Chamonix Apres Ski Report: 22nd February 2012

A prime spot for sunny days is Extreme Café sandwich and coffee bar; slap bang in the centre of town it gets the sun all afternoon and is perfect for meeting up with friends or watching the world go by. The simple self-service menu includes baguettes, paninis, wraps, bagels, brownies, cookies and cakes. You can try to offset the damage and be healthy with a fresh fruit smoothie, or just indulge in a hot chocolate or coffee.

If you're looking for a more substantial lunch you should try Bistro des Sports opposite Super U; the outdoor tables are always in demand in good weather so get there early or pop into the bar and reserve beforehand. This bar/bistro is popular with tourists and locals alike and serves all sorts of dishes from salads, to pasta, to typical French brasserie meals and local specialities. I usually opt for one of their enormous salads or the salmon tagliatelle which never tastes the same twice, which I assume must mean that the sauce is homemade and depends on whatever the chef feels like doing that day – it's always good though!

One of my favourite places to ski on a sunny day is La Flegere, as you can start the apres early at the Chavanne bar. Once you've done enough runs to justify a break (no, skiing from the lift directly to the bar does not count as a run) you should point your skis in the direction of the Chavannes piste where rows of deckchairs await you, looking out over the lower Flegere pistes and the peaks of the Mont Blanc mountain range on the other side of the valley. Brave/drunk/foolish souls can even take a dip in the outdoor hot tub...

Once you've got into the apres mood you can carry on at the bottom of the cable car (or take the home run) in the village of Les Praz. The obvious choice is Les Rhododendrons, right opposite the lift station car park. The large terrace is brilliant on sunny days, or if you're feeling the chill you can curl up on the sofas inside. They have regular live music and offers include 10 chicken wings for 3€ (Wednesday evenings) and 10 tapas for 10€ (Friday evenings). They also do a good lunchtime menu of pizzas, salads and local dishes which can be worth the trip down the mountain if you are skiing all day and fancy a break.

Les Praz is a bit of a hidden gem for eating out; it doesn't have much in the way of night life so many people don't venture out that way but there are three good restaurants that are all worth the short journey.

La Cabane is a stunning alpine cabin nestled on the edge of the pine woods in the picturesque surroundings of the golf club. It is another good lunch option for a sunny day as they have a beautiful terrace with amazing views and the 19€ set menu is surprisingly good value for somewhere that feels so exclusive. It's also an ideal venue for a special evening meal as the interior is like a luxurious mountain lodge; cosy and romantic, complete with roaring log fire. Lunch or evening, the food is fantastic – I've been many times and it never fails!

Hotel L'Eden is right in the centre of Les Praz and has a great reputation for its food. They also offer a complimentary taxi service, so you can enjoy a few more glasses of wine without worrying about how to get home. The menu offers plenty of delicious alternatives to typical mountain food such as tempura seabass with papaya salad, sweet potato fries and wasabi mayonnaise. You can choose a la carte or go for one of the set menus, which start from 24€ for three courses. The relaxed atmosphere and friendly service makes it a good choice for groups; I've been there a few times with friends and enjoyed an evening of pre-dinner drinks in the hotel bar, followed by a fantastic meal, then a free ride back to Chamonix... sorted!

The recently refurbished Hotel Lanchers has also revamped their restaurant, which is now much more contemporary but still comfortable and welcoming. The new menu offers excellent hearty food with fresh local ingredients and daily specials. My top tip is to leave room for dessert, you'll regret missing out otherwise... The restaurant and bar are open for lunch, apres and evening meals.

As well as all the usual live music and events that are going on in Chamonix this week (see our What's On Calendar for more details) the big night out is going to be this Friday at the Winter Sessions Jungle Fever party at The Podium. Break out your loudest leopard print and get creative with the facepaints as there is a prize for the best animal costume. Winter Sessions head honchos Corin Martin, Tony Chopin, Joe Volpeliere and Renaud Langlois will be pushing out the deep tech house in the main room, with new FR DMC Champion DJ SKILLZ giving it deep dark and dirty in room two along side Chamonix Dub-step electro slayers Pop & Skred. Tickets are 10€ in advance and 15€ on the door with only 400 available, and a free drink if you rock up before 12pm.

If you've got any energy left after the almost-all-nighter at The Podium then you should check out The Blind Poets, who will be playing a guest gig on Saturday 5pm at Chambre 9. Former Chamonix seasonaires (now real grown-ups with proper jobs), they still know how to rock a good apres session, get a taste of the mayhem on Youtube.