just off the slope. But if you have time visit the main restaurant for lunch. It’s really good. And on special evenings they organise Dinner Parties, like this ‘Les Soirées au Chalet de la Marine’ party with Fondue Swiss. Scroll down for more about this cheese heaven party.
The menu
The restaurant interior is very nice and romantic, with soft sheep skins on the chairs and a roaring fire. The staff is welcoming and friendly, the Champagne is ice cold and the beers too. One can relax, chit-chat a bit and whenever you are ready for food, you can tell the serving team. First you get a beef bouillon (broth) with vegetables, as a starter/warm up. And then you get the Fondue Swiss Gruyère AOC et vacherin Fribourgeois with choix de charcuterie (assorted cold meats) and a salade verte (green salad), oh and baguette, of course, delicious small pieces of crusty French bread. And lots of red wine. You cannot make me happier!
Fondue Swiss, with charcuterie and salad. This Swiss Fondue, with Gruyère and Vacherin Fribourgeois, is absolutely the best cheese fondue I ever had. ONLY IN FRANCE.
Really, really good. If I see this again, I want it again.
Choix de charcuterie.
Small cuts with lots of crust, French baguette.
Salade verte.
After the Swiss Fondue Feast it was time for dessert! There is a massive dessert table at Le Chalet de la Marine with a big choice of homemade desserts.
For example this custard with pistache and chantilly cream. Or this mousse au chocolate.
Raspberry tart….
Yum.
And Marshmallow fondue with melted chocolate.
The Facts
A dinner party (Les Soirées) at Le Chalet de la Marine is an evening out I cannot recommend highly enough. Very special, romantic, fun, friendly staff, the most delicious Swiss cheese fondue you can dream about, excellent wine list, an experience to go up in the evening with the Snow Cat. Torches and fires when you leave again. I loved it! Prices for the menu start from 53 euro per person, excluding drinks. The SnowCat transport is about 12,50 per person – and is really worth it. Keep in mind everything is expensive in the mountains, especially in Les Trois Vallées in France. I found the whole experience really good, the quality of the food as excellent and the staff very nice and friendly. So if I’ll be every again in Val Thorens for skiing, I would go here again. Click here for the website of Le Chalet de la Marina, which is a great place too for lunch during your day of skiing.
*Note: I have not been asked, paid or invited to write about this special place in the French Alps. It was my own idea to share this experience with you. All images are mine, made with a Canon EOS M3 camera.
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