d'Eugénie à Emilie

The Verdict: Still Worth the Detour on a Second Visit

If you have already made the drive to Saint-Ghislain and sat at Chef Eric Fernez's table at d'Eugénie à Emilie, the question on a return visit is whether the experience justifies the price, the planning, and the journey all over again. The short answer is yes, but with important context. Two Michelin stars held across both 2024 and 2025, a Boury-level pedigree in Belgium's fine dining circuit, and a 2025 Les Grandes Tables du Monde membership put this firmly in the upper tier of Belgian classic French cooking. What changes on a second visit is that you stop being surprised by the setting and start paying attention to the consistency — and at this address, consistency is the point.

Who Should Book This

Book d'Eugénie à Emilie if you are planning a milestone meal: an anniversary, a significant birthday, or a business dinner where the impression has to land. The €€€€ price tier and the two-star calibre make this a deliberate choice, not a casual booking. It is not the right call for a low-key weeknight or a first date where you want to keep things relaxed. This is a table for people who want the full weight of a formal French experience in a setting that feels considered rather than corporate. If you are travelling from Brussels or Ghent, it earns the trip; if you are local to Hainaut, it is one of the strongest occasions restaurants within reach without crossing into another region.

The Room and the Mood

The atmosphere here runs deliberately formal and quiet. Expect a room where conversation carries without effort, where the energy is low and controlled rather than buzzing or theatrical. For a special occasion dinner, that is an asset: there is no ambient noise competition, no need to shout across the table, and the pace of service is built around letting the meal breathe. If you are used to the livelier dining rooms at Zilte in Antwerp or Bozar in Brussels, the mood here is noticeably more restrained. That restraint is the right call for a serious occasion; it may feel too stiff for a celebratory group that wants to enjoy the evening loudly.

The Drinks Program

At a Les Grandes Tables du Monde member running classic French cuisine, the wine program is expected to do real work, and that expectation shapes how you should approach the evening. Classic French cooking at this level is built around pairings: the sauces, the reductions, and the technique assume that something in the glass is completing the picture. The drinks program at a two-star address in this tradition is not a side note. Whether you take the paired option or build your own selection, factor in the drinks budget from the start. The €€€€ designation covers the food; a serious bottle or a full pairing can shift the evening's total materially. For comparison, The Waterside Inn in Bray and Cheval Blanc by Peter Knogl in Basel operate at a similar register of classic French formality, and at both, the wine list is a genuine differentiator. Treat the drinks here as part of the experience rather than an optional add-on.

Timing and Booking

Booking difficulty is rated near impossible, which means you should plan well in advance — weeks at minimum, and likely further out for weekend dates or high-demand periods. The La Liste score shifted between 92 points in 2025 and 79 points in 2026, which is worth noting if you track that ranking, but the Michelin two-star rating has been stable across both years and is the more reliable signal for what to expect in the room. For timing within a visit, an early seating gives you the full pacing of a long tasting meal without the pressure of a late close; if you are driving from outside the region, the earlier start also makes the return journey easier. Autumn and winter are natural seasons for this style of cooking , rich, sauce-forward classic French food is at its most satisfying when the weather gives it reason to be. Spring bookings are worth pursuing for lighter menu expressions if the kitchen shifts with the season, though confirm directly since hours and menu details are not published in the record we have.

Practical Notes

The address is Place de la Résistance 1, 7331 Saint-Ghislain, in the municipality of Baudour. There is no published phone number or website in our current data, which makes reservations harder to arrange independently; your leading approach is to search for current booking channels directly or use a concierge service if you are arriving from further afield. For other dining options nearby, Le Faitout is the local traditional alternative if you need a second night's dinner at a lower price point. For a broader picture of the area, our full Baudour restaurants guide, hotels guide, bars guide, wineries guide, and experiences guide cover what else is worth your time in the region.

Belgium's Two-Star Context

To calibrate expectations: Belgium runs one of the highest concentrations of Michelin-starred restaurants per capita in Europe. Two stars here means you are in genuinely serious company. Hof van Cleve in Kruishoutem operates at three stars; Willem Hiele in Oudenburg and Bartholomeus in Heist each hold their own strong positions in the Belgian fine dining tier. Within that competitive field, d'Eugénie à Emilie's consistent two-star hold and Les Grandes Tables du Monde status signal that this is not a venue resting on an early reputation. The 4.8 Google rating across 349 reviews supports the same conclusion: the room delivers reliably. For Wallonia specifically, and for classic French cooking in Belgium's western provinces, this is one of the addresses that belongs on a serious shortlist. If the drive from L'Air du Temps in Liernu or the commute to Flemish addresses like De Jonkman in Sint-Kruis or Castor in Beveren is more than you want, d'Eugénie à Emilie is the strongest case for staying in the Hainaut region for your occasion meal.

Bottom Line

A 4.8 rating, two consecutive Michelin two-star years, and Les Grandes Tables du Monde membership tell you this kitchen operates at a level that justifies the price and the effort to get there. Book it for an occasion that deserves it, plan your drinks budget alongside the food, and secure your reservation as far in advance as possible. At this booking difficulty rating, leaving it late means leaving it to chance.