3 of the best places to eat after a day in the mountains of the southern French Alps

Everybody knows you don’t need 3 Michelin stars to produce delicious unforgettable food. One of the joys of a trip off the beaten track is the discovery of these hidden jewels of gastronomy in unexpected places. After spending a day exploring the valleys and summits of the mountains on a sun-soaked summer activity trip, or after an invigorating day cross country skiing on a winter activity holiday, your appetite for a local cuisine full of mountain flavours, herbs and fresh local products will be well and truly established! After several years testing out the restaurants of the Southern French Alps, we have chosen our three favourite eateries to perfectly finish off an active day in the mountains. Auberge de la Moissière Way off the top of the list has to be the Auberge de la Moissière near the remote village of Rabou deep in the Southern French Alps.   For those who love walking and good food, this is a small corner of paradise. A 20 minute walk along a mountain track, looking out for chamois on the way, and you find yourself in a magical place, a clearing in the woods and a stone farmhouse where you are warmly welcomed to a gourmet meal worthy of the best restaurants in Paris. Open all year round, they will even lend you crampons if the path is too icy. Gourmet walkers’ heaven. Hotel Val des Sources After a day’s white water rafting down one of the regions glacier-fed rivers, like the Séveraisse in the stunning Valguaudemar valley near Gap, there is nothing better than a delicious meal made with local, organic ingredients lovingly prepared. The Hotel du Val des Sources in the village of St Maurice, whose owners are members of SlowFood, is the perfect place to end a long day out in the fresh alpine air.   Their own home–grown trout, or some local lamb, mountain cheeses and regional specialities, all prepared with care and a love of good things.   A passion for great wine, a well-stocked cellar and a desire to share it provide all you need to round off a perfect day. The Pasturier Otherwise, for an evening in town, a wonderful place to eat is Le Pasturier restaurant in Gap.   Cosy and understatedly elegant, the food is unfailingly brilliant. One of those fantastic French restaurants we all dream of when we get back from a holiday there. Using the delicate flavours of classic French cuisine like truffles and morilles, and good quality local products, the chef has the ability to turn a standard dish into an exquisite delicacy to pamper your taste buds. After a meal in the Pasturier, a stroll around the Provencal style town of Gap with it’s tall, coloured buildings, narrow streets lined with boutiques, and open squares with fountains, is the perfect finish to a day in the Southern French Alps! Sally Guillaume is Director at Undiscovered Alps. If you would like to be a guest blogger on A Luxury Travel Blog in order to raise your profile, please contact us.