La Table de Royaumont

Less than an hour from the capital, set in 6 hectares of wooded grounds, stands the largest Cistercian abbey in the Paris Region. For the ultimate weekend getaway, this culture hotspot invites you to explore, take a guided tour of the abbey and its splendid gardens, and round it all off with a unique culinary experience. On the last weekend of each month, a Sunday brunch is organised in the abbey’s north gallery. This very special restaurant is run by Patrick Derisbourg, a chef whose inspiration comes straight from the Kitchen Garden that he himself created during his first years as the chef of La Table de Royaumont.

Dishes that reflect the chef’s personality

The chef believes food should appear straightforward but burst with flavour once in the mouth. In addition to the produce from the Kitchen Garden, the chef uses fresh, preferably local ingredients produced by small farmers in France. Every Saturday evening and Sunday lunchtime, he serves up a starter, main dish and dessert in a set menu that changes each weekend. Chicken supreme with mushrooms, marinaded salmon, leek medley and sesame tuna tataki are a few examples of his dishes, which you can see being prepared through the huge picture windows installed in the kitchens to allow you to watch the chef and his team at work.

A captivating setting

If the idea of savouring a meal in an unusual setting makes your mouth water, you’re in the right place! Because this restaurant is actually in the abbey itself, housed in one of the most beautiful vaulted rooms you’ve ever seen. When it comes to the decoration, the chef adopts the same simplicity that he serves up in the plate. But the atmosphere that already reigns between the dining room walls needs nothing else. The vast windows flood the room with daylight, as if to announce the pleasant experience you’re about to enjoy. The chef’s surprise is a chance to visit the abbey and gardens, with or without a guide, either before or after your meal.

Escape with your partner or the whole family for a truly timeless moment. And if you’d like to visit more fabulous spots, check out the Paris Region’s other romantic restaurants.