"A Belle Époque dining room where Jean-Marie Gautier's classic French cooking earns a Michelin star above the Atlantic surf."
About La Villa Eugénie
La Villa Eugénie is the gastronomic restaurant of the Hôtel du Palais, the seafront palace Napoleon III built for Empress Eugénie in 1855. The dining room keeps the Second Empire grandeur — gilt, chandeliers, tall windows over the Grande Plage — and the kitchen matches it with one Michelin star.
Chef Jean-Marie Gautier has run the kitchen since 1991 and was named Meilleur Ouvrier de France the same year he arrived in Biarritz. His cooking is rooted in classical French technique with a Basque and Atlantic accent: fish, game, and Pyrenean produce treated with restraint rather than reinvention.
The Kitchen
The carte runs alongside two set menus — a discovery menu at €95 and the Empress menu at €135. Signature plates include roasted veal sweetbreads glazed with honey and ginger, mushrooms poached in vin jaune and grilled asparagus, and beef tenderloin with foie gras, port jus and orange-glazed carrots. Local Pyrenean lamb appears in season.
The cellar is a serious draw in its own right, with more than 900 references and wines by the glass from €11 to €55 — a list that rewards lingering over a long lunch.
The Room
The room is unabashedly grand: a curved, light-filled salon facing the ocean, with formal service that suits the setting without tipping into stiffness. Tables are well spaced, the linen is heavy, and the Atlantic does most of the decorating after sunset.
It is a dining room built for occasion rather than for a quick supper, and it knows it.
Best for a special celebration
La Villa Eugénie is built for the milestone dinner — an anniversary, a proposal, or a reason to dress for the evening. The ocean view, the Michelin-starred kitchen and the palace setting make it one of Biarritz's clearest choices when the meal itself is the event. For a quieter Basque alternative in town, see Les Rosiers.
Not for
Not for a casual surf-town lunch or budget travellers — this is a jacket-on palace dining room with palace prices, not a beachfront bistro.
Frequently Asked
Does La Villa Eugénie have a Michelin star?
Yes. La Villa Eugénie holds one Michelin star for the classic French cuisine of chef Jean-Marie Gautier, served in the gastronomic dining room of Biarritz's Hôtel du Palais.
Who is the chef at La Villa Eugénie?
Jean-Marie Gautier has led the kitchen since 1991. He was named Meilleur Ouvrier de France the year he arrived and specialises in fish, game and Pyrenean produce.
How much does dinner cost at La Villa Eugénie?
There is a discovery menu at €95 and the Empress menu at €135, plus à la carte. The wine list runs to over 900 references, with glasses from €11 to €55.
What are the signature dishes?
Honey-and-ginger glazed veal sweetbreads, beef tenderloin with foie gras and port jus, and seasonal Pyrenean lamb are among the kitchen's classics.
Is there a dress code?
Smart dress is expected and a jacket is preferred for dinner, in keeping with the palace setting and ocean-facing dining room.
Reserve a Table
Reserve at La Villa Eugénie
Reservations are handled directly by the Hôtel du Palais; book several weeks ahead for weekend dinners.
Affiliate disclosure: Restaurants for Kings may earn a commission when you book through our reservation links, at no cost to you. Our scores are editorial and never paid for.
Practical Information
Address1 Avenue de l'Impératrice, 64200 Biarritz
NeighbourhoodGrande Plage / Impératrice
CuisineClassic French
PriceDiscovery menu €95; Empress menu €135; à la carte higher
Dress CodeSmart / jacket preferred
SeatingDining room + ocean-facing terrace
ReservationEssential, well in advance
