Lunch in a Michelin-star restaurant at the heart of Airelles Château de Versailles
As the clock strikes twelve, take a seat in the Grand Cabinet or the Arrière-Cabinet at Airelles Château de Versailles for a thoroughly modern gourmet meal, created by the Chef Alain Ducasse.
Settled at a table of the Château de Versailles’ Michelin-star restaurant, you will enjoy a truly historical experience. Your waiter will be delighted to reveal the secrets of the ‘Hundred Steps’ and the Orangerie, the pride of baroque architect Jules Hardouin-Mansart. Let the sun rays warm you as they shine through the stunning gold-framed windows. On summer days, have lunch al fresco on the huge terrace.
You are several centuries away from the Ancien Régime and just a few metres from the Château de Versailles, but the décor will make you feel as if you are right there.
For this midday dining experience, Chef Alain Ducasse has come up with a three or five course menu: a starter, one or two main dishes, a cheese selection and a dessert to choose from a tempting seasonal menu. Louis XVI was a proud innovator of exceptional dining and French haute gastronomie, his favourite local products are here served according to the traditions of his time.
In this restaurant, the keyword is feasting. The Chef uses sustainable, high-quality products in all his dishes - everything from abalone, a sought-after shellfish found in the Brittany region to foie gras, milk-fed lamb and squab. These ingredients are delicately flavoured with freshly-cut aromatics from Le Grand Controle’s garden and drizzled with delicious dressings. All vegetables served are fresh and seasonal. To round off lunch on a sweet note, choose one of the signature desserts. The 1724 is a chocolate and praline creation named in honour of the Remise de l’Ordre du Saint-Esprit which took place that year in Versailles’ Royal Chapel, just a couple of steps away from your table.
At Le Grand Contrôle, every detail counts. Chef Alain Ducasse has sourced vintage porcelain plates to immerse you in the 18th century. You will have the chance to eat delicious creations in Limoges crockery, identical to those made in Sevres for the Palais des Tuileries in Louis Philippe’s time. The silverware was also chosen by the Chef, as well as some of the glassware, all proudly displayed in an impressive buffet in the Grand Cabinet. They are all carefully served on white tablecloths embroidered with the Alain Ducasse half-sun logo.