Les restaurants étoilés à Paris Region

In 1926, the Michelin Guide began awarding good food stars to gourmet restaurants. But there is no clearly documented evidence giving precise details of the first restaurant to receive this distinction.

The Guide originally focused mainly on providing information for drivers, such as road maps and the locations of fuel stations and garages. Sometimes, Michelin also offered advice on hotels and restaurants.

The star rating system that we know today first emerged in 1931: one star for a very good restaurant in its category; two stars for excellent cooking, worth a detour; and 3 stars for Exceptional cuisine, worth a special journey.

Since the Middle Ages, Paris has been reputed as the beating heart of an abundant land, a symbol of wealth at a crossroads where excellent products arrive from the provinces and beyond. Nowadays, that tradition is kept very much alive, with a concentration of Michelin-starred restaurants located in Paris and the surrounding region. Every domain and speciality is represented, from historic establishments to renowned Japanese cuisine, and from newly-distinguished talents to bistros reinvented with a modern twist.

Of the 130 or so Michelin-starred restaurants, 10 of them reign supreme in the Guide’s top, 3-star category. There are 16 restaurants with 2 stars and, last but not least, 110 that boast a single star.

It’s no secret that French gastronomy is appreciated across the world. So who are the best chefs? Most of them are French: Pierre Hermé, Paul Bocuse, Joël Robuchon. And among these famous chefs, one of them is the highest Michelin-rated chef in the world: Alain Ducasse.

After a career spanning fifty years in the culinary world, he is now at the head of more than 34 restaurants scattered from Paris to Tokyo. He has accumulated a total of 20 Michelin stars, partly thanks to his provocative credo about daring to not aim to please at all costs.

In Paris Region, you can’t help but notice his Michelin-starred restaurants. From the Meurice to the Grand Contrôle restaurant at the Palace of Versailles, the chef demonstrates his perfect command of French cuisine.

Paris’ oldest Michelin-starred restaurant is none other than the Tour d’Argent. This legendary establishment in the 5th arrondissement opened its doors in 1582. Its Michelin star and traditional dishes appeal to many a fine gourmet. For a 4-course lunch or 5-course dinner with a view of the most beautiful monuments of Paris, there’s no better place to enjoy the best of French gastronomy.

With more than 130 Michelin-starred restaurants, Paris Region pays a fabulous tribute to gourmet cuisine. Which obviously means you can expect to get more than a few salad leaves. Here you’ll find a whole melting pot of culinary cultures that sometimes results in a mixed menu of amazing quality.

If you fancy testing one of the older starred establishments, head for Lasserre in the 8th arrondissement. This restaurant has held onto its Michelin star since 1949. The chefs have changed, as have the food combinations and presentation, but the traditional feel remains intact. Refreshing verbena lobster bisque for starters, followed by duck with orange and, for dessert, crêpe Suzette.

To reach for even more stars, check out the hideout of Guy Savoy in the 6th arrondissement of Paris. In the beautiful building of the Paris Mint, this restaurant with two Michelin stars pays a beautiful tribute to French cuisine. You can savour their famous artichoke and truffle soup, accompanied by brioche spread with truffle butter, if you please!

But for the ultimate dining experience, head for the 4th arrondissement. Right at the top of the Michelin Guide ratings, L’Ambroisie is a sublime ode to French gastronomy. The menu features snails, langoustines, foie gras, lobster and sweetbread, the great classics of French cuisine but with a triple-starred twist.

Virtually every town in Paris Region has at least one Michelin-starred restaurant to satisfy any discerning palate. For a start, there’s Versailles. In the heart of Yvelines, the famous British chef Gordon Ramsay has taken over the kitchens of the Trianon Palace. Take a seat in the superb conservatory to savour a one-star menu of swede velouté, ham and foie gras loaf, zander gratin with Comté cheese, or Black Angus flank steak.

In Vincennes, the atmosphere is slightly less posh. Jacky Ribault owns two restaurants featuring in the Guide Michelin: Qui Plume la Lune in Paris and L’Ours near the Château de Vincennes. The chef invites you into his lair for a culinary journey based on local produce with a Japanese twist. On the menu you’ll find Wagyu beef, Basque veal fillet or baked red mullet with fish-stock cream. Jacky has a unique touch.

Last but not least, next to the Palace of Fontainebleau, embark on a romantic journey between France and Japan. The Michelin-starred chef Kunihisa Goto welcomes you to his restaurant, L’Axel. Here, it’s all about a succulent marriage of flavours that won’t fail to surprise you. Dishes include shiitake mushrooms with lobster and shiso leaves with sweetbread.