La Balette

The story

La Balette, Collioure – Michelin-Starred Modern Cuisine on the Côte Vermeille

La Balette, Collioure

Perched on the cliffside above the bay of Collioure, La Balette is the Michelin-starred restaurant of the Relais des Trois Mas hotel. The dining room and its terrace look out over the Mediterranean, with a panorama that takes in the old town and the church of Notre-Dame des Anges.

Chef Laurent Lemal took the reins in February 2020, bringing his brigade with him. Lemal is no stranger to high-level competition—he represented France at the Bocuse d’Or in 2017, where he was awarded the prize for the best vegetable dish. At La Balette, his cooking is rooted in the region and its producers. He describes his current offering as “L’éphè – Mer et Terre,” a carte blanche menu that highlights the local terroir and the people who cultivate it. The style is modern cuisine, precise and ingredient-led, without unnecessary ornament.

The restaurant’s Michelin star reflects the quality of the cooking and the strength of the team. Dining here is a calm, deliberate affair, with the sound of the waves rising from the shore below. The setting is relaxed but refined—white tablecloths, attentive service, and the kind of light that only the Côte Vermeille can provide.

For those staying at the hotel, the experience extends beyond the table. The property, shaded by century-old pines, offers a pool terrace with the same knockout view. But La Balette is very much a destination in its own right—a place to taste the work of a chef who has earned his place among the best, in one of the most beautiful spots on the French Mediterranean coast.