Serre Chevalier, between sporting activities and gastronomy
During our two days spent in Serre Chevalier Briançon we had time to test several restaurants and activities. Follow us and we’ll take you to discover some nice things.
From dishes to desserts
After a simple but effective breakfast at Hôtel Vauban, we set off to discover the ski area and… its high altitude restaurants. Beginning of the gastronomic itinerary: the chalet hôtel Ratier, in the Chantemerle sector. As skiing digs, we have all, or almost all, taken consistent dishes that are important to the body, such as tartiflette, croziflette or burgers. Some die-hard people launched into a compound salad which, to their surprise and as the photos show, was largely garnished.
The mountains are a great appetite builder, it’s well known! We highly recommend this restaurant. Local cuisine, fresh and tasty, a warm welcome, a terrace facing south at lunchtime and affordable prices. What more could you ask for?!
We also moved to La Cagette, in Monêtier, where the dishes are made with fresh and tasty regional products. There are all types of dishes. The emphasis is not on cheese specialities, which leaves room for an original cuisine. Those who went to Pastorale, in the village of Villeneuve, appreciated the decoration, the very warm welcome of the staff, the meat dishes cooked in the fireplace. Basically a treat!
In the evening we returned to the chalet Ratier in aperitif and dinner mode and there again the good surprise was there. In a warm mountain setting we were treated to fresh and original appetizers in glass jars, an excellent local delicatessen and a lot of other very nice things.
The next day, breakfast at the Grand Aigle de Villeneuve hotel. The 4 stars are widely respected! The food is fresh and excellent, of remarkable quality. The service is welcoming and impeccable.
For lunch, we tested l’Echaillon, another high-altitude restaurant located in the Chantemerle-Villeneuve sector. A reduced menu, a tasty, copious and original cuisine for a high-altitude restaurant. No emphasis is placed on cheese specialities to encourage other dishes. The prices are high but the quality is there, from starter to dessert.
Make way for sport!
In terms of activities, in Serre Chevalier there is plenty to do! Skier, non-skier, pedestrian, injured or not, young or not so young, disabled or able-bodied, we have to do something. We’ll start with what we did ourselves: skiing, snooc, sled dogs, grooming and tobogganing on the track or riding Bob for friends. We even visited the ice driving circuit.
You’ve already heard about skiing. Great sportsmen will appreciate the technical slopes. We tested the snooc. What’s this new thing, you might ask? Look at the pictures you will understand. We are sitting on a kind of seat with a stake in the middle fixed itself on two skis, gathered in one. You can go up in cross-country skiing mode, put the two skis together and go down the slopes again. And all this makes it possible to slide.
We are close to the track since we sit and we can make turns and skid like skiing. We find similar sensations to this sport. This activity is for everyone, whatever their level, existing or not, of skiing. In 15 to 20 minutes you start to master the tool and have fun. In Serre Chevalier, Ski Expérience offers snooc outings with picnic for about 40€ per person for half a day. The station is a pioneer in this activity and contributes greatly to its dissemination and democratization. Thanks to the whole team we had a great laugh ? !!!
Snooc with Ski Experience in Serre Chevalier
We then tested the dog sled ride next to the cross-country ski area in the Villeneuve – Monêtier area. Once the team of 8 dogs has been installed, let’s go for a walk of about 25-30 minutes in “accompanied driving” with the musher. On the way back, changing places, I was in the boat, in other words the sled, and was able to enjoy the scenery. This activity is very nice for children who let themselves be walked by dogs.
After the effort, the comfort and it is the case to say it because we tested, after a day of skiing, the Grands Bains du Monêtier. It is an aqualudic complex with a spa offering a lot of fun things. Taking advantage of a natural and hot spring water (42°C at the outlet) very rich in minerals (iron, limestone and others) excellent for the skin, the complex offers:
- a large bath area with indoor and outdoor pools (water stream, parabolic jets, underwater jet courses, jacuzzi, whirlpool beds, swan neck and others)
- a hammam space
- a Roman space with three basins at different temperatures (cold, warm and hot)
- a “Romano-Irish” area reserved for adults (for questions of calm) with sauna, hammam and jacuzzi relaxation lounge, possibility to practice the Moroccan ritual
- a beauty area that offers all types of body treatments, massages… A tip: book your treatment in advance.
- a bar-terrace area for a drink
The Great Baths of the Monêtier Serre Chevalier
This complex is ideal for relaxing, whether you have played sports or not. You can go alone, as a couple, with your family, with your friends, whether it is sunny or ugly, day or evening… In short, very good for everyone, to recharge their batteries, to enjoy natural water where there is almost no chlorine, so you don’t feel the bleach when you get out of the water. All this with a view of the snow-covered mountains! Isn’t that beautiful?!
These were therefore our good addresses to remember for your next holiday in Serre Che’, whether in winter or summer!