Auberge de la Charme

The story

Auberge de la Charme – Michelin-Starred Dining in Dijon, France

Auberge de la Charme, Prenois

Fifteen minutes north of Dijon, the village of Prenois is home to a restaurant that feels both ancient and alive. Housed in an 18th-century stone forge transformed into an inn, Auberge de la Charme earned its Michelin star just eight months after chefs Nicolas Isnard and David Le Comte took over in 2008 – and has held it ever since.

The two dining rooms honour the building’s past: raw wood tables, wrought iron, exposed beams, and a stone fireplace. Contemporary paintings add quiet colour, and a private salon is available for larger parties. The atmosphere is one of understated conviviality, with an emphasis on comfort and simplicity.

The chefs do not offer a fixed menu. Instead, they let the seasons and the morning market dictate each course. What makes their cooking distinctive is how Burgundy’s classic ingredients – Époisses cheese, blackcurrants, beef – meet flavours from Asia, the Middle East, North Africa, Spain and Italy. Nicolas Isnard’s travels through Bangkok, Macao, Hong Kong and Singapore inform surprising pairings: oyster with Époisses, sea bream with saffron sauce, a reinvented onion soup. The pastry chef follows the same playful logic, turning childhood treats like Snickers or pomme d’amour into refined desserts built around local blackcurrants.

The wine list is another strength: nearly 600 references, with a strong focus on neighbouring Burgundy crus. Magnums and a few foreign bottles reinforce the house’s open-minded spirit.

Auberge de la Charme balances tradition with genuine curiosity. Meals are offered in three, five or seven “escales” (stops), with a private-table option for groups of six to ten that allows guests to bring their own wines free of corkage.