Smith-Haut-Lafitte’s Caudalie wins Michelin star

Les Sources de Caudalie, the restaurant on the estate of Chateau Smith-Haut-Lafitte in Pessac-Leognan, has won a Michelin star.

The only new three-star restaurant of the new French Michelin guide, published last week, is L’Auberge du Vieux Puits in Fontjoncouse

This is a boost for the Languedoc, which has not had a three Michelin-starred restaurant since the Pourcel brothers lost their third star at the Le Jardin des Sens in Montpellier.

One of France’s best known woman chefs, Helene Darroze, is the highest- profile casualty of the new guide, losing the second star at her eponymous restaurant in Paris.

Darroze may well have paid the price for dividing her time between Paris and London.

In London she runs two restaurants at the Connaught, where she holds a Michelin star.

Her mentor Alain Ducasse’s restaurant, Alain Ducasse at the Dorchester, picked up a third star in the UK guide this year.

The luxury ski resort of Courchevel 1850 is another winner, with two restaurants winning two stars, Les Airelles and Cheval Blanc

With Le Bateau Ivre and Michel Rochedy’s Chabichou in the hotel of the same name, Courcheval now has four restaurants with two Michelin stars.

The resort’s wine-focussed Il Vino d’Enrico Bernardo, run by the sommelier of the same name, won one star.

Of the other eight newly-promoted two stars, two are on the west coast of France, the Auberge des Glazicks at Plomodiem and Anne de Bretagne at La Plaine-sur-Mer.

Just one is in Paris, Bigarrade in the 17th arrondissement.

There are 47 new one-stars, bringing the total in France to 455.

These include Loiseau des Vignes in Beaune, which is run by the widow of former chef Bernard Loiseau, who committed suicide in 2003 after his restaurant La Cote d’Or was downgraded by Gault Millau.

Bordeaux has three new one-stars – Le Gabriel, Le Pressoir d’Argent, and Caudalie.

Michelin has also recognised the demand for less expensive, more casual dining.

It has awarded 105 new Bib Gourmand restaurants, making a total of 555 establishments with menus priced at less than €29 – or €35 in the Paris area.

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Written by Fiona Beckett