"Alain Ducasse's two-star room in a Versailles-inspired salon facing the Tuileries — book the rum baba and a window table for an anniversary."
About Le Meurice Alain Ducasse
The Salon Pompadour was modelled on Versailles, all mirrors, gilt and crystal, and Philippe Starck reworked it without touching the bones. This is the dining room of Hôtel Le Meurice at 228 rue de Rivoli, facing the Tuileries, where Alain Ducasse holds two MICHELIN stars. Executive chef Amaury Bouhours runs a French haute menu built on the best produce in France, and the rum baba, soaked tableside and finished with lightly whipped cream, is the Ducasse signature that closes most meals here. Lunch opens near €180; dinner climbs toward €390.
The Kitchen
Alain Ducasse needs no introduction; he has held more MICHELIN stars across his restaurants than any chef alive. The day-to-day kitchen at Le Meurice is run by executive chef Amaury Bouhours, who began at Le Louis XV in Monaco, cooked across the Ducasse group, and rose to the top job here in 2020. The room holds two MICHELIN stars.
The cooking is Ducasse's produce-first French haute style: a single prime ingredient, treated simply and precisely, with sauces that take days. Dishes rotate with the season, from langoustine and caviar to game in autumn, but the close is fixed. The rum baba, the Ducasse signature, arrives whole, is soaked at the table with your choice of aged rum, and is finished with barely sweetened cream. Lunch menus start near €180 and the dinner tasting runs toward €390 before wine, at 228 rue de Rivoli in the 1st. The cellar and the formal service match the two-star billing and the Versailles-style room around it.
The Room
The Salon Pompadour is the spectacle: a high, mirrored hall inspired by Versailles, with crystal chandeliers, marble and tall windows that open onto the Tuileries. Lighting is bright by fine-dining standards, lit to show the gilt. Tables are widely spaced, seating runs to around fifty, and the sound stays hushed under the high ceiling. A jacket is required for men, and the dress runs formal across the room. Service is a full French brigade, with a dedicated team for the tableside rum baba and the cheese trolley.
Best for an Anniversary
Book Le Meurice Alain Ducasse for an anniversary because the setting carries the evening: the Versailles-inspired Salon Pompadour is among the grandest dining rooms in Paris, the Tuileries view fills the windows, and the tableside rum baba gives the night a ritual close. Ask for a window table when you book. The two-star kitchen and formal service make it an occasion rather than a meal. For another palatial hotel table, see Le Cinq, and browse the Paris dining guide.
Not for
Not for a relaxed or low-key dinner. A jacket is required, the dinner tasting runs toward €390 before wine, and the formal Versailles-style room rewards dressing up, not dropping in.
Frequently Asked
Is Le Meurice Alain Ducasse worth it?
For a special occasion, yes. The two-MICHELIN-star kitchen, the Versailles-inspired Salon Pompadour and the tableside rum baba combine into one of Paris's grandest dining experiences. Value is the weak point, with dinner climbing toward €390 before wine, so the lunch menu near €180 is the smarter entry. Book it for an anniversary, not a casual night out. See the Paris dining guide.
How do I book Le Meurice Alain Ducasse?
Reserve online through the restaurant's site or via Hôtel Le Meurice, and book several weeks ahead for dinner, especially for a window table. Lunch is easier to secure and far better value. Confirm the dress code when you book; a jacket is required for men. The concierge can arrange the table as part of a hotel stay.
What is the dress code at Le Meurice Alain Ducasse?
A jacket is required for men, and the room runs formal throughout. Ties are optional but common at dinner. Avoid jeans, trainers and casual wear. Given the palatial Salon Pompadour setting and the price point, most guests dress for the occasion, particularly in the evening service.
How much does Le Meurice Alain Ducasse cost?
Lunch menus start around €180 per person, while the dinner tasting runs toward €390 before wine, water and service. A pairing from the cellar adds a significant supplement. It sits at the top of Paris's price scale. Lunch offers the same kitchen and room for considerably less, which is why regulars favour it.
What is the signature dish at Le Meurice Alain Ducasse?
The rum baba. The Ducasse signature dessert arrives whole, is soaked tableside with your choice of aged rum, and is finished with lightly whipped cream. Savoury courses change with the season around prime French produce, but the baba is the fixed, theatrical close that guests remember from the two-star room.
Reserve a Table
Reserve at Le Meurice Alain Ducasse
Restaurant le Meurice Alain Ducasse books online and through the hotel. Lunch is the value entry; book the dinner tasting weeks ahead.
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Practical Information
AddressHôtel Le Meurice, 228 rue de Rivoli, 75001
NeighbourhoodTuileries (1st)
CuisineFrench · Haute Cuisine
Price€180 lunch menu to €390 dinner
Dress CodeJacket required
Seating~50, Salon Pompadour
ReservationOnline or via the hotel
