A tea salon in the afternoon, restaurant by night and artistic lounge simultaneously.  Stumbling upon Alpen Art is 100% of what you call a successful discovery.  Val Thorens had been missing exactly a spot like this one, till Aurélie Rey, the daughter of the resorts first mountain guide, opened this fine fusion.

Fine and Cozy Atmosphere

When you come inside you’ll be caught up by the design of the venue. Every corner, seat and table of the three lounge rooms have their own charm. The furniture is an eclectic mix: animal furs, colourful wooden tables, differently styled cozy armchairs, couches and a more industrial bar. They appear randomly thrown together but at the same time exquisitely chosen to match each other by contrast. All walls differ as well, splattered with paintings by the owner herself and further works by local artists.

The first time we came because of the free wi-fi and enjoyed an evening sip and treat alongside our phones.  But upon the first glance we realized that our trip to Alpen Art was about much more than staying online. The beautifully arrayed desserts (including vegan and gluten-free choices), the glassed wine chamber and the unique hot chocolate menu, tempted us. Soon we came as often as our appetite and timing allowed.

Alpen Art’s Sweet Treats

The local wild-blueberry tart was our first hit: slightly cooled, perfected by a thin layer of custard cushioning the berries from the crusty base.  The chocolate tart was also great: a fudgy consistency with good dose of walnuts and whipped cream topped with chia seeds.  And nothing better there is, than those piping hot chocolates in a ski town. Too awesome of a selection to really decide, and the choice of four different milks didn’t make it easier. I happily ended up with the ‘Himalaya Salt’ one day and the ‘Dunked Gingerbread’ the other day.  (On my list for next year are the mint flavored, coconut milk fusion and white chocolate sorts.)

On those after dinner sessions us couch potatoes had been watching other people order their Savoie tapas off the chalk board. That made us quite jealous. So we decided to reserve our last supper for Alpen Art.  Only then, we got to appreciate the full depth of their concept.

Artisan Food for Gourmets

The owner and her two younger partners represent their restaurant to its full extent. Although everything is set up in a fancy way, it’s not a place for snobs, but one for gourmets who appreciate artisan work. That’s exactly the way we felt treated here. The sommelier Cassandra turned out to be an acquaintance of our ski teacher (Flavien Pyard). She shared all her knowledge and experience and gave the wine tasters of my group perfect recommendations for a wine that even I liked. The three women, together with the starred chef, create and inspire a menu which puts a dainty and individual twist on the heavy Savoyard cuisine.

Evening Meals: Innovative but Regional 

We started with these eye-catching aperitifs, Spritz is the kind they drink here.  Wonderful!

Next we shared the tapas salmon bites. The fluffy brioche embedded zingy salmon with avocado and hints of mint, passion fruit and coconut. The mint especially captured our palate. After that we tasted the alpine salmon salad: lettuce, avocado, raw salmon, nuts, and large slices of goat cheese. These latter ingredients weren’t just decorative toppings. They had a legit ratio, and the dressing gave it a subtle finish.

As plats principaux (main dishes) we savoured innovative but regionally inspired dishes.

1. First, an Alpine Burger with Beaufort cheese. It had a tender patty with a char-broiled crunch on the outside and tasted exactly what a burger should taste like. Only, that here the appearance striked us, just as much as the place did. A slate plate perfectly complemented this dish, just like all the other dinnerware did the other dishes..
2. Our other choice was the Beaufort “risotto” made of crozets. Crozets are a Savoie traditional, dating back to the 14th century. These flat square bits of buckwheat pasta were melted with Beaufort cheese and dried meat to resemble risotto. It tasted as if I were fine dining mac ‘n’ cheese on the best possible level. I hope that description does not devalue this plat though. We all dislike American mac ‘n’ cheese, and Alpen Art’s Beaufort risotto was spectacular.

After tipsily finishing off the last bits of wine we had enough space for dessert again. One pick was their superb wild-blueberry tart but we also tried something new: the fluffy raspberry tiramisu parfait. This last part did not disappoint either. It only concluded the evening: Alpen Art is a total hit for Val Thorens!

Where? Place Caron, 73440 Val Thorens (just by the slope, down the stairs from the church, close to the Ski School and Skiset Goitschel)

Website, more info on this French Skiing blog Mont-Paradis 

If it were mine: I would open earlier in the morning. Then customers like me could sip hot chocolate and savour crêpes for breakfast on the slope, before a tough day of skiing.