Le 1947 à Cheval Blanc — Restaurant in Albertville

18th in the France 3 stars challenge, actually the last (the rest will be published before the 14th of February). Beyond the Top What’s extraordinary here? As usual, I’ll focus on three points (otherwise, I could go on and on…) First I want to thank the team for accepting a solo customer. Not all 3 stars accept an epicurean alone. And it’s even more commendable with this one since there are only 5 tables, so it can only accommodate up to 22 clients per day. And I said up for a reason. With me eating up 3 spots on my own, and 2 tables with couples, we were 16 happy few. Actually, Very Happy Few feeling like uberVIP. Because did I mentioned that it’s only open for dinner a bit more than 3 months a year? And by the way, it’s located inside the Cheval Blanc. I’ve been fortunate enough to go in all three in France. It’s la crème de la crème. The overall service I had in this one and St Tropez is beyond a shadow of a doubt the best I ever had in any palaces. For instance here, the voiturier noticed a small issue with the snow tires (I wouldn’t have), he pointed out and helped me with it. Not the usual, “see nothing, hear nothing, say nothing” philosophy. That’s already several extraordinary points.

Second, what’s also extraordinary is Yannick Alleno. I’ve also been fortunate enough to try all his Michelin Star in France (with the exception of the St Émilion one, because I think he was not in charge when I went). He is concept driven with the capabilities of an engineer. He has a top down approach. Once he has the subject, he’s trying to extract it, to go to the essence. And then he’ll go down to every details. Here, it’s the Alps, looking for the essence of the alps, not just the Alps, but the spiritual part of it, the ephemeral like a mushrooms, high ground hare or a lake fish. And then everything will follow logically. Even to the menu where the snow will fall (check the videos). Speaking of snow bubbles, you’ll be in your own bubble. Every tables are sound designed so even though you’ll be able to see, sound wise you’ll feel like in a bubble. Just like a snow bubble. Within a snow bubble looking at the ballet of waiters going out of Alleno’s laboratory.

And the third and last point, which is not a detail. Alleno had the brilliant idea to put Vincenzo Tirelli, who works at his 3 stars in Paris as the executive chef. It’s hard for me to know exactly his input, but adding the Italian note to the Alps is a great way not to make it too much about France, but just about the alps. This little touch helps you go beyond the top of the mountain and reach a whole other side… That, and the wine list, and the 1850 m altitude.

If you managed to read this far, I hope that you’ll get the chance to go there, experience it and appreciate the team. 2 things. Dont worry if there’s millions worth of cars at the front door. It’s about your experience. Second thing. Forget everything I said, focus on the one(s) you’re dining with. It’s about your experience. Just think of it after you went.

Dress code : it’s a 3 stars so dress as you should to remember, but there’s 5 tables, no need to dress to impress and suffer... Dress to feel good and appropriate.

It’s up there amongst the 3 stars, it’s a Top...

Le 1947 Courchevel is a truly amazing and offers a very unique experience compared to most 3 Michelin star restaurants.

Food: We had the tasting menu which was very sophisticated but also tasty. One can tell how much work has gone into creating these amazing dishes, and there is a strong focus on delivering a memorable experience instead of cutting corners with ingredients.

Service: This is where Le 1947 stands out vs. its 3 star peers. Luc, the restaurant manager, goes the extra mile to make sure every guest has a personalized experience, from call pre arrival to discuss preference, in person greetings at the bar while we were having an aperitif, to kitchen tour and accompanying us to lobby after diner. The executive chef also personally serves each table throughout the meal.

The restaurant is only open for diner with 5 tables, I highly recommend making a reservation...

It simply wasn’t tasty. We couldn’t wait for the dinner to be over. The timing was off – we had to wait too long for the first course and throughout the meal. In the end, we had to call an ambulance at night due to my wife’s severe allergic reaction.

We suspect that they messed something up in the sauces, even though we clearly mentioned her seafood allergy. As a result, we spent the night with doctors and syringes. On top of that, the price in no way reflects the...