To celebrate New Year (2011) we went skiing in the French Alps. While skiing in La Plagne, had…read morelunch at L'Arpette. An absolutely wonderful restaurant right on the slopes. If you ever went skiing and decided to eat while swooshing down the mountain, your choice is rather limited to a cafe style, utilitarian type of a place or you have to go back down to the resort for anything better. If you ever skied in France, you have probably run across the typical "mountain" decor with wood paneling and old skis on the wall. Food is usually passable, but nothing to write home about. Well, L'Arpette was a definite surprise! First of all, it is quite a bit more spacious than most other places, even in fancier resorts like Courchevel or Megeve. The decor is still sort of "mountain" but has lots of light touches and is more white and beige than somber brown, death black or your neighborhood lumberyard yellowish-brown cheap wood siding. BIG terrace facing the slope and one of the best views in France! Best time is when, on a sunny day, around 1 pm the sun is just right that the slope across the "piste" sparkles like diamonds. The best part is that on the left of the bar, you go down two steps and find yourself in a cosy place with low tables and bear skin (not real bear) pillows to relax and have "Chartreuse Chaud" a hot chocolate with green Chartreuse. One is enough to have float down the slope for the rest of the afternoon. After two, call the "pisteur" to take you back to your apartment. The food was simple but really well prepared. My wife had a vegetable soup, which was tasty and full of vegetable bits, with just right seasoning. I had a daily special, which was chicken breast in a cream sauce with chopped vegetables and it was delicious. It came with a TON of french fries and a good portion of green salad. Excellent and copious enough that you feel like you can ski for another three hours with having hunger pangs. I had to have a cappuccino, which came (at my request) with about 3 inches of whipped cream on top...It was strong and smooth at the same time. Carol, the proprietor, who tends the bar was very friendly, precise and spoke English without a glitch. The restaurant is elf service, so if you are there between noon and 1 pm, the line could be a bit long, but the staff is really quick and responsive, even if you want to make your own combination on the plate. We are thinking of coming back in February and will definitely pass by for another relaxing and delicious lunch at L'Arpette.