Relais & Châteaux is an exclusive collection of 500 of the finest charming hotels and gourmet restaurants in 60 countries. From the vineyards in Napa valley to the beaches in Bali, from the olive trees in Provence to the lodges in South Africa, Relais & Châteaux offers all the stops on the finest route for discovering each special place and country.
In all our properties, each maître de maison draws upon his unique experience and passion to share the authentic culture and tastes of his region with every guest.
Magical places and memories of a lifetime: whether it be a romantic weekend or to celebrate the important moments of life such as birthdays, anniversaries, honeymoon or family reunions.
Established in France more than 50 years ago, Relais & Châteaux has become a renowned reference of excellence in the hotel and restaurant world. The Association's mission is to spread its unique art de vivre across the globe by selecting outstanding properties with a truly unique character.
Restaurant of a Grand Chef Relais & Châteaux in townView details
This is a very discreet address tucked away under the arcades in one of the oldest avenues in the centre of Paris. A tiny room with minimalist décor hidden away behind white curtains: what matters here is the food. No menu, you just wait and see what arrives on your plate. Veal tartare and oyster, foie gras poached with strawberry, white asparagus served with jamón serrano and Parmesan foam – the menu presents Grand Chef Shinichi Sato’s latest creations elegantly served in the dining room by Guillaume Guedj. There is a very fine wine list mainly featuring Burgundy which is the perfect accompaniment for the delicate, inventive cuisine which plays with colour and texture as much as with flavour, providing the ideal showcase for top-class seasonal ingredients.
Restaurant of a Grand Chef Relais & Châteaux in townView details
In an utterly charming atmosphere, Grand Chef Michel Rostang celebrates 30 years of inspiration, taste and passion for fine dining. Constantly in pursuit of perfection, his cuisine is a reflection of his personality: simple and generous. Anyone who has visited his restaurant knows that his pairings of classical and modern flavours are indeed the epitome of perfection. His wonderful sole meunière with its shellfish marinière or the mythical pike quenelle à la Jo Rostang are just some delicious examples, not forgetting the exquisite hot tart with bitter chocolate. There is even a truffle sandwich, that you simply have to eat with your fingers. Rostang’s cellar, with more than 1,300 outstanding wines, is certainly one of the most prestigious in the French capital.
Restaurant of a Grand Chef Relais & Châteaux in townView details
Inventive, sincere, generous... The art of Jean-Pierre Vigato, Grand Chef of Restaurant Apicius, draws its inspiration from traditional “bourgeois” cuisine, dishes left to simmer on the stove and the very best of market produce so that he can coax out every nuance of flavour. This means that blue Brittany lobster, white truffle, John Dory and game will be accompanied by the simplest of vegetables, in dishes that showcase the creativity and love of cuisine that this self-taught chef has inherited from his mother and grandmother. As soon as you cross the threshold, the magic works its spell. This superb 19th century private mansion on the ground floor of the former Hôtel de Talhouët-Roy boasts a ravishing décor where top-quality materials in sophisticated hues create a welcoming atmosphere and where bric-a-brac sits cheek by jowl with works of art. In the summer, it opens onto a delightful garden, right in the heart of Paris.
Right next to the Champs-Élysées and the rue du Faubourg-Saint-Honoré, feast your eyes upon the unique interiors of this hotel with its 18th century French bespoke hand-painted Chinoiserie wallpaper, furniture sculpted out of precious woods, fabulously comfortable sofas, silks from the Orient and shimmering satins. The Hotel Daniel is an elegant address and the perfect base for discovering Paris at its most romantic and cosmopolitan, and savouring an equally original and sophisticated cuisine. A simply exceptional residence.
Restaurant of a Grand Chef Relais & Châteaux in townView details
Close to the jewellers of Place Vendôme, Grand Chef Alain Dutournier imagines and concocts every day his pure and original author’s cuisine. His motto “three times nothing is more than plenty” implies a sound understanding of the best produce to extract the most subtle flavours. In his perfectly legible dishes, he freely plays with the authenticity of the textures and surprises through unexpected complicities. In his cellar he pays tribute to grand appellations, rare vintages and curiosities from emerging regions, rigorously selected by him. Here emotion is omnipresent; here non-conformism is elevated to a lifestyle. The Carré des Feuillants is a must for every culinary aesthete.
Restaurant of a Grand Chef Relais & Châteaux in townView details
“Paintings are my main source of inspiration. I cook like others paint”, states celebrated Grand Chef Guy Martin, who has made the marriage of opposites his religion. He carries a pencil in his pocket and has a sketchpad ready at all times, “I draw the recipes which are born in my head”, explains Martin. For him cuisine is an aesthetic pleasure. Each dish is a masterpiece at this historic restaurant overlooking the gardens of the Palais Royal. It is the oldest restaurant in Paris, frequented in the past not just by Napoleon and Josephine but also by Victor Hugo and Colette. The flavours of the world come together in airy creations like Breton lobster with green apple jus, grilled turbot and artichokes with pineapple-sage infused oil, or green pea ice-cream.
Restaurant of a Grand Chef Relais & Châteaux in townView details
Being the fourth generation of a family of chefs, for Hélène Darroze, gastronomy is the opportunity to give pleasure. Her cuisine is lively and strongly linked to the emotions. The unique tasting menu is based around what’s in season and the best produce the market has to offer. The Darroze family collection of vintage Bas Armagnacs provides the perfect end to a perfect meal.
