Les Carroz

Fancy taking lunch in a remote farmhouse restaurant surrounded by spectacular snow covered mountains situated by it’s own lake, set in it’s own valley and accessible to anyone who is comfortable on blue runs or steep blacks…then try the Lac de Ger in the Grand Massif.

Having eaten in many mountain restaurants over the years when we were recommended the Lac de Ger by our chalet hosts we were not expecting anything special or different. How wrong were we!

The restaurant which is a beautifully restored old farmhouse is set in a remote valley over the back of the Flaine bowl. There are 3 ways to get there either via the blue run “Cascades”, the un-pisted black run “Styx” or if you fancy skiing
off-piste down the Ger face – which I imagine would keep the most experienced of powder hounds satisfied.

As our group was of mixed ability some took the Cascades and the rest of us took the Styx. When I say took I mean the odd 1 or 2 skied it the rest of us just got down it! It is a long black by any standards and not being pisted feels a little bit like off-piste and really challenged most of our group.

There was a nice mix of powder and moguls (not too big) but there was always another option to take to avoid the bigger ones or give the legs a rest.

At the bottom of the run there is a drag lift which takes you back to the top of the Styx however if you are going to the Lac de Ger you are not finished yet. There is still more skiing to be done although it is easier from here on in as you descend to the lakes edge and skirt around the lake to the restaurant. It was at this point that we took the time to turn around and look back at the massive face we had just descended and wow what a face. All of a sudden we were in the “wilderness” and the scenery was spectacular.

We couldn’t quite get to the restaurant without some skating and a bit of poling around the edge of the lake but this little inconvenience was all worth it. We arrived to be shown our table which had been reserved by our hosts on their recommendation as it can become quite busy especially on sunny days.

There was no sign of the others who in the meantime were making their way down the Cascades……John now takes over.

Not being as experienced as the rest of the group 4 of us decided on the blue run Cascades which is a 13km run that descends right down to the village of
Sixt-a-Fer, however we were only going about half way down to the restaurant.

The first part of Cascades is a bit of a shoosh which once complete takes you around the back of the peak of the Pelouse mountain and in no time we were away from all signs of a ski area with no lifts, buildings or hoards of people visible. The noise also seemed different…..there was none and the views were fabulous. The skiing was well within our ability so we were able to enjoy the very varied route as we descended down to the restaurant with more than a few photos being taken on the way.

Now this is where it started to get a bit different. We had been given instructions by our hosts (or Scott had been given instructions – the rest of us were in the dark). We expected to arrive at the restaurant but no! we arrived at a “T” junction with a telegraph pole that had a wooden box screwed onto it. Scott who was “in the know” proceeded to open the box, take out a telephone pressed a button and spoke to someone – we still had no idea.

“5 minutes lads” said Scott – 5 mins for what, were we waiting for a bus? Well not quite but not far off as over the hill came a skidoo being driven or ridden (not sure which) by a man who apparently was from the restaurant. At this point I was totally confused as no way were 4 of us plus the driver going to get on that thing.

No problem, he threw out 2 long ropes with handles on which we duly took hold of and he proceeded to tow us up the gentle slope to the restaurant looking like an un-coordinated amateur synchronised water ski team. Obvious really, how else would you go to a restaurant……..!

……Now John, Scott, Jamie and Pete had decided to join us we ordered our first well earned beer….ours were well earned the “black crew” as for the others who took the taxi I’m not so sure. Anyway we all regaled about our routes to the restaurant and all agreed it was well worth it which ever route we had taken.

The lunch itself was also well worth it, the menu had some really interesting dishes and by mountain standards was reasonably priced. The lamb was to die for and the omelettes huge. The scenery itself was spectacular then to cap it all off the resident Border Collie who is very friendly but nutty even by Collie standards started barking at something up on the slopes. It turned out to be a group of Chamois which are Alpine mountain goats and are usually difficult to spot but we had our own private viewing thanks to the Collie.

2 hours later…yes we enjoy our lunches, we are ready to leave.. but which way…again we have options. We could continue down the Cascades for the full 13km to Sixt then take a short free bus ride back to Samoens or as was our want – probably induced by the several bottles of wine that had been consumed, we decided to go back to the drag lift on the Styx but of course it was not going to any ordinary journey it was in the back of a Piste Basher. Joined by 3 French couples who had also “enjoyed their lunch” we proceeded back around the lake then up to the drag lift.

It was at this point that we learnt how resourceful some people can be when one of our new friends unscrewed the top of his ski pole flipped the lid and proceeded to pour Cognac into little tots which he passed around to all.

This should have been enough merriment for anyone on a days skiing but no we had one more installment and that was watching Scott trying to negotiate the very long, very steep drag lift back to the top. The description “Bambi on ice” would not have done him justice, how he made it we don’t know but 10 out of 10 for hanging on in there! If only any of us had been stable enough ourselves to film him but we were too busy just hanging on ourselves.

Needless to say the run back to Les Carroz was a bit of a blur but we all made it safely.

We still talk about “that day” with great memories and several laughs and all agree it certainly was a…… lunch with a difference!