The story
Aux Terrasses is a four-star boutique hotel and gastronomic restaurant in Tournus, a stone’s throw from the banks of the Saône. What began as a simple inn, rooted in the generosity and savoir-faire of the Carrette family, has been reinvented by Amandine and Jean-Michel Carrette. Their vision: to turn what might be just a stopover in southern Burgundy into a memorable journey. The restaurant’s Michelin star recognises the quality and character of what happens in the kitchen.
Chef Jean-Michel Carrette describes his cooking as both physical and poetic. It is firmly anchored in the local terroir – the landscapes of Seille, Montret, Bligny-sur-Ouche – yet equally open to influences from London and Kyoto. The result is a cuisine that is simple but never simplistic, elaborate but never mannered. He invites guests to explore flavour from the most familiar to the most exotic, always with a sense of invention and honesty. The wine list, too, is a journey: rare and singular bottles from Burgundy, the Jura, and beyond.
The restaurant’s dining rooms are part of a hotel designed with care by Amandine Carrette. Each of the twenty rooms and suites is unique, shaped by natural materials – wood, stone, steel, glass – and touched by the poetry of André Ostertag. The same spirit carries into the restaurant: a place for both grand celebrations and small joys, where the setting is refined but never stiff. With outdoor seating, air conditioning, and wheelchair access, Aux Terrasses welcomes a range of guests, from couples to families. The restaurant is open for lunch and dinner, Tuesday through Saturday, and on select Sundays.
Recognition
Ambience
Details
History
High quality cooking
Amandine is unlikely to provide you with any clues as to the contents of her talented husband Jean-Michel’s tasting menus. The night we went, in a space with timeworn wooden tables, dim ceiling lights and potted plants, the local chef, who trained at La Tour Rose (Lyon) and under Troisgros (Roanne), served a flawless menu full of terroir -ist touches. Its six courses (€70) included: delicate escargot tempura over a bed of bulgur wheat with tangy yogurt and an herb salad; stunning foie gras served as it is and paired with dried rhubarb and rhubarb chutney; a lovely Breton lobster served over embers that were still smoking hot, plus peas, white beans and a dashi emulsion; majestic pigeon breast served pink and breaded pigeon thigh, with a variety of beetroot preparations (glazed in butter, slow-roasted in a salt crust, smoked, beet & lovage oil) and some very earthy kohlrabi; a stunning vin jaune chicken velouté espuma, with diced tangy apple, hazelnuts and grated Comté; before a superb dessert featuring a raspberry tartlet, raspberry sorbet atop a crumble base and an arugula jelly. It’s also worth noting that there’s a more affordable lunch menu available during the week – eg.: shredded rabbit thigh, herb jelly and diced foie gras; rabbit saddle stuffed with figs and chard, with pickled red onion and a full-bodied rabbit jus ; tiramisu with orange ice cream. // G.D.
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