# La Loy, a mountain restaurant blending Savoyard tradition and mountain authenticity beside the Biolley run

Perched above the village of Saint-Martin-de-Belleville, beside the Biolley run, the mountain restaurant La Loy offers a gastronomic stop set in mountain surroundings. Run by Emily, the restaurant combines traditional Savoyard cooking with the natural surroundings, in a setting that includes a large sun-trap terrace and wood-fire hearths.

## A place shaped by attachment to the area

Emily and her sister Servanne have taken over the restaurant, combining their efforts and ideas to develop it. Born in Saint Marcel, a village near Saint-Martin-de-Belleville, Emily knows the mountainside surrounding the restaurant in detail. She describes her attachment to the place: “I really love this little corner of nature, and I always told myself I wanted to end up here at some point.” Servanne also owns the restaurant Au Village, in Les Menuires.

## Traditional Savoyard cooking open to other flavours

La Loy stands out for cooking rooted in Savoyard tradition, without being confined to it. As Emily puts it, “raclette and fondue don’t sum up the whole of Savoie and its produce.” The menu therefore includes traditional dishes such as croûtes savoyardes — slices of bread soaked in white wine and topped with cheese, ham, mushrooms and egg — suited to a quick break between runs. Chef Olivier is working to expand the menu with regional produce: “everything we can, we source locally. Even though it takes time to set up, we’re looking at other ways to move towards entirely home-made cooking.” More refined dishes also feature on the menu, including a rack of lamb and veal sweetbread, which Emily cites among the restaurant’s specialities.

## A torchlit snowshoe descent every Thursday evening

The restaurant sits directly on the slopes, close to local life. Every Thursday evening, it offers a torchlit snowshoe descent, bookable online, combining a mountain dinner with a night walk. The evening opens with an aperitif around a brazier on the terrace, continues with a meal by the fire, and ends with a walk under the moonlight. Emily personally guides the descent and shares her knowledge of the area: “I know the path and the stories very well. I care deeply about nature here: I gather my own herbs to make herbal teas, I make my own medicinal preparations, and I know the animals well.”

## Open in both winter and summer

La Loy employs a team of 10 and serves as a meeting point on the slopes of Saint-Martin-de-Belleville, which are linked to the Les 3 Vallées ski area. The restaurant also opens in summer, when it becomes accessible by car or on foot. Every Friday evening in season, open-air concerts are held on the terrace, with an atmosphere built around the sunset.

## Key points

- La Loy mountain restaurant is located beside the Biolley run, above the village of Saint-Martin-de-Belleville.
- The restaurant is run by a manager born in Saint Marcel, who took it over jointly with her sister, the owner of another restaurant in Les Menuires.
- The kitchen, overseen by a chef who favours local produce, offers Savoyard specialities such as croûtes savoyardes, alongside more refined dishes including a rack of lamb and veal sweetbread.
- A torchlit snowshoe descent, including dinner, is held every Thursday evening and guided by the restaurant's manager.
- The team numbers 10, and the restaurant operates in both winter and summer, with open-air concerts held every Friday evening during the summer season.
