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Le Louis XV – Alain Ducasse

Monte Carlo

The restaurant that revolutionised French fine dining

On the Pass

Emmanuel Pilon

The house that Blanc built: There are few places on earth as eye-wideningly ostentatious as the Hôtel de Paris, the Belle Époque jewel in Monaco's glittering crown. A haven for royalty, film stars and globe-trotting bon vivants since 1864, this exclusive establishment was, along with the Casino de Monte-Carlo, conceived as part of French entrepreneur François Blanc's grand plan to put Monaco on the map – and, more than 150 years later, it has the same intoxicating allure as ever. What kind of restaurant deserves a room in a place like this? Surprisingly, it's one that prizes restraint over razzmatazz.

How did it all begin? In 1987, Prince Rainier III challenged legendary restaurateur Alain Ducasse to establish one of the world's greatest restaurants inside the hotel. Enter Le Louis XV: an exceptional eatery destined to change French gastronomy forever. Eschewing the rich, sauce-heavy excesses of the past in favour of something altogether lighter, the restaurant's inaugural Jardins de Provence menu made vegetables the stars of the plate. Ever since, exceptional ingredients and Mediterranean traditions have remained at the heart of its philosophy.

Back to the present. These days, Emmanuel Pilon runs the kitchen. Staying true to Ducasse's guiding principles of exceptional ingredients, Mediterranean flavours and the avoidance of unnecessary complexity, he curates menus that change with the seasons, delighting diners with dishes such as San Remo prawns with rockfish gelée and caviar, and local carrots with elderberry wine and smoked goat's cheese. Happily, one of the restaurant's most beloved desserts endures: rum baba with vanilla, citrus peel, Chantilly cream and a choice of aged rums.

The royal treatment: The dining room may be an icing-coloured confection of frescoed ceilings, crystal chandeliers and marble columns but, despite the extravagant setting, eating here is far from stuffy or intimidating. Once service has begun, you'll hardly notice anything but the impeccable food, the world-class wine programme and the faultless hospitality. Eating like a king never felt so effortless.

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