The story
Tucked into the secluded Baie de Talloires, Le 1903 is the second restaurant from chef Jean Sulpice at the legendary Auberge du Père Bise. Its name honours the year the auberge was founded, and the setting is a stunning winter-garden-style veranda that follows the shoreline, offering an exclusive view over the bay and its old-fashioned landing stage.
The Belle Époque-inspired interior is elegant and serene. Opaline globe lights, touches of brass, aged mirrors, and natural accents in green, wood, and terracotta create a refined atmosphere. Velvet banquettes, rope chairs, stone and turned-wood tables, and lacustrine-toned ceramics all contribute to a calm, welcoming space for a meal by the water.
More than a prelude to the two-Michelin-starred gastronomic restaurant upstairs, Le 1903 is a culinary escape in its own right. Here, chef Jean Sulpice offers a cuisine of heart, sharing, and transmission. His modern cuisine honours the diversity of French culinary heritage through generous, refined, and inspired dishes. Think snails, a revisited gratin of crayfish tails, lake fish baked in a bread crust, and soufflés. The menu is more accessible than its starred sibling, yet full of elegance, reviving memories and telling new stories rooted in terroir and the great traditions of the Auberge.
The wine list is a complementary journey through the vineyards, with a strong focus on Savoie, as well as selections from Switzerland, Italy, Burgundy, and the Rhône Valley. Two original non-alcoholic creations—the "Chen'non blanc" (apple, chamomile syrup, verjus, iced tea) and the "Non Deuse" (blueberry, strawberry, Darjeeling tea, Sichuan pepper)—are made from local grape varieties exclusively for Le 1903.
This intimate lakeside table has earned a Michelin recommendation, confirming the quality of Jean Sulpice's vision. Le 1903 is a place where tradition and modernity meet, offering a genuinely memorable experience on the shores of Lake Annecy.
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As busy as he is bringing some glory back to the Auberge du Père Bise’s legendary culinary coat of arms, Jean Sulpice still managed to equip it with a mighty bistro. Expect a brasserie ambiance inside (bistro tables, light leather benches, copper suspension lamps), and views of the boats from the terrace, which provide the setting for his homage to the local terroir . For us, on this evening in the middle of the heatwave: a classic, light lake crayfish tail gratin, with a flaky crust judiciously twisted into pieces for dipping in the Nantua sauce; fera fillet caught in the same lake by Florent Capretti, simply grilled on the plancha and seasoned with a chorizo fumet and a few peas; before an enormous slice of a deliciously old-fashioned Marjolaine du Père Bise, a Belle Epoque cake with three layers (kirsch, praline and chocolate) separated by hazelnut cookies. // A.S.
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