A winter's snail

Meandering through the cobbled streets of Megève on a balmy spring evening, I rather fancied a crispy pizza al fresco with some chilled white wine. But that was before the sun sank behind the mountains leaving a distinct alpine chill in the air – perfect for what would perhaps be my last hearty mountain meal this winter.

Nestled beside a bell tower in the corner of the town’s main square, Le Prieuré provided friendly, family-run respite from the cold outside, complete with rustic wooden tables, warm lighting and a grand fireplace. These cosy surroundings failed to banish my spring-like mood, however, so I ordered a goat’s cheese salad as my starter, minus the bacon, which I find tends to make a light bite into something rather more substantial.

Monsieur Gourmand was less restrained, opting for escargots in a fiendishly rich Roquefort and walnut velouté. This surprising presentation made a refreshing change from the usual pitted platter of snails that look all too much like, well, snails, and bring to mind memories of cracked shells and slime on the sole of my shoe.

Undefeated by his full-flavoured starter, Monsieur Gourmand followed it with confit de canard which, though undoubtedly delicious, wasn’t a patch on my fillet steak. Monsieur Gourmand even proclaimed it the best steak he had ever tasted. I wouldn’t go that far – one particular slab of meat in Argentina springs to mind – but it was certainly the most memorable I’ve had in a long while and without doubt the best I’ve reviewed on this blog. The meat was melt-in-the-mouth tender, rare in the middle yet slightly charred on the outside.

Always aware of my calorie consumption, I fought the temptation to devour the entire rustic ramekin of gratin dauphinois that accompanied both main courses, but this was no mean feat.

Having craftily chosen a menu, Monsieur Gourmand was entitled not only to cheese but also to dessert. Feeling duty bound to at least sample something from the tempting patisserie tray, we shared a light and fluffy lemon tart that was zingy enough to clear the palate and sharpen the senses for our night-time drive back to Geneva.

Le Prieuré, 116 Place de l’Eglise, 74120 Megève, France
+33 (0)450 21 01 79 ; www.leprieure-megeve.com

Upmarket auberge

Judging by the flashy clientele and the valet parking for skis, Auberge du Christomet is a bit more posh than your average pit stop on the piste; I can just picture the terrace in spring, thronging with Spyder-clad skiers braying over boozy lunches.



On the cold and snowy February day when we visited, however, everyone was taking refuge indoors where the welcoming whiff of melted cheese is complemented by chunky wood tables, clumps of dried flowers and a couple of curled-up cats in a basket.



Sipping a champagne aperitif and nibbling an amuse bouche of tuna-tinged mayonnaise with crunchy bread, it wasn’t long before the blood began to return to my toes. And I felt even warmer at the prospect of the tasty-sounding Savoyard specialities on the menu.

Of course Monsieur Gourmand went for something sinful – a dish of melted cheese (with potatoes and cured meat). Our friend Maighread, an Auberge regular, opted for entrecôte while I followed her advice and went for steak tartare, a daringly spicy mound of meat offset by chunky chips and green salad. Mark the mountain guide (www.markseaton.com), meanwhile, was rather more virtuous, ordering a modest yet delicious-looking goat’s cheese salad; I can’t blame him – if I lunched like this every day I would be the size of a house.

Other than an intrusive photographer sticking his long lens where it wasn’t wanted – ruddy cheeked with frozen strands of hair, wolfing down fiendish food is not an image I want immortalised – and slightly clumsy staff, we had a wonderful lunch at this deservedly popular haunt.



A slither of apricot tarte and a quickly-consumed schnapps were all I needed to banish my sweet tooth before returning to the slopes, which by this time were bathed in glorious afternoon sunshine.



Auberge du Christomet, route du Jaillet, 74120 Megève
(halfway down the Christomet chairlift) +33 (0)450 211134