5 Pleasures, Zero Guilt

Here, if the cheese has body, it's because the animals have muscles. Every summer, Ivane and Franck Pissart leave their farm in Montroc, above Argentière, with their flock of about fifty heads (and their two children) to climb to the Balme alpine pasture at 2,000 metres altitude. A view of the peaks of the massif, lush grass, and small alpine flowers—that's what you'll taste in their exquisitely aged tomme cheeses. A similar summer program awaits the 400 ewes of Géraldine and Eddy Battendier at GAEC des Croests Mastins in Les Houches, assisted during the transhumance by their dog, Rocket. No more squared-off fields, just the sweetness of freedom to savour in small fresh or ash-coated goat cheeses.

Direct sales

at the Montroc farm in Argentière Tue, Fri, Sat (5:30-7:30 pm)

at the Croests Mastins cheese shop in Les Houches, Mon-Sat (4:30-6:30 pm)

"Monday, potatoes. Tuesday, potatoes. Wednesday, potatoes too… And on Sunday, the Lord's day: steamed apples." Wrong! A farçon. Or farcement. This typical mountain peasant dish was simmered for hours in its cast-iron bell-shaped pot over the fireplace while the family attended Mass. Potatoes (you get the idea), bacon, eggs, cream, butter, and dried fruit - raisins, figs, prunes… Simple, robust, comforting. Everyone has their own recipe, and each swears theirs is the real deal. Today, a few local restaurants (La Maison Carrier, Le Rond Point) and caterers in the valley still make it. A must-try. And if you have trouble digesting, read (and drink) the rest…

2017, in Les Houches. In the old still of a wooden chalet at the foot of Mont Blanc, three slightly eccentric Londoners play at being Alpine druids. Since then, Altitude Gin has risen to new heights and moved to Chamonix, where the distillery has grown considerably —you can even visit and taste the gin there. The base of the magic potion recipe, however, remains the same: an infusion of local plants and berries (juniper, blueberries, elderflowers, pine needles) and pure mountain water. And what gives Altitude Gin even more attitude is its commitment to preserving the planet. The brand donates to CREA Mont-Blanc and offers a recyclable bag-in-box format to restock bars in the valley without significantly increasing its carbon footprint. It's good, very good, and will soon be organic.

59 Avenue Michel Croz, Chamonix

06 10 86 23 97

Growing saffron flowers in the mountains is a bit like imagining mountaineering on the plains of the Middle East… And yet. Since 2013, Noé Tollin has been cultivating this red gold in Les Houches, at an altitude of over 1,000 metres. From December to April, everything lies dormant under the snow. From May to September, silence reigns as the plants grow. And at the beginning of autumn, everything happens in a single day: harvesting the thousand stems and removing the three stigmas from each flower with tweezers. A work of a botanist and goldsmith, requiring both passion and patience. With a harvest of around 100 grams per year, Noé Tollin adds depth to his jams and syrups. Homemade with homegrown fruit, of course.

Indulgent, but also melt-in-your-mouth and crunchy. The 4810 from Maison Fattier is a little chocolate gem with a praline centre made with Piedmont hazelnuts. And as if that weren't enough to make us swoon, its base is delicately crisp. Each bite is a revelation, not to mention its chic design, with a silhouette of Mont Blanc, the Aiguille du Midi, and the Bossons Glacier. An absolute must during your stay, unmissable in the windows of Chalet 4810 and Les Petits Gourmands. The two pastisserie tea rooms in Maison Fattier's are pinnacles of pleasure. The hardest part will be choosing. And leaving.

Chalet 4810 - 191, rue Joseph-Vallot - Chamonix (open 7:30 am - 7:30 pm)

Aux Petits Gourmands - 168, rue Docteur Paccard - Chamonix (open 7:30 am - 7:30 pm)