Restaurant of a Grand Chef Relais & Châteaux in townView details
In the heart of the Bois de Boulogne, in the magnificent setting of a pavilion dating back to Napoleon III with ceiling friezes by Caran d'Ache, Frédéric Anton serves a cuisine which is both subtle and generous. He reveals the best of his ingredients, teasing out flavours and aromas: poached egg with a truffled tartlet, cuttlefish and squid dressed with black ink and pig’s cheek melting in its spices. Chrystelle Brua creates the desserts, and breathes a touch of magic into great classic dishes such as Paris-Brest, pears Belle-Hélène and bitter chocolate tart, and the wines are selected by the World’s Best Sommelier 2000, Olivier Poussier. And, as a very special treat, Frédéric Anton lets you eat lunch or dinner “At the chef’s table”, in the kitchen.
The only château-hôtel in Paris nestles in a lush green setting, a mere stone's throw from the Arc de Triomphe and Avenue Victor Hugo: a splendid Napoleon III residence, refurbished with a touch of fantasy by Bambi Sloan, and home to the very select Saint James Club. What was formerly the Thiers Foundation, which once received the most brilliant students in France, has now become a select venue where you can recharge your batteries, right in the heart of the hustle and bustle of Paris. The library bar, with its thousands of volumes, provides a private and welcoming setting, just the place to exchange confidences. The Gemology spa offers treatments based on gems, in the muted atmosphere of its boudoir-style treatment booths. You may dine on fine cuisine in the beautiful dining room inherited from the Foundation. In the summer, what better place than the magnificent terrace. Here the hot air balloon décor evokes the past of this particular spot: it had been the first aerodrome in Paris!
Discover this charming, discreet hotel and restaurant in the heart of the Saint-Germain forest; what a treat to be surrounded by nature and yet still be so close to Paris. The interior design reflects the heritage of three generations who perpetuate the family spirit in this country house. Whether in winter in a cosy setting close to the fire place, or in summer for lunch under the acacias of the landscaped garden, this is the ideal venue for a weekend away, a touristic stopover or for a family celebration. Cazaudehore “La Forestière” offers a delightful welcome and authentic cuisine, and above all a truly unique ambience.
Restaurant of a Grand Chef Relais & Châteaux and hotel in the countryView details
Back in 1954 the Dépée family turned this former post house into one of the first Relais & Châteaux properties. Charming and tranquil, this top culinary destination is surrounded by Loire châteaux and the vineyards of Sancerre and Pouilly. Experience the rare pleasure of sleeping under a thatched roof, and allow yourself to be seduced by the cuisine of Grand Chef Yoshi Miura in the restaurant, looking out on century-old oak trees. On the menu is a magical ravioli of wild mushrooms and velouté with a truffle jus, and John Dory in a La Ratte potato crust and sweet red onion sauce. This delicious food is complemented by wine from the highly acclaimed cellar.
In the Champagne region just a few minutes from Epernay, there is a paradise of well-being and good living. Here, every possible step has been taken to ensure complete relaxation between serene walks, tranquil baths, essential oil massages and gourmet meals that delight the palate whilst keeping the figure trim. Sample tartare of langoustines with citrus fruit aromas and don’t resist a glass of champagne.
Set amid lush vineyards that extend as far as the eye can see, Royal Champagne is a former coach house. Once one of Napoleon’s favourite stopovers, it is the ideal base from which to explore the glorious Champagne maisons. But there is no need to travel, just visit the house’s wine cellar that boasts no fewer than 280 exceptional brut and rosé vintages and crus. Savour these outstanding wines while dining at the restaurant, soaking in the panoramic views of the vineyards of Épernay.
Restaurant of a Grand Chef Relais & Châteaux and hotel in a parkView details
Les Crayères is a mythical property in the heart of Reims, nestled discreetly in a seven hectare park full of lush vegetation. On crossing the threshold, the atmosphere is one of elegant sophistication. Perfectly appointed rooms and suites await. The warm welcome, the impeccable service, the spellbinding gourmet cuisine of Grand Chef Philippe Mille in the restaurant, with an impressive wine list including over four hundred champagne labels, as well as the new brasserie, all combine to make this the ideal setting to discover the best the region has to offer.
Legend has it that Jean Cocteau designed this castle’s staircase... Regardless of whether it is true, this rumour speaks volumes about the attention to detail in this palace where Jean-Jacques Rousseau once liked to stroll in the French garden and French literary figures Racine, La Fontaine and Dumas stayed. Which now famous pages did they write here? This can be contemplated while strolling through the magnificent grounds, swimming in the pool, playing a round of golf, or a game of tennis, and dining like royalty, discovering the best local products and excellent wines.
The Auberge, nestled in the Domaine de Chantilly, between the Château Gardens and the Grandes Écuries, takes its name from what was the Jeu de Paume, which now displays the monumental paintings from the Condé Museum. As you enter through the Saint-Denis Gate, the long white façade of the Auberge stretches out before your eyes. Its sober lines and elegant appointments, designed by Le Nôtre and Mansart, echo a very particular French-style art de vivre.
Its restaurant, La Table du Connétable, with studio windows overlooking the kitchens, serves inventive traditional cuisine, and the libraries and the open fire in the Winter Garden Bar create a truly warm and welcoming atmosphere. The spa’s subtle lighting and coloured mosaics add the finishing touches to this perfect hideaway, just a few kilometres from Paris.
