La Petite Auberge Restaurant Review

It has a beautiful terrace that enjoys sunshine until the end of the day so it's also a great place to head to for a beer in the sun. It's always busy with cyclists and hikers who've headed there after a day of exercise

Essert Romand itself has a beautiful church right in the centre with stunning views of the Morzine Valley. The village is surrounded by great tracks and trails for running and walking and is just moments from the river which links Morzine and Saint Jean d’Aulps. It also has a large dairy farm if you’re looking to get your hands on some locally produced cheese or fancy having a look at how some of the area’s speciality cheeses are produced.

However we headed to Essert Romand to test the Petite Auberge’s legendary lunch menu which has become quite famous in Morzine. Despite being in France sometimes it's difficult to come across a traditional "Menu du Jour". This is a speciality at the Petite Auberge, it’s a great place to go to for a long lunch with a carafe of wine and enjoy some local specialities - we certainly weren’t disappointed.

It was a boiling hot day when we headed to the restaurant and it was pretty busy on the terrace however the team were quick to put up an umbrella to give us some extra shade. We had two young children with us who were struggling with the heat but soon as a cooler table came available our waiter moved us. We can't speak highly enough of the staff they were really accommodating, patient and friendly. The restaurant itself is very child friendly with colouring for the children and a specific menu for them which doesn't just consist of burger and chips.

The menu, which is on a large blackboard at the front of the restaurant, has a mixture of different traditional dishes including steaks, duck, charcuterie plates and various different salads. It also has a list of regional specialities including Fondue, Raclette and Tartiflette. The Menu du Jour is 15 euros and includes a buffet like starter, a main dish which is chosen daily and some local cheese along with a mini carafe of wine. It’s available most days from midday and is pretty popular. Sadly it wasn’t available on the day we went so we had to opt for the slightly more expensive Plat du Jour which was 11 euros.

We all ordered the dish of the day which turned out to be a tasty ribs and rice dish. It was exceptionally good value and was filling and well presented. The meat was dressed with two different flavours, a barbeque coating and a sweet and sour sauce. It was great to have a break from chips as well as it seems hard to avoid them when eating out in the Portes du Soleil. The 5 year old in our party ordered a turkey dish which she polished off without a second thought. It was served with vegetables and a tasty cream sauce. The other dishes on the menu included pasta and salmon. It was really pleasant to see such a varied menu for the little ones. It was 10 euros for her meal which included a drink and a scoop of ice cream so again really good value.

We also decided to have a pudding which as you'll see by the photos really took the biscuit. The ice creams we chose were piled high with cream and sprinkles and were just what we needed on such a hot day! The puddings are priced at around 7 – 9 euros and also include traditional puddings like Tart Tatin and Crème Brulee. By the time we’d polished off the food and our lunchtime wine we were certainly feeling pretty full and content (sleepy).

We’ll definitely be heading back to La Petite Auberge. It’s a really friendly and welcoming venue with a very traditional French vibe about it. The lunch menu, although we didn’t get to try it in full, is really brilliant value and the facilities and offering to children is second to none really. The puddings are also pretty special. If you’re looking for a break from pizza and chips and want to try some local specialities without breaking the bank, this is the perfect venue for you. The location can’t be beaten either.