Restaurant Le Pré — Restaurant in Clermont-Ferrand

After my challenges of trying every Michelin Stars in Paris and 3 Stars in France, I’m not tackling the « best », meaning the most famous or well known, 2 Stars in France (Follow me for the reviews and updates).

The happiness is in Your « pré » (le Bonheur est dans Votre pré). So what’s extraordinary here? The fact that it’s not more well known and the focus on true nobility.

After visiting him, I went to many other stars before writing this. So sometimes, my last experiences were brought up, and I would mention this restaurant as a great surprise, and example, to other chefs. To my surprise, I realized that he was not as well known as I would thought. Which is a bit shocking because the guy is literally in Michelin town. I would assume that he would be a little bit more under scrutiny than others. But seems the contrary. Thinking that may be it was the Champagne I took there that biased my memory or something else, I’ve strongly recommended it to a friend, a foodie, who went with her husband. The feedback came back the same. Awesome. So the Michelin is right again, and what is it that they see and some may not?

What they see I guess, is what they saw later in the majority of the 2022 and 2023 new two stars. Xavier Beaudiment was a the forefront but I guess he didn’t even realize it. Because he’s too busy doing his own thing. He’s own thing being showing the beautiful sophistication of the simple things. Here, it’s not about the nobility of the ingredients. It’s about the beauty of some fresh herbs, mushrooms or even just fresh eggs. No need for caviar and truffles when you can have a great meat or a beautiful pear. Their tastes are sophisticated enough, and you “just” have to play with textures, sauces and emulsions to illuminate them. The nobility is in the taste, in the connection with your roots. The happiness is in Your own garden (le bonheur est dans votre propre pré), seems to say the chef to you.

The service is very two stars at Relais et Châteaux. The design is modern, a tad minimalist, but with a lot of natural elements. Interestingly the service is mirroring this. You’ll have the very formal multiple stars Michelin but some very warm notes underneath. Especially the sommelier (who was inspired by the best) that was great in storytelling the dishes. We stayed the night to fully enjoy the experience. I would recommend it.

My only regret is that we had a one star lunch in another restaurant right before, and I couldn’t try to try the big menu. I guess i have to come back then…

It’s a top tiers two stars. A two stars that...

It's very difficult to put into words how incredible an experience it is to dine at this restaurant. We went for the full tasting menu, which was €99 and roughly 16 courses. The attention to detail in this cuisine is world-class, and they more than deserve their 2 Michelin Stars. It's impossible to do the food justice in a short review, but some highlights include the signature dish of slow cooked egg yolk with smoked potato foam and truffle, as well as a dessert of chocolate done 11 different ways! Every one of my tastebuds was treated like a king. The waiting staff are wonderful, attentive and pleasant. We felt truly pampered for the several hours we were there. The decor and setting are superb, with tasteful modern art adorning the walls and tables, beautiful sculptures placed throughout the restaurant. Wine menu is second to none, with all regions of France amply represented. Wines are also available by the glass from as low as €8. If you are thinking of dining here, do not hesitate to book a table. Of course it is an expensive evening when all is said and done, but in my view the price is beyond the point. The team at Le Pré deliver a once in a lifetime gastronomic experience, and I have no doubt that it is one of the finest restaurants...

We had an extraordinary dining experience at Le Pré's two Michelin-star restaurant near Clermont-Ferrand. Choosing the tasting menu, we appreciated that the kitchen seamlessly accommodated the vegetarian member of our group with equally thoughtful and exceptional dishes.

Every course was impeccably executed, showcasing perfect, subtle flavors enhanced notably by the fresh herbs picked directly from the chef's garden. This garden-to-table approach significantly elevated each dish, highlighting the chef's exceptional skill and creativity.

The sommelier's recommendations for wine pairings were impeccable, thoughtfully complementing each dish and enhancing our culinary journey.

Service throughout the meal was notably attentive and highly professional, yet it maintained a comfortable, relaxed atmosphere, perfectly balancing formality and warmth.

Overall, our dining experience at Le Pré was flawless and memorable. We enthusiastically recommend it to anyone seeking an exceptional...