La Fruitiere at La Folie Douce restaurant review

The terrace here is truly stunning and really takes some beating. The seating is arranged with un-erring attention to detail and the table cloths and table settings further add to the whole high-end ambience of the place. The attention to detail is all too clear in every aspect of La Fruitiere – the tables, the staff, the menu, the deck….everything!

The waitress came over without delay and talked me through the menu and the specials of the day. I ordered a bottle of sparkling water as I had a busy afternoon planned, but the wine list is absolutely top notch if you are in the mood and extends to high end Champagnes as well.

The menu is absolutely fantastic with something for all tastes – fish, steaks, chicken and gourmet burgers to name but a few. So after deliberation and much counter deliberation I went for the “starter of the day,” a dish of scrambled eggs and mushrooms, followed by a lovely sounding dry-aged beef burger with grilled bacon and Beaufort cheese, ginger & soya cream with homemade fries as a side.

I sat doing a bit of people watching whilst I waited for my food and after only a few minutes my starter arrived; scrambled eggs and mushrooms served in a funky preserve jar on a wooden board with some lovely crusty bread on the side. This certainly wasn’t the scrambled eggs on toast you knock up at home, let me tell you.

After finishing my starter, along came the main course and again it was a wow moment. I have eaten many burgers in my time some good and some bad and this is right up there with the very best. The quality of the ingredients was there to be tasted and again the presentation was exquisite, the homemade fries were fab as well, genuinely mouth-watering. The service too was fantastic; a couple of quick checks to make sure all was OK but not so much so as to prove intrusive.

The sun was beating down, the food was fantastic, the setting could not be beaten, the view was epic – whilst dining I received a couple of texts from friends back in the UK asking what I was up to, I genuinely did not have the heart to tell them back in their offices so I said “not much” – if only they really knew.

I wasn’t planning on having a dessert but after the feast that had gone before I opted for the lemon meringue tart and again it was another wow. It really was a great meal.

My meal was truly wonderful but having looked at the fish and chips that arrived at the next table I may be tempted to go for that next time.

When I had arrived at 12.30 it was fairly quiet but by 1pm it was getting very busy so if you are planning to dine here I would recommend booking in advance. Also the reserved tables are those nearest the edge of the deck and therefore have the very best of the uninterrupted views.

The restaurant is open between 12pm and 3pm and bookings can be made for either 12.30pm or 2.00pm. The latter of which being perfect if you fancy making a full day of it and joining the daily parties at La Folie Douce which adjoins the Fruitiere.

La Fruitiere is without doubt more expensive than other mountain restaurants in resort, so bear that in mind. You may not choose to dine here every day for this very reason, but would I recommend you dine at least once at La Fruitiere? – wholeheartedly yes, it really is a wonderful experience and a great memory to take back from Alpe d’Huez.

Starters range from €12 to €20, whilst main courses range between €21 and €31 and desserts are around €11 each. Remember this is proper dining, not just grabbing a quick bite up on the hill.

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And as a footnote to my friends who will probably be reading this back in the UK, I can only apologise for the fib, but honestly - would your mood at your desk have improved on Friday had I told you the truth?....cheers “Woody”