LA MAISON, MERIBEL

My new year's resolutions are not going as well as I had hoped….I have been home for a couple of days and been to bikram twice so I am proud of that but I am still eating like a piglet. I found a huge bag of jelly belly beans left over from Christmas last night and scoffed the entire lot! I need to decrease my appetite but that won't be easy as Pascal is home tomorrow and I already thinking about restaurants and cooking for the weekend.

When we were in Meribel over the holidays, we spent many evening at La Maison which is a tea room / wine room in the centre of town. As we generally had big lunches we didn't want to eat out again in the evening but still wanted to socialise and this was the perfect place to go…..although it wouldn't surprise me if I ended up consuming more calories than I would had I actually had a proper supper!

La Maison opened up last year and it totally unique. Pascal had told me about it and I was picturing something cool and modern, all taupe and fur, however this is more British than French. I wish I had taken a photo - it is like being in an old English drawing room - lots of arm chairs and quirky "objets d'art" from old fashioned paintings to selection of antique tea cups - there is nowhere like this in Meribel hence it's popularity. One of Pascal's favourite things about it is that there is no loud music so you can actually have a conversation…I like this too as I love to chat as much as I love to eat!

Lots of locals and tourists come to La Maison after a hard day's skiing for tea and cake - they have a freshly baked selection ranging from praline cake to pecan pie to macaroons. There is a big choice of teas and even chocolate bars. However I am more into the savoury stuff!!

The wine list is great and well priced too - you can get a glass of something very nice for €5 which is like a miracle! And with the drinks you can order some treats:

The smoked salmon tartine is incredible as are the oysters with shallot vinegar, bread and butter - the butter is perfectly salted - I wanted to steal some to bring home. They also do charcuterie plates which Arabella demolished one time before I had a chance of a photo and the same goes for a plate of cheese I had there! It is all the perfect accompaniment to a glass of wine or champagne.

This is the perfect place for apres ski if you don't want to spend time with d*ckheads downing shots of chartreuse while dancing in their ski boots…that used to be but I think I have grown up and now I am all about the food…..and wine!!

If anyone knows somewhere like this in London, let me know…..I think I need to change my new year's resolution…..forget cutting out food and wine and instead find more places like La Maison round here. I think drinks and snacks are something I need more of in 2014 and then 2015 can be about the gastric band….!

La Maison is located in the previous Home Deco shop, in the centre of Méribel, next to Agence des Neiges. It is open every afternoon and evening, and earlier in the day during bad weather.

La Maison
Residence la Tougnette,
73550,
Meribel
Tel: +33 (0)4 79 07 17 26