i've been in chamonix for most the xmas holidays as my girlfriends wee sister livest there and its a usually a lot more fun than going back to the motherland or being stuck with my parents in spain. this holiday wasn't so much fun though. we had out flights cancelled twice so were delayed by four days and then when we got there the weather was terrible - tons of rain meant the snow was shit but also visibility was nil so very limited piste action for my aging bones. still there was one real silver lining. there is a small, very traditional savoyard restaurant just outside of chamonix town up the valley in argentiere. its rather hard to find as its up a very steep winding road - not easy to negotiate in a 12 year old peugeout 109 even with snow tires - but so worth the effort.
here's a general review i pulled off the net:
http://www.chamonixinfo.com/Cremerie-du-Glacier"La Cremerie du Glacier is a very charming, authentic little restaurant at the foot of the Argentiere glacier, hidden in the woods. Local George Ravanel who built a little cabin from which he sold drinks founded it in 1926. The restaurant is still run by the same family who have made the Cremerie into something truly remarkable. To arrive at the restaurant, you can ski down the home run at Les Grands Montets and turn left when you’re ¾ down. In summer you can start walking up the Grands Montets from the bottom station and follow the signs to La Cremerie du Glacier, which stands at a height of 1300 m. It is well worth the trip!
"The restaurant serves traditional Savoyard food like croûtes (toasted cheese on baguettes), omelettes, fondues and there are salads, eggs, charcuterie etc. Everything is home made, and you can taste that! There are special winter and summer menus with great prices. We love to have lunch here while we’re on the piste, or pop in for a quick vin chaud to warm us up. The Cremerie also serves dinner.
The interior of the Cremerie is not as charming as the outside. The owners have kept it simple with plastic tablecloths, lots of wood and grandma’s accessories. But somehow it adds to the whole mountain cabin atmosphere. And once you’ve taste one of their famous croûtes, you won’t mind the decor."
the food is very simple, as far away from the fat duck as its possible to get but i'm absolutely not joking when i tell you i had one of the finest meals of my entire life there. as it says above the food is super simple. the emphasis is on local style food - ie fucking loads of cheese - but at literally half the price of the rest of the food on the mountain. the best way to get there is to actually board or ski down but we took the car option as we were with the family. no starters - not that kind of place - but straight into the mains.
i had a dish of potatoes baked with cheese (tomme de cantal); cream; a coarse mountain sausage and some morel mushrooms with a tossed green salad. quite literally off the scale - if i'm ever confronted with the death penalty this has supplanted the ulster fry or roast chicken and potatoes as the last thing i want to eat on this earth.
lizzy went for one of their croutes which is basically a mega-jazzy cheese on toast that has white wine flicked over it as it grills this time though the creamy cheese topping was mixed with chanterelle mushrooms and again it was delicious but i did feel the clear winner.
since i've got back i've been trying very hard to eat some healthy food as i've fairly managed to pile on the pounds since i hit france. this is not food to eat every day but if you are in the chamonix valley this place is very worth seeking out by fellow gourmands.
by the way 'gourmand' means glutton in france. if the beret fits...
