Reply to "Ski destinations where the food's as good as the slopes"

Epicureans can take a stroll in the mountains without leaving their seats in the celebrated Flocons de Sel in the chic ski resort of Megeve near Mont Blanc. The adventurous tasting menu, dubbed "Randonee en Montagne," takes diners on a virtual ramble out into the garden and up onto the Alps.

Chef Emmanuel Renault puts his own visionary twist on regional specialties, from Rapunzel root dumplings and smoked-milk fritters to lake perch with green tea powder and filet of deer with blueberry and shallot puree.

Renault is both craftsman and forager, with heavy use of herbs from his garden and wild flowers such as marigolds, nasturtiums, violets and gentians. This alpine altar to seasonal fine dining won its third Michelin star in 2012, two years after moving from the center of Megeve to the heights on the outskirts of town.

Where else? Renault runs a more traditional bistro, Flocons Villages, in his old premises in Megeve, while Ideal 1850 is a sophisticated mountain affair. Le 1920 and La Table de Alpaga have also caught the eyes of the Michelin men and women.