Two new three Michelin stars bring France’s list to 28

The new three stars - the highest honour awarded by the prestigious Guide - were announced on Monday February 5, to La Maison Des Bois, run by chef Marc Veyrat in Manigod, Haute-Savoie; and the eponymous restaurant at l’Hôtel du Castellet, by chef Christophe Bacquié, in the Var.

Veyrat, who is known for his use of wild foraged herbs, has already been awarded three stars for his other restaurants - l’Auberge de l’Eridan in Veyrier-du-Lac; and La Ferme de Mon Père, in culinary destination Megève.

Bacquié has held two stars since 2010, and this is the first time it has been awarded three.

The two new additions take the number of three-star sites in the Hexagon to 28, after the unprecedented deletion of the Le Suquet restaurant in Laguiole, after its chef, Sébastien Bras, requested that his site - originally founded by his father Michel Bras, and holder of three stars since 1999 - no longer be listed in the Guide.

Other well-known three-star restaurants in France include Alain Ducasse au Plaza Athénée; Le Cinq at the Four Seasons George V hotel; the Alléno Paris - Pavillon Ledoyen; the Epicure at the Bristol hotel, Pierre Gagnaire; and Flocons de Sel, in Megève.

The Paul Bocuse site, in Collonges-au-Mont-d’Or in the Rhône, and flagship site of the late Bocuse who died late last month, also features on the list.

Three stars denotes the highest quality recognised by the Guide, with restaurants at this level congratulated for their consistently stunning, creative, surprising, technically world-class food and drink, along with the highest levels of service and surroundings.

The 2018 Guide also included five new two-star restaurants, and 50 new one-star sites, although it has already received criticism for its lack of celebration this year of restaurants run by female head chefs.