The story
Le Petit Prince sits in Saint-Alban-les-Eaux, a small village on the Côte Roannaise. The building has roots that reach back to 1534, and the current owners—Max Reure alongside Marylou and Benjamin Baylot—continue that story. The restaurant’s website describes it as a “table fine et réputée,” and its Michelin Recommended status reflects the consistency and character of the cooking.
Dining here means choosing between several distinct spaces. The Grande Salle was once a cuvage where generations of vignerons made wine from the Côte Roannaise; today its walls display barrel lamps and a wine cave that pays homage to the local vineyards. The Petite Salle en Brique, built in the 1920s by the owner’s great-uncle (the architect who designed the flame of the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Paris), glows with red brick and a fireplace that makes it a winter favorite. For warmer days, the terrace under bicentennial wisteria and linden trees offers calm and shade. And the 1534 room, with its wood-and-chalet feel, is ideal for small gatherings.
The cuisine is described as “contemporaine, chic, chaleureuse”—modern, chic, and warm. The team’s approach balances respect for local ingredients with a contemporary hand. The restaurant’s modern cuisine is served in menus that change with the season, and the wine list leans heavily on the region’s Côte Roannaise bottles, showcased in the grand room’s mural cave. The style is generous and gourmande, never fussy, and the atmosphere matches the food: elegant but relaxed, whether in the brick salon or on the terrace at dusk.
Recognition
Ambience
Details
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