In the mood for a little luxury while at the Val-d’Isère ski resort? Head on over to Le Refuge de Solaise, France’s highest altitude hotel, overlooking the valley below from 2,551 meters above sea level! Inside, you’ll find a gigantic restaurant with stone and wood accents, velvet armchairs, a web of Edison lightbulbs, and XXL floor-to-ceiling windows with incredible views of the Vallée de la Tarentaise. The menu has enough diverse options to satisfy all 260 guests – and cost you a pretty penny: pata negra ham, steaks cooked over the embers, lamb tajines, linguine with lobster, tuna tataki… and even sushi! For us, the day we went for lunch: delicious artisanal diot sausages from Guy Gros, tucked in amongst creamy polenta; a hearty, perfectly cooked black Angus steak with roasted new potatoes, haricots verts and a morel mushroom sauce; before a beautiful slice of French toast with vanilla ice cream and light whipped cream for dessert. FYI: accessible via cable car, the restaurant is open Wednesday and Saturday nights to guests who aren’t staying at the hotel… Reservations come highly recommended. // M.J.
FEELING THIRSTY? There’s a rather pricey wine selection: a Languedoc red from the Domaine des Creisses (€7.50 a glass), a Chablis from the Domaine Denis Race (€51 a bottle), a Santenay from the Domaine Berthelemot (€60)…
PRICE: Sushi and maki €15-20 for six, appetizers €18-36, mains €24-49, desserts €10-13, kids’ meals €15-18.
