Le Grand Contrôle starred restaurant - Airelles Château de Versailles: Test & Review

Ideally located on the edge of the Château de Versailles , with a direct view of the Jardin de l'Orangerie, the Grand Contrôle des Airelles restaurant at the Château de Versailles has a lot going for it. Opened in 2021, the restaurant, headed by Alain Ducasse, quickly earned its first star. At the helm is Executive Chef Stéphane Duchiron, a master of fine cooking, beautiful plates and divine sauces.

Lunch or dinner at Le Grand Contrôle is undoubtedly a step back in time. Indeed, the historic building, decor and furnishings not only immerse us in history. What's more, all the hotel's staff, especially in the restaurant, are dressed in 18th-century costumes.

While dinner at Le Grand Contrôle is a grandiose affair, with announcements and candles everywhere, lunch is more leisurely, allowing you to enjoy the view and the sunshine. The restaurant at Le Grand Contrôle has two dining rooms, a beautiful blue one and a golden one overlooking the Orangerie. For our part, we sit down in a separate, confidential room to savor this exceptional moment in complete privacy.

The Grand Contrôle restaurant offers a three- or five-course menu, comprising a starter, one or two main courses and one or two desserts. Among the dishes on offer are exceptional products such as abalone, duck foie gras, suckling lamb and squab. Vegetables are fresh and in season, and signature desserts offer a sweet finish to lunch. At Airelles Château de Versailles, dishes served in the time of Louis XIV are reinterpreted with brio.

During our visit, my partner and I had the pleasure of sampling the 5-course Signature menu, which included:

Amuses bouches

• Herb and snail croquette, tapioca and olive chips and butternut squash
  

• Crunchy radish and radish leaf tartlet
  

Entrance :

• Roasted white asparagus, citrus sabayon
  

Dishes :

• Line-caught redfish à la meunière, green asparagus and lemon
  

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• Stuffed quail, spinach, onion confit and black olives
  

Cheeses

• Mature cheeses from our regions
  

Desserts :

• Madagascar vanilla, fine crisp leaves and chocolate from our Manufacture in Paris, toast
  

• Grilled pineapple, coriander sorbet
  

We loved the perfect cooking, the lovely olive-flavored sauces, the incomparable softness of the stuffed quail, the homemade focaccia and the pronounced taste of vanilla for dessert. All in all, a wonderful taste experience.

The restaurant's tableware is a key element of the experience. Chef Alain Ducasse has selected antique porcelain and refined silverware to recreate the ambiance of the 18th century. The plates come from the former Royal Manufactory of Limoges, and the crystal is displayed in a pearl-gray china cabinet.

Prices for this royal lunch at the Michelin-starred restaurant Grand Contrôle des Airelles Château de Versailles are as follows: €100 for the Entrée / Plat / Dessert menu, €140 for the 5-course Signature menu and €80 for the food and wine pairing.

This exceptional place, combining history, culture and gastronomy, is open every day except Sunday (brunch obliges), from 12pm to 2pm. We loved discovering this jewel of French heritage and enjoying a royal lunch on the edge of the Château de Versailles. When the sun comes out, don't miss lunch on the beautiful terrace, complete with fountain. For our part, we loved having our coffee in the sunshine, with Ducasse cookies and chocolate if you please.