What is the Auberge du Pont de Collonges?
The Auberge du Pont de Collonges is Paul Bocuse's restaurant, at 40 rue de la Plage in Collonges-au-Mont-d'Or, on the banks of the Saône. It has been a family house since 1924 and celebrated its centenary in 2024. Today it holds two stars in the Michelin Guide.
The official website simply calls it the "Restaurant Paul Bocuse". Relais & Châteaux, which the house belongs to, calls it "Auberge du Pont de Collonges - Paul Bocuse". Both names refer to the same address.
- Management: Vincent Le Roux, the third generation of the Bocuse family.
- Kitchen: chefs Gilles Reinhardt and Olivier Couvin, both Meilleurs Ouvriers de France (Best Craftsmen of France).
- Pastry: Benoît Charvet, world dessert champion.
- Style: classic French cooking, according to the Michelin Guide.
How many Michelin stars does the Paul Bocuse restaurant have?
The Paul Bocuse restaurant has two stars in the Michelin Guide. It held three from 1965 to 2020, a span of 55 years. The third star was lost in 2020, two years after the chef's death.
The dates come from the biography published by the house:
- 11 February 1926: Paul Bocuse is born in Collonges-au-Mont-d'Or.
- 1958: first Michelin star.
- 1961: title of Meilleur Ouvrier de France.
- 1962: second star.
- 1964: Henri Gault and Christian Millau discover his cooking, an episode linked to "Nouvelle Cuisine".
- 1965: third star, kept until 2020.
- 1987: he founds the Bocuse d'Or in Lyon with Albert Romain.
- 20 January 2018: he dies in the house where he was born.
The Michelin Guide sums up the current spirit: "The Paul Bocuse legend is more alive than ever." The kitchen keeps the chef's recipes and adds seasonal creations.
What are the signature dishes?
The most famous dish is the VGE black truffle soup, created for the Élysée Palace in 1975. The restaurant also serves whole Bresse chicken cooked in a bladder, fillets of sole Fernand Point and red mullet in crispy potato scales.
The VGE truffle soup
On 25 February 1975, Valéry Giscard d'Estaing awarded Paul Bocuse the Légion d'honneur. The soup was served that day at the Élysée. According to the Michelin Guide, the chef also wanted to showcase black truffles bought at the Lyon food market, which were selling poorly.
- In the bowl: beef consommé, foie gras, finely cut vegetables, sliced black truffle.
- The lid: puff pastry glazed with egg yolk.
- When: according to the chefs, quoted by the Lyon tourist office, it is now only served during the truffle season, from early December to the end of February.
The other classics on the menu
- Frogs' legs as a starter, a nod to Paul Bocuse.
- Whole Bresse chicken cooked in a bladder.
- Fillets of sole Fernand Point.
- Red mullet in crispy potato scales.
- Dombes duckling served in two courses, glazed with citrus and flambéed, mentioned by the Michelin Guide.
- The dessert trolley: Paris-Brest, millefeuilles, flan pâtissier.
The Michelin Guide also highlights the show in the dining room: carving and flambéing at the table. The menu changes with the seasons. It can be viewed as a PDF on the Carte & Menus page of the official website.
How do you book a table at Paul Bocuse?
You can book on the official website bocuse.fr, by phone or by email. The restaurant opens Wednesday to Sunday, for lunch and dinner, and closes on Monday and Tuesday. No prices are shown on the pages of the website we consulted.
- Online: "Réserver une table" (Book a table) button on bocuse.fr.
- Phone: +33 4 72 42 90 90.
- Email: reservation@bocuse.fr.
- Lunch: 12pm to 1.15pm.
- Dinner: 8pm to 9.15pm.
- Groups: "Grandes Tables" menus from 9 guests.
As for budget, the Michelin Guide puts the address in its highest price category (€€€€). For the exact price of the menus, check the PDF menu or ask when you book. The house also sells gift boxes.
What should you wear to dine at Bocuse?
The restaurant asks for smart dress. It is the only instruction published on the official website: no more precise dress code is given. If in doubt, ask when you book.
For comfort, the Michelin Guide lists:
- wheelchair access;
- air conditioning;
- car park and valet parking;
- a fine wine list;
- credit cards accepted.
How do you get to the Paul Bocuse restaurant in Collonges?
The restaurant is at 40 rue de la Plage, 69660 Collonges-au-Mont-d'Or, on the banks of the Saône, north of Lyon. The official website allows about 35 minutes by car from the centre of Lyon.
- Car: via the D51 on the right bank of the Saône, or via the quai Clemenceau on the left bank.
- Train: Lyon Part-Dieu station, 9 km away, or 20 to 30 minutes by road.
- Plane: Lyon Saint-Exupéry airport, 37 km away, about 35 minutes by road.
- Boat: access is possible via the Saône, through the Naviginter and Les Yachts de Lyon landing stages.
Collonges-au-Mont-d'Or is next to Saint-Cyr-au-Mont-d'Or, where Effet Lodge is located. For dinner at the Auberge du Pont de Collonges, staying close by saves you the drive back to central Lyon. You can choose between our guest rooms with a pool and the gîte for 6 people, with 4 private parking spaces on site.
Where else to eat around the Monts d'Or?
The Paul Bocuse restaurant is one of the places we recommend, along with simpler tables around the house. They are all listed on our where to eat near Lyon page.
- Les 2 Caves
- Le Comptoir de Saint-Cyr
- L'Ermitage
- Up on the Hill
- Pistou
- Restaurant de la Gare
- L'Éclat de Pierre
- Pizza Greggo
The next day, carry on with a day out in the Pierres Dorées villages of the Beaujolais.
FAQ
Does the Paul Bocuse restaurant still have three stars?
No. It held three stars from 1965 to 2020. Today it has two in the Michelin Guide.
Can you have the VGE soup all year round?
No. According to the chefs, quoted by the Lyon tourist office, it is only served during the truffle season, from early December to the end of February.
Which days is the Auberge du Pont de Collonges open?
Wednesday to Sunday, for lunch (12pm to 1.15pm) and dinner (8pm to 9.15pm). It is closed on Monday and Tuesday.
