Auberge de Savoie

Friendly staff, clean and comfortable. A very nice place, close to Courchevel. Highly recommended.

The reine pizza was very good. I also tried the Savoyarde on my way back from skiing, and it was good too, though there was so much cheese it felt quite filling. Seems like everyone there was heading to or coming back from skiing.

We ended up dining at the larger table, but only after a strange argument about where two guests were allowed to sit. The restaurant was about 1/5 occupied, yet we were sent to a table for two at the back, squeezed between a large guest, over 300lb, and the dessert display. The usher had disappeared, so we chose a nearby bigger table that wouldn't disturb anyone. Apparently that was unacceptable: the usher said two guests could only use a table with two chairs, even though the place was mostly empty. Another staff member then told me that only staff, not guests, decide where people sit, and repeated it when I didn't seem sympathetic enough. I asked if we had to leave, but they eventually let us stay at the bigger table. The exchange brought back the “this goes to 11” scene from “This is Spinal Tap.” If you don't mind being told to squeeze into a corner of an empty restaurant, the food may be decent, as others say. And despite the big “pizzeria” sign on the facade, they don't serve pizza. Someone else can explain that oddity.

The homemade coconut tart of the day was a lovely finish to the meal. The staff were friendly and chirpy, serving us a few pichets of red wine, and we felt we'd happily come back. We chose a rumpsteak with a little ratatouille and home-cut fries, plus the 'Manu' special Ligure pizza with homemade pistou and tangy parmesan. The menu isn't overloaded with options, which suited us after a long day. We were staying overnight at the 3 star hotel during interseason and spotted the restaurant in Moutiers' main square. It could be a good stop on the way up or down the valley, with a taste of somewhere beyond the ski resorts.