Bringing Winter Traditions Home

There is nothing quite like returning to a warm chalet after a day in the mountains, especially when a delicious meal is waiting for you at home. From cheese fondues to festive desserts, Alpine cuisine is all about comforting flavours, local ingredients and recipes made to be shared with family and friends. Whether you are planning a winter escape or want to bring a little bit of Alpine warmth into your home, the following recipes are a great place to start.

Raclette

In the French Alps, some of the best winter evenings are spent around the table, and raclette is the perfect excuse to gather everyone around. Melted cheese poured over warm potatoes, accompanied by charcuterie and pickles, makes for a simple yet delicious meal.

And what better way to enjoy it than in the warmth of your own chalet after a day in the mountains? From Kozi in Méribel to Edelweiss in Les Gets, some of our properties even have raclette equipment, so you can bring this Savoyard tradition to your table. 

What you’ll need (serves 4-6 people)

• 800g to 1kg of raclette cheese

• 1.5kg of potatoes

• Cornichons

• Pickled onions

• Charcuterie

Preparation

Wash the potatoes and boil them in salted water until tender, then drain and keep warm. Meanwhile, arrange the charcuterie, cornichons and pickled onions on serving plates.

Preheat the raclette machine, then let each person place a slice of cheese in their individual pan and slide it under the grill. Once melted and bubbling, pour the cheese over the warm potatoes and enjoy with the accompaniments. Repeat as often as you like.

Fondue

The secret to a good fondue savoyarde lies in its cheese. Beaufort, Comté and Emmental de Savoie melt together with a little white wine to create the perfect Alpine classic, with Beaufort bringing the distinctive flavours of Savoie’s mountain pastures.

The real pleasure of fondue is sharing it with others. If you are staying at Quatre Coeurs in Saint-Gervais or Spritz in Megève, stop by a local fromagerie for a selection of authentic Alpine cheeses, then return to your chalet and make the most of the fondue equipment provided. 

What you’ll need (serves 4-5 people)

• 300g of Comté

• 300g of Emmental de Savoie

• 300g of Beaufort

• 20cl of dry white wine

• 1 garlic clove

• 1 loaf of slightly stale country bread

• A pinch of black pepper

Preparation

Cut the three cheeses into small cubes. Peel and halve the garlic clove, then rub it around the inside of the fondue pot, leaving the clove inside.

Pour in the white wine and heat gently without bringing it to a boil. Gradually add the cheese, stirring continuously in a figure-eight motion until melted and creamy.

Season with a pinch of black pepper, then place the pot over a fondue burner to keep it warm. Serve immediately with cubes of country bread for dipping.

Tartiflette

Tartiflette is the sort of dish that makes turning on the oven feel entirely worthwhile. Potatoes, onions and smoky lardons are baked beneath a layer of Reblochon until the cheese melts into the dish and turns golden at the edges. Its roots are closely linked to the Aravis mountains, where Reblochon has been made for generations, with villages such as La Clusaz and Manigod remaining closely associated with the cheese.

Tartiflette has since become a familiar winter dish throughout the French Alps. If you are visiting the region, pick up a Reblochon from a local producer or one of the traditional fromageries, then serve the finished dish with a crisp green salad and a glass of dry Savoyard white wine.

What you’ll need (serves 4-6 people)

• 1 kg of potatoes

• 200g of smoked lardons

• 200g of sliced onions

• 1 Reblochon

• 2 tablespoons of olive oil

• 1 garlic clove

• Salt and pepper

Preparation

Boil the potatoes in salted water for about 20 minutes, then peel and cut them into slices. Meanwhile, finely chop the onions and sauté them in the oil. Add the lardons and cook over low heat for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Rub the inside of a baking dish with the garlic clove. Arrange half the potatoes in the dish, followed by the onion and lardon mixture, then cover with the remaining potatoes. Season with salt and pepper.

Preheat the oven to 190°C. Cut the Reblochon in half horizontally and place both halves on top, rind facing up. Bake for approximately 20 minutes, until the cheese is melted and golden. Serve hot, straight from the oven.

Mulled Wine

There is a certain comfort in the scent of cinnamon, cloves and orange peel drifting through a mountain village. Vin chaud is poured steaming hot in cafés, village markets and mountain restaurants, warming cold hands after a day outdoors and lending a little sweetness to the winter air.

It belongs just as naturally in your own kitchen, where the familiar spices fill the room and make an evening at home feel a little more Alpine. A simple winter ritual, whether enjoyed after a day in the snow or shared around the kitchen table.

