Le Break

Le Break

Place de l’aravet
Villeneuve
Tel: 0492249301

Le Break is a restaurant well favoured by the real locals and the long term expats. It is constantly busy and Cho Cho and Coco have built up an excellent reputation for a warm and generous reception and treatment on and off the plate.

He (Cho Cho) is a former ski instructor and she (Coco) won just about everything there is to win on a mono-ski, so they have got the snow chat if you want it.

Set in Aravet and looking directly up at the pistes and in glorious sunshine, where the diners spill out onto the sun terrace late into the afternoon.

The fare is just what you want mid-ski, there is a always a super plat du jour, which will cost no more than €13. This is always flavourful, I tucked into the tajine on the day I was there, succulent pieces of chicken on a spiced couscous rich with dates and vegetables.

Another unmissable is the assisette de kebab, a mass of sliced lamb with chips and salad, at €10 a steal of a deal. Bigger still is the fondue savoyarde (€16) beef, chips, salad, exactly what the doctor ordered. The croquet-monsieur is a cracker at €7.5.

Salads are a big tick; all large and filling with many tasty ingredients. The bergere (€10) has warm cheese, ham, onions and tomatoes and the Nordic (€12) will fill you to the gills with salmon and mushrooms.

The Break is also an excellent creperie, from €3 up – the salty-butter/ sugar and the caramel (€4) are something special, should you decide to slide down Mickey the piste for a sly one.

It was a very nice find of a place that the real locals inhabit, although infest might be a better word. It makes a marked contrast with much of the indifferent food and service, up the hill, with prices that are also at altitude. Coco and Cho Cho will go out of their way to accommodate whatever your dietary requirements might be, swap this for that, leave that out, all is possible for the intolerant. They care about their customers, just another reason why they keep coming back.

Hours are a bit relaxed at Le Break, they open at 8.30am, so you can load up on breakfasty things, and then shut by about 8pm – normally. It is possible to arrange a private party with the couple who will gladly arrange menus with you. I couldn’t get a very straight answer but a shrug and “what do you want?” means it’s up to you. There is a full bar, so you won’t run dry of conversation.

There is no need to limit yourself to eating on the piste, Le Break is a minute away from the Aravet bubble, so a perfect option when deciding on lunch or a mid-ski snack, a great little restaurant that was a surprise to learn about and a joy to eat in.

Reviewed by Fergus Rainbow, February 2012.

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