Le Petit Prince

Growing up, my parents couldn’t stand flying, so our family holidays always involved endless car journeys. Naturally, France was a common destination but even after all these years, it seems there are still some hidden corners of this beautiful country I am yet to discover.

One of these gems was Ambierle; an hour and a half’s drive north-west of Lyon smack bang in the middle of the stunning Loire Valley. It isn’t somewhere I’d have stumbled upon by chance, but was fortunate to stay in for the week courtesy of the hospitality of two of my closest friends who live there. Ambierle is the quaintest of French towns built into the hillside, our friends’ villa perched at the very top overlooking the luscious rolling hills and the striking Ambierle priory with its iconic diamond-decorated roof in the traditional Burgundy style. The town itself was magical; the streets tranquil and still as the French basked in a two-day-Bank-holiday. But it was an attraction a few miles from Ambierle that has captured my dreams ever since. If food does not consume your entire heart and soul and you don’t spend your life planning your next meal, you might as well end reading here. If it does? Well, welcome to culinary heaven.

I knew the French prided themselves on their passion for food and spirit for hospitality, but Le Petit Prince in Saint-Alban-les-Eaux is unlike anything I could ever imagine; a traditional French chateau with its white-washed walls and blue shutters, and a stunning canopy of foliage arching over the front patio for guests to enjoy the crispest of local white wines in the French sun. Entering the restaurant, the modern décor was at first unexpected considering the traditional exterior, yet the red brick lining of the tall windows tied together the old and new in a perfect blend. The room was warm, inviting, and soothing, ready to wow its guests with an experience of a lifetime.

I had never witnessed such impeccable service. The most welcoming of smiles from every single member of staff, a genuine desire to make my experience the best it could possibly be. The five of us were sat in the far corner – by ‘five’ of us, I mean four people and a handbag … my handbag had its own chair! – and the menu presented to us was the epitome of sophisticated simplicity. There were four combinations of courses to choose from – number of courses, not the sort of dishes you wanted – with the option of the perfect wine pairing for each. The Julia menu of five courses seemed reasonable, and all courses were summarised in no more than three words. No pretence, no flowery language to dress up what is essentially lamb and mashed potato for twenty-five pounds. No, no – here, the food speaks for itself. Asparagus, leek, fish, rabbit or lamb, and finished with cheese and dessert. In France, it’s never cheese or dessert; in France, it’s always both. Scattered around this incredible meal that lasted four hours were other culinary delights to tantalise the tastebuds; amuse-gueules of frozen white chocolate domes encasing a creamy centre of smoked trout pâté (trust me), the freshest of French bread with smoked butter littered with sharp salt crystals, and mini chocolate and fruit bonbons and digestifs to finish the meal in the restaurant’s underground cave. This hidden haven beneath the restaurant was lined with stone and wood, and each compartment filled with local wine to waken the culinary souls of its guests. Three of us spoke French, one did not, however the staff went out of their way to explain every intricate detail of each dish both in French and perfect English, including the cheese trolley which was as large as my entire kitchen, wheeled out and explained with such precision and passion so that each diner was sure to choose the perfect cheese for them.

The food was like nothing I had ever experienced before. All the ingredients were seasonal, meaning each flavour was bursting in your mouth and tantalising your tongue with each bite. The portions were small, bien sûr, but there is something about food of this calibre that relaxes your mind, eases your body into the back of the chair, and allows you to take the time to savour each mouthful. You are slow, rested, and your mind in a complete state of euphoria as you relish this beautiful piece of art placed in front of you. It was as if lunch was a show; we the audience gazing on the performance of the staff and the food and wine placed in front of us. Pride oozed with every one of their movements and I could see each person light up as they witnessed our own pleasure and happiness with each course. It is easy to say you can put a price on food, but not when it comes to Le Petit Prince. You’re not just paying for the food; you’re paying for the experience, the atmosphere, the knowledge and wisdom of the people there to serve your food. Sitting down to a lunch for four hours is something I certainly feel we could learn from in our own culture, and it is something that the French do excellently.

Of course, Le Petit Prince had its own shop and a chance to visit its cellar to purchase your own delights to take home with you and remember this experience by. After spending €300 on lunch, my purse was burning as I gazed upon the delights this little market had to offer. Le Petit Prince apron in particular was something that caught my eye as I dreamt of recreating this experience back home in my English village. I soon realised I would never be able to produce a dining experience of this standard, so I settled on their simplistic, yet beautifully crafted, wine holder; something I could settle in the centre of my dining table to carry one of the bold reds I would bring back across the Channel. It’s sat here now, in front of me, and I am immediately transported back to that meal, the gamey taste of the rabbit softened by the honey-sweetness of the carrots and sharp tang of the beetroot. This is what we travel for; memories and the smiles they can bring. Our time is precious and needs to be filled with the things we love. And I love food, so where better to visit than Le Petit Prince?

Ready to book your sensational dining experience? Visit Le Petit Prince‘s website: https://www.restaurant-lepetitprince.fr/

Follow them on Instagram for your own culinary inspiration: @lepetitprince.restaurant