What you'll need (serves 4 people)

• 50cl red wine

• 1 orange

• 1 teaspoon lemon zest

• 1 teaspoon orange zest

• 1 cinnamon stick

• 1 star anise

• 1 clove

• 5g fresh ginger

• A pinch of grated nutmeg

• Brown sugar, to taste

Preparation

Pour the wine into a saucepan and add the brown sugar, cinnamon, star anise, clove, ginger, nutmeg and citrus zest.

Warm gently for around 10 minutes, taking care not to let the wine boil. Strain into mugs or heatproof glasses and serve with a slice of orange

Green Chaud

There is more than one way to enjoy hot chocolate in the French Alps. One of the more distinctive variations is Green Chaud, made with rich hot chocolate and green Chartreuse, the herbal liqueur produced by Carthusian monks in the Chartreuse Mountains.

Sweet, warming and gently herbal, this Alpine speciality gives a familiar winter drink a more unexpected character. The richness of the chocolate softens the liqueur’s botanical notes, making Green Chaud a fitting choice after a cold day outdoors.

What you'll need (serves 1)

• 15cl hot chocolate

• 1cl green Chartreuse

• Whipped cream

• Cocoa powder

Preparation

Prepare your favourite hot chocolate and pour it into a mug, filling it about three-quarters of the way. Add the green Chartreuse and stir gently.

Top with whipped cream and finish with a light dusting of cocoa powder.

Rissoles Savoyardes

Golden, flaky and filled with sweet pear compote, rissoles savoyardes are among the lesser-known treats of the French Alps. These small pastries have been enjoyed for generations in Savoie and Haute-Savoie, particularly during winter celebrations.

In villages such as Samoëns, they remain a reminder of the region’s home-baking traditions, where simple ingredients become something special. Best served warm, rissoles are at their most inviting when the pastry is crisp and the pear filling is still soft.

What you'll need (serves 6 people)

• 1kg flour

• 500g cold butter

• 12 sugar cubes

• 1 teaspoon pear brandy

• 1 pinch of salt

• 1 bowl of lukewarm water

• 500 to 600g of pear compote

Preparation

Mix the flour, salt and cold butter in a large bowl. Dissolve the sugar in lukewarm water, add the pear brandy and gradually combine with the flour mixture to form a dough. Cover and refrigerate for 45 minutes.

Roll the dough into a rectangle, fold it into thirds and turn it a quarter turn. Repeat this process five times to create flaky layers.

Roll out the pastry and cut it into small rectangles. Place a spoonful of pear compote in the centre of each, fold over and press the edges to seal. Bake at 180°C for approximately 15 minutes, until golden and crisp.

Roasted Chestnuts

Sometimes, a paper cone of freshly roasted chestnuts is all it takes to improve a cold afternoon. Slightly sweet, wonderfully warm and a little messy to peel, marrons chauds are one of winter’s simplest pleasures.

They are the kind of treat to look out for while exploring the village on a chilly day. You do not need a street vendor to enjoy them, though. A quick roast in the oven is enough to bring this winter favourite into your own kitchen.

What you'll need (serves 4 people)

• 500g edible chestnuts

• A pinch of coarse salt, optional

Preparation

Preheat the oven to 220°C. Using a sharp knife, carefully score an X into the rounded side of each chestnut, cutting through the shell.

Spread the chestnuts on a baking tray with the scored side facing upwards and roast for 20 to 30 minutes, until the shells begin to open and the chestnuts are tender.

Once out of the oven, wrap them in a clean tea towel for about five minutes. Peel while still warm and serve in small paper cones for a traditional Christmas-market touch.

Chocolate Fondue

Switzerland is known for its chocolate and fondue, so bringing the two together feels like a natural choice. Instead of melted cheese, this sweeter version places a pot of smooth chocolate at the centre of the table, ready for dipping strawberries, bananas, apples and pears.

It is the kind of dessert that makes an evening feel unhurried. If you are staying in Verbier, pick up a few Swiss chocolates from a local chocolatier, prepare a bowl of fresh fruit and let everyone help themselves.

What you'll need (serves 4-6)

• 250g Swiss dark or milk chocolate

• 150ml double cream

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, optional

• Fresh strawberries

• Banana slices

• Apple or pear slices

Preparation

Break the chocolate into small pieces and gently warm the cream in a saucepan over low heat, without allowing it to boil. Add the chocolate and stir until completely melted and smooth.

If desired, add the vanilla extract before transferring the mixture to a fondue pot. Keep it warm over gentle heat and arrange the fruit around the pot, ready for everyone to dip and share.

A Little Alpine Warmth

These are recipes for cold evenings, generous plates and meals that invite everyone to stay a little longer. Keep them in mind for your next winter gathering, wherever you happen to be.