Picnic Rooms in Megève and the Evasion Mont-Blanc Ski Area
There are several picnic rooms (salle hors sac – literally ‘Room Without Bag’) spread across Megève and the Evasion Mont-Blanc ski area. Nick Evans compiled this list for us.
They are free to use and are popular with groups, families and individuals, especially when the weather is too poor to rest or picnic outside.
On popular weekends and holidays, they can be very busy from 12pm to 2pm, but if all tables are in use it is acceptable to share a partly occupied table.
It is advisable not to drink the water unless it is labelled ‘eau potable’.
Princess Telecabine mid-station, above the Woody Bar and Restaurant.
Access is by clearly signed external stairs, this modern pine clad room has large windows and great views. Thera are about 60 seats at pine tables for 4 or 6 people. There is a unisex toilet. Snacks and drinks can be bought at Woody’s snack bar when it’s open and carried up.
Le Plateau de St Nicolas, above the Schuss Bar/Restaurant, at the bottom of the Vanay tow
Access is by external stairs from the outside dining area to a room with good views of Mt Blanc and the peaks of the Chamonix Valley. There are about fifty seats on a mixture of stacking chairs and fixed upholstered benches around the wall and one unisex WC (plus nicer toilets next door on the ground floor of the Chef Lieu chair-lift top station).
Terrasse du Freddy’s, above the top station of the Bettex - Mt d’Arbois telecabine
Access is by internal stairs signed ‘Salle hors Sac’ as you walk from the telecabine or go outside and climb up the snow slope. Freddy’s is unique in Megeve/St Gervais because the snack bar and Salle Hors Sac share the same seating inside. The outside seating is ‘Pique-nique interdit’! There are about 60 seats in a pine clad room with large windows and good views. It can get very busy, especially in poor weather. It shares M and F toilets with the telecabine station.
The Caboche, above the bottom station of the Caboche telecabine/top Chamois telecabine
Access is from the terrace which faces Mt d’Arbois, via an external staircase or the lift next to the Terrasse Snack Bar. It’s a light, airy room with large windows and good views towards Mt d’Arbois. There are 70 seats on pine benches with tables. Unisex toilets.
Signal, Les Contamines, under the top station of the Signal telecabine
This is not actually shown on the Megève/St Gervais version of the piste map, but it is on the Les Contamines map. Access is from the piste and it shares the seating with the Espace snack bar. The ‘public’ area has about 80 seats. It is a pleasant room with large windows giving good views of the piste. The larger adjacent Salle Panoramic is usually reserved for groups who book in advance. The very good M and F public toilets are across the corridor, though the Salle Panoramique has its own. Free wifi.
Etape 1470, Les Contamines, beneath the top station of the Telecabine de la Gorge
Access is from the Village Variant of the Montjoie piste where it passes between the top stations of the Montjoie and Gorge Telecabines. It’s a large room with seating for about 100 people at long tables and benches.
Ferme La Ruelle, 1600, Les Contamines, at the bottom of the Col chair lift
The Ferme de la Ruelle bar and restaurant has a store of tables, benches and chairs which can be carried out onto the snow for picnics without charge. Users should put them away afterwards unless someone else takes them. The room is below the restaurant’s terrace and faces the start of the Belleville piste, with a sign on the door saying “Haut-Lirou, Pic Saint Loup”. The room is not officially a Salle hors Sac but it has unisex toilets and a waste bin.
Le Jaillet, beneath the top station of the Jaillet Telecabine
As you leave the telecabine building, go down the steps and turn left at the bottom. It’s a large room seating about 80, with a second smaller room seating about 30. There are recycling points and a microwave oven, plus vending machines for hot/cold drinks and snacks. Toilets.
La Giettaz, le Plan 1200, opposite the bottom of the Grande Rare Chairlift
From the bottom station of the Grande Rare chairlift, cross the small car park and the picnic room is clearly signed next to the ticket office. It’s a modern, light room with large windows and equipped with about 40 stacking chairs with folding tables, plus there are picnic tables outside. There is a vending machine for hot/cold drinks and snacks. Toilets are next door.
Combloux, at the entrance of the Brons Car Park
Take the Marmottons piste, ski past the bottom the Beauregarde chairlift, then past the Garettes tow and Alberts Restaurant. Turn left towards the Guarderie, then ski to the left of it towards the car park, and on your right you’ll see the ‘forfait de ski’ (ticket office). At the office turn right and the picnic room is in front of you. There are no signs visible from the piste. It’s a large room with good views. There are approx 250 seats, pine benches and tables with some stacking chairs. Two microwave ovens, vending machines for hot/cold drinks and snacks, electric sockets, unisex WCs (one with baby changer), highchair. When you leave, walk past the ticket office and up the slope straight ahead with the car park on your right. From the top of the car park you can ski down on to the Baghera piste and take the Mowgli tow.
Note: The Salle Hors Sac at Le Livraz, Cote 2000 is only really accessible to nordic skiers and is not included in this information.
(Every effort has been made to ensure that the information above was correct at time of writing but it cannot be guaranteed. Please inform us if you think there is an error or if things have changed.)