This summer, the restaurant goes mobile

A restaurant is no longer just a place fixed at a single address. It's now an experience, like a picnic. A number of establishments are reinterpreting this off-site meal in their own way.

Bérangère Chanel Published on 6/27/25 at 3:49 PM

Picnics are another not-so-simple exercise in culinary style. Not only do the victuals have to be easy to gobble up - you practically have to be able to eat them with your fingertips - but the recipes have to remain faithful to the DNA of the establishment. This challenge was met by eleven addresses that tastefully reinterpret the famous "déjeuner sur l'herbe".

in Cheverny, Les Sources de Cheverny

On the route of the kings of France to the châteaux of the Loire, chef Pierre Frindel plays the local card to offer a country-style break. In the basket are homemade products such as financier and cake for a sweet touch, as well as Loire emblems such as Selles-sur-Cher and Sainte-Maure-de-Touraine. These fine cheeses are best enjoyed with the crumb of bread from Cyclo Délices, the bakery next door to the hotel. For Les Sources de Cheverny, the picnic offer is a different way of letting local produce shine. But this doesn't stop the Loir-et-Chéri-based company from offering other quality ingredients, such as hams from the Basque Country from Maison Mayté, to fill the sandwiches.

Price: 25 euros per person
Where? 23 route de Fougère, 41700 Cheverny

hotel Bellevigne, Chambolle-Musigny

Isn't a picnic a success when it combines the pleasure of the senses with that of the eyes, as well as that of nature as beautiful as it is gourmet? On the road to the Côte de Nuit grands crus, here in the heart of Burgundy's iconic climats, the definition takes on a very concrete meaning when the Hotel Bellevigne hands out its picnic basket to its guests. On the menu: a ham sandwich with gherkins and comté cheese, a mixed salad, a dessert of the day, all washed down with sparkling or still water.

Price: 20 euros per person
Where? 7 Rue de l'Église, 21220 Chambolle-Musigny

in Paris, La Grande Cascade

Designing a picnic is no easy task. The composition must reflect the culinary signature of the establishment, while the victuals must be practical enough to be devoured in any bucolic setting. Like here, in the Bois de Boulogne. That's the challenge taken up by chef Frédéric Robert, 4-toque chef at La Grande Cascade, who relied on the generosity of a basket designed for two guests. The menu begins with gougères, followed by a lobster roll and sliced crab in a bun. The menu is complete with fusilli seasoned with lemon, vodka and caviar, and a vermicelli salad with gambas and Thai spices. There's no shortage of cheese, with brie generously topped with truffles from the house itself. For dessert, Joris Vée concocts a chocolate-ginger chou and a lemon-yuzu Breton sablé.

Price: 168 euros for two, including half a bottle of champagne and squeezed orange juice.
Where to eat Route de la Vge aux Berceaux, 75016 Paris

in Saint-Martin-de-Belleville, La Bouitte

René and Maxime Meilleur, 4-toque chefs, were inspired by their mountain hikes to create not a basket, but the ideal backpack (with old-fashioned shoulder straps) when it's time to break bread. The experience is as rustic as it is authentic, and certainly not lacking in taste. During this break, you can recharge your batteries with sandwiches made from homemade bread. Inside, you'll find a selection of artisanal cured meats. For freshness, there's a tomato salad with picked herbs, or a potato salad with herbs and anchovies. And for gourmet delights, father and son haven't forgotten the Beaufort PDO (or Savoy tomme) or the homemade sausage and pot of rillettes. So many victuals to slice into with the Opinel knife emblazoned with the name of the house.

Price: 35 euros per person (+25 euros for half a bottle of wine)
Where to find us Hameau de Saint-Marcel, 159 route de la tarine, 73440 Les Belleville

in Annecy, Le Restaurant et le Cellier

For chef Michaël Riss, picnics are a form of aperitif. With a nomadic touch. And that doesn't stop him from seeing it as a way to pass the baton and showcase the specialties of the Annecy region. On the menu: sausage from Ferme du Chef-Lieu, a spread from the Tartinables des Recettes de Clairette range designed in Sévrier, savoury cookies and a sweet delicacy.

