Traditional restaurant
Maison Carrier
Stepping into La Maison Carrier is like travelling back in time, as you are almost magically transported into a traditional Alpine farmhouse of days gone by, fragrant with aged wood and slow-cooked dishes from our grandmothers, where surroundings and time-honoured recipes exist in perfect harmony.
A delight at every moment, La Maison Carrier, a restaurant of traditional character, owes its charm to two pioneers with a passion for traditional mountain architecture: Pierre Carrier, owner of the establishment, and his accomplice, architect Bernard Ferrari. Set against the façade of this magnificent building, the result of a remarkable architectural assembly completed in 1997, charming tables are laid on a terrace that extends into the garden lawn whenever the weather permits. Whether dining outdoors or indoors beside the small-paned windows, guests can enjoy an exceptional panoramic view of the Mont Blanc range! With its history-laden wood panelling, glacier-blue and white checked tablecloths and napkins, period furniture, collection of antique Savoyard pottery and magnificent Alpine landscapes, the pleasure of the palate is matched by a feast for the eyes!
44 Rte du Bouchet, 74400 Chamonix-Mont-Blanc
+33 4 50 53 00 03
A la carte
House black pudding with carti à la chirve (potatoes cooked in cream and herbs), Savoyard fondue, soupe aux cailloux – traditional Savoyard mountain vegetable soup, farçon – Savoyard potato and prune pudding, prune rissoles – traditional Savoyard pastries filled with prunes, and biscuit de Savoie – light traditional Savoy cake. These dishes embody the identity of our mountain regions. At La Maison Carrier, we continue to preserve the Carrier family recipes from the Chamonix valley.
Open from Wednesday to Sunday. Lunch is served from 12:00 noon to 2:00 pm, and dinner from 7:00 pm to 9:30 pm.
A discovery of authentic, flavourful regional cuisine
Popular throughout the year with regulars from Chamonix and the Savoie region (always a good sign!), as well as guests of Le Hameau Albert 1er and visitors to the resort, La Maison Carrier is always bustling. It has character, a soul, and a history of its own.
The dishes showcase carefully selected local mountain produce: cheeses from the two Savoie regions, fish from Alpine lakes, and crisp salads from the kitchen garden, complemented by homegrown aromatic herbs and vegetables, sometimes delicately adorned with edible flowers.
Cooking is often slow and gentle, sometimes taking several hours. Here, it becomes clear that Savoyard cuisine is not simply about fondue or tourist favourites. Above all, it is a cuisine of patience and tradition. Born from a spirit of sharing, it continues, with humility, to tell the story of life on the mountain farms of days gone by.
At La Maison Carrier, family traditions live on, and the culinary heritage of our mountains remains, within these history-filled walls, a living legacy.
A sweet indulgence
A special mention for the “Vré de toutes les tartes de la Grand-mère”.
On the menu, à la carte, or at afternoon tea at La Maison Carrier, guests can enjoy a wide selection of desserts presented on the Vré carousel. The Vré is a large rustic, multi-tiered revolving wooden buffet table, once used to mature cheeses while protecting them from rodents, and now repurposed to display an abundant selection of desserts for guests of all ages. Breton pastry chef Patrick Guellec has been faithfully in post since 2008, creating this irresistible buffet and delighting guests with his tarts, crème caramel, chocolate mousse, fruit compotes in syrup, île flottante (floating islands), Savoie cake (Gâteau de Savoie), tiramisu, bite-sized confectionery, macarons, and fruit jellies (pâtes de fruits).
The visionaries: Pierre Carrier & Bernard Ferrari
“Bernard and I are dreamers,” says Pierre Carrier. “We like every project to tell a complete story.” Together, Pierre and Bernard brought to life this remarkable project, the result of a bold architectural vision completed in December 1997. Three beautiful Savoyard farmhouses, forming the foundations of Le Hameau Albert 1er, emerged from the ground.The first building is home to the traditional restaurant La Maison Carrier and the Martine Suite. The second features the Bachal Spa (Bachal meaning “pool” in the local dialect) and the swimming pool. The third building, the largest of the three farmhouses, contains twelve suites.
Pierre Carrier, who nurtured this somewhat ambitious project down to the smallest detail, spent years sourcing, cleaning and storing reclaimed wood from abandoned farms and alpine chalets. As Bernard Ferrari puts it, “The quality of a new project is to evoke a sense of nostalgia.” La Maison Carrier is a striking illustration of this.
Practical information
The restaurant is open from Wednesday to Sunday. Lunch is served from 12:00 noon to 2:00 pm, and dinner from 7:00 pm to 9:30 pm.
Afternoon Tea at La Maison Carrier is available from Wednesday to Sunday, from 3:00 pm to 5:30 pm (reservation recommended; limited availability, subject to availability).
La Maison Carrier is located a five-minute walk from the centre of Chamonix and offers free parking reserved for restaurant guests.
