THE PERFECT PITSTOP
Gabriella Le Breton drops into France’s highest hotel, Le Refuge de Solaise, to discover eye-popping views, ultra-chic interiors and extremely large steaks
Val d’Isère regulars will doubtless be familiar with the former Tête de Solaise mountain restaurant, which was sandwiched between the old Solaise Express chairlift and the Solaise cable car station, a suitably stark concrete and stone landmark perched high above Val at 2,551m asl. For those who didn’t get the chance to visit the resort in the abruptly halted 2019/20 winter season, a tremendous treat awaits: the station shed its utilitarian skin last December to emerge, transformed, into a plush hotel with two restaurants and a bar.
Le Refuge boasts arguably the best views in Val d’Isère - its lofty position affords sweeping vistas across the surrounding mountains, over town, past the Chevril dam and deep into the valleys below. Happily, the hotel’s owners, local restaurateur Jean-Claude Borel and his wife Virginie and Val’s homegrown “starchitect” Jean-Charles Covarel, have ensured that the views remain the focus of the property, with towering panes of glass spanning the width of the restaurant, the full height of the duplex suites and much of the ground-floor level spa.
As you ski into Le Refuge, you step first onto an expansive, sun-soaked terrace. The tables, oversize armchairs and inviting loungers look up to the peak of Solaise and offer some shelter from the wind, being flanked on virtually three sides by the attractive timber and stone buildings that make up Le Refuge’s restaurant, hotel and chalets. The terrace delivers a Folie Douce-esque party scene with live music, free-flowing Champagne and plenty of revellers.
Step inside and your eyes are instantly drawn to the far side of the capacious dining area, where a wall of floor-to-ceiling windows overlooks the glorious Piste M as it descends into Val d’Isère. With walls clad in reclaimed timber, open fires and a buzzing bar in the centre of the room, the vibe is Alpine but distinctly contemporary thanks to the addition of industrial-chic filament lights and quirky Latin fabrics (the interiors are the inspired work of Virginie Borel). Subtly underlying the scent of the larch cladding there’s a hint of the mouth-watering aroma of meats cooked over a roaring open fire, inviting your inner carnivore to settle in for the day.
Le Refuge quickly became a locals’ favourite this winter for its delicious grilled meats, which range from confit veal breast (€33) and Iberian pork rib steak (€34) to Rossini beef fillet (€49) and Côte de Bœuf for two (€53). Grilled to perfection, each of the meat dishes are served with unctuous Beaufort cheese gratin, vegetables and baby potatoes.
Other hearty mountain classics include a generous bowl of velvety pumpkin soup topped with bacon emulsion (€18), a suitably cheesy Tartiflette (€24) and aromatic locally-made Diot sausages served with polenta (€28). But there’s far more to the Refuge’s eclectic menu than mountain fare: healthy types love the various salads, including chicken Caesar (€24) and Thai (€30), plus a choice of the suddenly ubiquitous “poke bowls” (rice bowls topped with fish and vegetables); sushi lovers can indulge in a vast platter of rolls, sushi and sashimi (€55 for two); and vegetarians have their own dedicated menu. If you love a bit of stodge to fuel you up for the afternoon, the lobster linguine (€36) is delicious while Thai chicken noodles deliver just the right amount of kick (€29).
These dishes are all available at lunch but, should you fancy a peek at the twinkling lights of Val set beneath moon-lit peaks, Le Refuge offers non-residents the chance to ride up on the gondola for dinner on Wednesdays and Saturdays (weather permitting). The menu features many of those signature grilled meats as well as a couple of fish and pasta dishes and an excellent selection of starters, including a splash out seafood platter of salmon sashimi, tuna tartar, scallop carpaccio and oysters.
HOTEL ADDRESS: Téléphérique Solaise, Chemin de la Vanoise, 73150 Val-d'Isère, France; +33 777 141290;
CLUB CONCOCTIONS
GRILLED PICANHA
It’s BBQ season and we begged Patrick Devise, the chef behind the grill at Le Refuge de Solaise, to reveal the secret behind his fragrant, melt-in-the-mouth grilled meats. He’s shared this recipe for his legendary grilled picanha, which he describes as “the very tender piece of Black Angus beef found in the upper part of the thigh. Known as the king piece in Brazil, it looks like a huge magret (breast) covered with a layer of soft fat.”
Devise cooks his picanha in a professional Josper oven , which heats up to 350 degrees Celsius. You’re unlikely to have one of these kicking about at home so get that charcoal BBQ going as hot as you can!
What you need
The star of the show:
2kg piece of picanha, or rump cap of Black Angus beef
The marinade:
3 tomatoes, cut into small cubes
3 cloves of garlic, minced
1 sprig each of thyme and rosemary
2 bay leaves
15ml of olive oil
3 pinches of fleur de sel
3 turns of the pepper mill
How to make it
Bring the picanha to room temperature and score the fat so it can absorb the marinade.
Mix the marinade ingredients together, brush over the picanha and let it marinade for 30 minutes.
Place the picanha - without the marinade - in the Josper oven at 350 degrees Celsius (or on the BBQ or in your oven at maximum heat). Cook the meat, turning frequently, until it’s to your taste. (It will take around 45 minutes to cook a picanha of this size to medium rare at 180-200 degrees Celsius. If using a core thermometer, aim for around 55 degrees Celsius.)
Let the meat rest a good ten minutes before slicing it into thin slices, as you would a duck breast. Drizzle over the marinade and serve with potatoes and vegetables.