Situated in the heart of the Portes du Soleil, Avoriaz is a stunning French ski resort. It attracts a large number of eager skiers each year, thanks to its unique aspects that set it apart from other major ski resorts. Avoriaz is one of the only pedestrianized resorts in the Alps, ensuring plenty of peace and quiet. It is also a popular spot for freestylers. Not forgetting the impressive selection of bars for après ski! You might be planning a skiing getaway to Avoriaz in 2017, or you’re just curious about what this beautiful resort has to offer when you’re finished on the slopes for the day. Whichever the case, here are some of the best bars to enjoy a drink with friends in Avoriaz.
JaJa Bar
This chic bar serves a wide selection of wines and champagnes. In fact, their wine list is one of the biggest in the resort! The Scandinavian-style, minimalistic décor makes the bar an incredibly relaxing spot to head to for après-ski. With fur throws, dim lighting, comfy sofas with cushions and rustic, wooden tables, it’s the perfect place to go if you’d prefer a chilled-out drink as opposed to a night of partying. You can also take advantage of the bar’s famous tapas dishes, perfect when combined with a good wine. JaJa Bar is only open during the winter season, daily from 4pm until 1am.
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Café Le Fantastic
A little more lively than the previous option, Café Le Fantastic is a great spot to head to for après ski. It’s open every day from 8am, and serves a wide selection of foods until 5pm. This includes breakfast, crepes, burgers, pasta, salads and desserts, ensuring skiers have plenty of choice. The bar stays open until 2am, and there’s often a DJ or live music playing. It’s an incredibly popular, modern spot for skiers who want to wind down with a drink and some music after a long day on the slopes. On the other hand, if you’d prefer a simple bite to eat for lunch and a coffee, Café Le Fantastic is the perfect place to do just that, too.
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Village Igloo Bar & Restaurant
The quirkiest place in Avoriaz, the Village Igloo Bar & Restaurant is fun for all the family. In fact, it’s an essential part of a ski break to Avoriaz. Because of its location, a member of staff meets skiers at the top of the Prodains cable car with a glass of mulled wine and walks them to the Igloo along the marked path, which usually takes around 10 minutes. You can then choose from two dining options. ‘Frosty Apéro’ is a welcome drink followed by “polar” tapas and an aperitif, or a full dinner option followed by a traditional fondue dinner. Due to its popularity, making a reservation is essential.
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Le Chapka Bar, Pub & Restaurant
Open from 4pm until 2pm during the winter season, Le Chapka Bar really does have it all. It’s located perfectly in the heart of Avoriaz and has everything you could possibly need. You’ll love it here if you enjoy watching live sports, or even if you like sampling live music. There’s plenty of food options here, too, including an abundance of burgers and tapas. If you’re travelling as part of a large group or as a family, this is the ideal bar to head to for après ski.
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Bowling Le Studio 9
The clue is in the name with this bar! This one-of-a-kind hotspot is essentially a ten-pin bowling alley in an Alpine-style lodge, and it’s fun for all the family. It’s open from 2pm until 3am in winter, and from 4pm until 3am in summer. The bar features a huge screen for important sports events, and offers the opportunity to organize karaoke nights with friends. There’s also table football, video games, snooker, and even a dancing machine. So, if you’re looking for some serious entertainment after a day on the slopes, Bowling Le Studio 9 is definitely the place to be.
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Le Shooters Bar
Whether you book your ski holidays with Alpine Elements or elsewhere, you’ll know all too well that you like to end your day skiing with a bit of fun. The aspect of Le Shooters Bar that sets it apart from the rest is its impressive collection of shooters (or shots) on offer. The bar has 50 different shooter recipes, attracting a substantial number of skiers eager to try one after a day on the slopes. It’s situated ideally in the heart of Avoriaz, and has a lively ambience about it. They have live pop and rock every week and live music twice a day for après ski and from 10pm in the evening.
Image via Avorinet
Cookie Café Bar
The Cookie Café Bar is the highest altitude bar in the Portes de Soleil, at an impressive 2277 metres. It’s an awesome place to head to for après ski if you’re in the mood to chill out and unwind during the afternoon; the bar closes at 4:30pm. After all, the atmosphere and interior is incredibly laid-back and soothing. Due to its altitude, the bar is often above the clouds, giving visitors amazing views and a unique experience indeed. A variety of beer on tap is served, as well as delicious mulled wine.
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The Place Bar
A popular spot for the Avoriaz party crowd, The Place Bar is lots of fun. It features a spacious outdoor terrace and is the perfect place to enjoy a few après ski drinks to some live music. The bar is renowned for its live music scene, in fact. Bands coming from the likes of England, Ireland and Denmark are known to play there, performing music from each era. There are DJs every night, and The Place Bar is very generous when it comes to happy hour prices and special offers. With all that in mind, it’s the ideal place for those with a love of music, and those on a tight budget.
Image via Avorinet
Le Globe Trotters Café Bar
Open every day in winter from 8am until 2am, this popular, international venue caters for all skiers. It serves something for everyone at lunch (the burgers are a must!) and has a great selection of regular live music. Its huge outdoor terrace is its unique selling point, but the fact that skiers can head here at any time of the day is also attractive. Prices are very reasonable and the bar as a whole is extremely family friendly. What more could you possibly ask for?
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As you can tell, Avoriaz has an abundance of bars and restaurants to enjoy an après ski drink or two. The awesome aspect of this ski resort is that it caters for every type of tourist with a range of preferences. If you’re looking for a quiet drink in a relaxed setting, that’s not a problem at all. On the other hand, if you’re looking to party on until the early hours, Avoriaz has plenty of hotspots to do just that, too. Avoriaz is great for tourists with a wide selection of preferences, budgets and tastes – and that’s why it’s such a fantastic skiing resort.