Price: 39 euros (+10 euros deposit for the basket)
Where? 2 avenue de Genève, 74000 Annecy

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in Courcelles-sur-Vesle, the Château de Courcelles

In this vast choice of picnics, each more bucolic than the last, one address hasn't forgotten the youngest taste buds. It's an attention to detail that deserves to be highlighted, as this type of meal can be a real headache, especially for young children. In the Aisne region of France, chef Massimiliano Sena has thought of every palate. For the little ones, this moment on the grass can be enjoyed with foccacia topped with bresaola, parmesan and tomatoes, as well as a sandwich using these Italian ingredients - with the addition of arugula, and to finish with a homemade chocolate cake. For the grown-ups, Château de Courcelles offers a chef's pasta salad, toast with smoked salmon and avocado, croque-monsieur, fresh fruit salad and homemade orange and apricot cake.

Price: 70 euros per person (40 euros for children under 12)
Where? 8 Rue du Château, 02220 Courcelles-sur-Vesle

domaine de Fontenille in Lauris

Winegrowing estates are legitimately prescribed settings for unrolling the tablecloth on the grass. Especially for those that are also culinary havens, such as Domaine de Fontenille. With the rows of vines as their only horizon, the lucky guests of this Vaucluse address have the opportunity to share a meal in the garden. A well-deserved break, structured around a pre-selected cuvée and enjoyed in combination with a Provencal-style picnic. On the menu: a salad with the vegetables of the moment, topped with a lemon and sumac vinaigrette. This is followed by spelt risotto, or for the non-veggie, a tenderly cooked chicken supreme, seasoned with a lemon confit and thyme jus. And to finish, fresh goat's cheese from Maison Malo and artisanal ice creams from Maison Ravi. This experience is part of a larger tour that includes a walk through the vineyards, before unpacking the basket in the shade of an olive tree.

Price: 80 euros per person
Where to find us Route de Roquefraiche, 84360 Lauris

in Flayosc, Château de Berne

Country terrine, chef's mixed salad, bread from the baker, pastries of the day... everything you need for a picnic at one of the tables scattered around the estate. It's the perfect way to enjoy one of the Provencal signature rosé wines in slow motion, after taking part in one of the orchestrated walks through the Château de Berne vineyards.

Price: 45 euros per person
Location Chemin des Imberts, 83780 Flayosc

in Versailles, the Trianon Palace Waldorf Astoria

At the Trianon Palace Waldorf Astoria in Versailles, a picnic is a royal break. Chef Frédéric Larquemin and pastry chef Eddie Berghanem have designed it as a truly made-to-measure meal. Two options are available, one called "l'échappée", with a focus on conviviality, and the other called "romantique", to satiate lovers. In both cases, guests can choose from smoked salmon and avocado wraps or grilled vegetables and guacamole. The former starts with a quinoa salad with grilled vegetables, while the latter includes tuna tataki skewers. In both cases, gourmets will be delighted to finish this interlude with a cake signed by the great pastry chef.

Price: 59 euros per person for l'Échappée / 160 euros for two people for la Romantique
Where? 1 boulevard de la Reine, 78000 Versailles

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in Paris, Printemps Haussmann

True to the concept of "garden gastronomy" that Veuve Clicquot has deployed on the heights of the Montagne de Reims, not far from its cellars, the Champagne label is exporting to Paris the spirit of a lunch on the grass, on the terrace of Printemps Haussmann. For this ephemeral restaurant, whose name is unequivocal - the Picnic - the house of the "Grande Dame de Champagne" has teamed up with chef Ella Aflalo. In keeping with the consumption pattern for this type of meal, she has created a menu based around "finger food", with a tarte au couteau, anchovies, puffed rice and sumac to devour with your fingertips. Veggie too, with crispy rolls made with zucchini, pecorino, mint, pomegranate molasses and sesame condiment. And tarama lovers won't want to miss this adaptation served with foccacia and smoked olive oil. The à la carte dishes are just as well designed to be devoured as part of a picnic, like this smash burger with spicy beef and sheep's tomme.

Price: between 10 and 23 euros, depending on the plate
Where? 64 boulevard Haussmann, 75009 Paris

in Talloires, L'Auberge du Père Bise

On the shores of Lake Annecy, 4-toque chef Jean Sulpice hits the nail on the head with his "panier du jardin" (garden basket), featuring a gourmet salad made with seasonal vegetables and fruit, and a selection of local produce.gumes, seasonal fruit and local fish (served at the Marius Bar), the Savoyard chef has also thought of those who prefer to escape the crowds for a bite to eat. In a more accessible formula, he suggests taking a break with a seasonal salad and a bun sandwich of your choice. It can be topped with feta and vegetables, or poultry and herb cream. The meal is rounded off with a pastry of the day and a bottle of water.