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Val Thorens Apres Ski Report: 14th March 2012

Savoyard dining, Scandinavian drinking

featured in Nightlife reviews Author Andy Wilson, Updated

The weather in Val Thorens at the moment is perfect party weather. The afternoon sunshine is bringing the slope-based bars and dance-floors to life and the warm evening air keeps the party going into the early hours. With the French holidays now over, it is significantly less busy in resort, the vibe is a little more chilled out and there is more room to breathe.

Bar 360, located on the Dalles/2 Combs intersection not far above town, has been a joyous venue for an afternoon drink in the sunshine. The bar is often overlooked because of the notoriety of La Folie Douce, its livelier cousin over on Plein Sud but, in many ways, Bar 360 offers a superior venue for an après beer and a boogie. Firstly, it is easier to get a drink at the two outdoor bars (one of which is responsible for the venue’s catchy name) or one of the bars inside Chalet du Thorens. Moreover, you can enjoy your drink without the fear of being jostled by a sardine-tin crowd and there are numerous seating areas including deck-chairs on the piste itself. It may not be able to match La Folie in terms of the live entertainment (the latter boasting live DJ, singers, dancers and saxophone every afternoon) but there is certainly more variety in the music.

A day on the slopes followed by an afternoon on the dance-floor tends to work up something of an appetite. Confined to the relatively steep slopes of the valley, the town of Val Thorens is not very spread out and therefore the majority of the restaurants and cafes in town are all within walking distance of one another. This week, it gives me great pleasure to recommend to you La Paillote, a cosy Savoyard restaurant located bang in the centre of town. It may not be ideal for a post-ski snack, the outdoor crepe/waffle stands and various cafes around Place Caron catering to that particular need. Instead, La Paillote is a delightfully welcoming little establishment which offers delicious food at a cost-effective price. Located within the shopping centre in town, on first impressions the place seems a little cramped and small upstairs is a more spacious environment with plenty of seats. Despite always being busy, the service is particularly efficient no matter what part of the menu you order from. Whilst it’s the pizzas for which the restaurant is renowned, it was their homemade salmon and spinach lasagne which took me by surprise this week. Definitely one to remember.

After dinner at La Paillotte, you may want to enjoy a quiet drink in Bar Eclipse opposite or one of the bar/cafes that boarder Place Caron. Alternatively, this may be a prelude to a big night out in which case the bars at the top of town would be the most suitable port of call. This part of town houses our usual haunts, The Frog and Roastbeef, Saloon Bar and Klub Summit, all of which abound with live bands, good music and drinks promotions aplenty. However, this week we decided to take a different route, sampling two of the Scandinavian run bars in the area. First was Tango, the hotel/restaurant/bar at the top of the hill (the first of the bunch if you come via Plein Sud). Slightly out of the way and famous for its sophisticated design and impressive cocktails, the bar can get busy but the clientele are generally of a more mature persuasion. On Monday night a country and western duo provided live music and tempted couples to the dance-floor for some barn dancing, a peculiar sight at the top of a mountain. The bar staff here also provide much of the entertainment; order the most complicated cocktail and marvel at their impressive bar-flair. The main draw of the place is its happy hour which runs from 10pm until midnight every day offering two for one on cocktails.

A few Atomic Dogs and Strawberry Fields later, we made our way down the road a spell to Cafe Snesko, a small Danish run bar with playful bar-staff and a nice helping of cheesy tunes. The dance-floor and bar area may fill up quickly but there is always room atop a bench or a table in Snesko. It works well as a joint in which to have a few beers on a bar crawl or even somewhere to spend the whole night (at least until closing time at 1am). They do not offer much in the way of drinks promotions but their beer is inexpensive and served in proper pint glasses (!) and the staff make it a fun place to be. With a handful of rehearsed routines to a few key songs, hang around in Snesko long enough and you may be privy to one or two flammable surprises.

Location

Map of the surrounding area