Restaurant in Salon-de-Provence, France
Surprise menus, Michelin-starred, book early.
Villa Salone holds a 2024 Michelin star in the heart of Salon-de-Provence, where chef Alexandre Lechêne serves surprise set menus built around hyper-seasonal market produce. At the €€€ tier with a 4.7 Google rating, it is one of the most compelling value cases for starred cooking in Provence — book well in advance, as availability is tightening fast.
The misconception about Villa Salone is that it is simply a pretty restaurant in a sleepy Provençal town. It is not. Chef Alexandre Lechêne has turned this elegant mansion at 6 Rue Maréchal Joffre into one of the most creatively ambitious tables in the south of France, earning a Michelin star in 2024 and holding a Google rating of 4.7 from 561 reviews. If you are driving through Provence and wondering whether to detour through Salon-de-Provence for a meal, the answer is yes — and you should plan your route around the booking, not the other way around.
Villa Salone runs entirely on surprise set menus, so if you need to see a menu before you commit, this is not the right table for you. Everyone else: that constraint is the point. Lechêne's kitchen works directly from market garden produce and local fruit, building dishes that Michelin's own inspectors describe as daring in their ingredient combinations, yet consistently well-balanced and precisely executed. The Michelin note calls out printed pasta, a medley of courgettes, flowers, fresh almonds and marigold as a representative example , a plate that signals the kitchen's interest in texture, seasonality, and restraint over richness.
The flavor register here leans fresh and herb-forward rather than butter-heavy, which puts Villa Salone closer in spirit to Arpège in Paris , where the garden dictates the menu , than to the more classical Provence manor-house style. If you have eaten at Mirazur in Menton and responded to that vegetable-forward, hyper-seasonal approach, Villa Salone operates in a similar register at a fraction of the price and with considerably less advance planning required , for now.
The room matches the ambition: mouldings, ceiling frescoes, and Provençal tiles give the interior a genuine historical texture without feeling museum-like. In summer, the patio terrace draws strong demand, and it is the seat type most likely to fill first. Service is described by Michelin as attentive and efficient, which in the context of a surprise menu format matters: you are trusting the kitchen entirely, so the front-of-house needs to keep pace and communicate well.
Venue data does not specify a wine list or sommelier program in detail, so any claim about specific bottles or pairings would be speculation. What is clear from the format is that a surprise tasting menu at this price tier in Provence almost always benefits from a wine pairing rather than a la carte selection , the sequencing of dishes is in the kitchen's hands, and matching each course individually without guidance risks misalignment. If a pairing option is offered, take it. Provence itself produces serious whites and rosés from the Coteaux d'Aix-en-Provence appellation that surrounds Salon-de-Provence, so there is strong regional logic to whatever the list prioritizes. For context on what serious wine-and-food alignment looks like at this level in France, Maison Lameloise in Chagny and Bras in Laguiole set the benchmark for how a starred kitchen integrates wine into the tasting experience. Ask Villa Salone's team for their recommendation when you book , that conversation will tell you quickly how seriously the wine program is being managed.
For a birthday dinner, anniversary lunch, or any meal where the experience itself is the gift, Villa Salone is well-suited. The format , surprise menu, elegant room, attentive service , removes the decision fatigue of ordering and replaces it with something closer to a curated experience. The €€€ price tier makes it accessible for a celebration without requiring the commitment of a €€€€ tasting menu at a multi-starred Paris address. Compared to Le Cinq at the Four Seasons George V, you will spend considerably less and get a more intimate, less formal setting. Compared to La Table du Castellet in Le Castellet, the regional alternative, Villa Salone's creative ambition and star credential give it the edge for a genuinely memorable occasion meal in Provence.
Address: 6 Rue Maréchal Joffre, 13300 Salon-de-Provence, France. Hours: Monday closed. Tuesday through Sunday lunch 12 PM–1:30 PM; Wednesday through Saturday dinner 7:30 PM–9 PM; Sunday dinner not served. Price tier: €€€. Reservations: Book well in advance , the combination of a fresh Michelin star, a small mansion setting, and a single seating window per service makes this hard to book, particularly for the summer terrace. Dress: Smart casual is appropriate given the setting; the moulded interiors and fresco ceilings signal a room that rewards some effort. Booking difficulty: Hard.
Salon-de-Provence is not a primary restaurant destination in the way that Menton, Eugénie-les-Bains (see Les Prés d'Eugénie), or Lyon are, which is partly why Villa Salone is still bookable when it probably should not be. That will change. For a full picture of eating and drinking in the area, see our full Salon-de-Provence restaurants guide, and consider Atelier Salone as an alternative if Villa Salone is fully booked. If you are spending more time in the region, our Salon-de-Provence hotels guide, bars guide, wineries guide, and experiences guide cover the broader picture.
Yes, it is one of the better special-occasion choices in Provence at the €€€ tier. The surprise menu format, Michelin-starred kitchen, and elegant fresco-and-moulding interior create the conditions for a genuinely memorable meal. It is less formal than a Paris multi-star but more considered than most regional Provençal restaurants. For a birthday or anniversary lunch, the midday Saturday slot gives you the terrace option in summer.
There is no published seat count or private dining information in the venue record. Given the mansion setting and the tight lunch windows (12 PM–1:30 PM), large groups , say, six or more , should contact the restaurant directly before assuming availability. The surprise menu format actually works well for groups since there is no individual ordering to manage, but confirming this with the team in advance is essential.
For most visitors, Saturday lunch is the practical choice: it captures both the terrace in good weather and the full creative menu without requiring an overnight stay. Dinner is only available Wednesday through Saturday, which suits locals more than travelers passing through. If you are based in or near Salon-de-Provence, a midweek dinner is quieter and easier to book than a weekend slot. The menu format is the same across services, so the decision is logistical rather than qualitative.
Smart casual is the correct call. The room , ceiling frescoes, mouldings, Provençal tiles , is elegant without being stiff, and the overall register of a Michelin-starred surprise menu warrants making some effort. Shorts and trainers will feel out of place. There is no published dress code, but treat it as you would any other starred restaurant in provincial France: put together, but not black tie.
There is no ordering: Villa Salone serves surprise set menus only, and the kitchen decides what you eat based on what the market has delivered. The Michelin inspectors note dishes built around market garden produce and local fruit, with ingredient combinations that are sometimes daring. Go with that premise or book elsewhere. If you have dietary restrictions, communicate them clearly when you make the reservation , the kitchen needs to know in advance.
Atelier Salone is the most direct local alternative if Villa Salone is full. For starred cooking in the broader region, La Table du Castellet in Le Castellet offers a comparable Provençal context with a different aesthetic. If you are willing to travel further for the occasion, Mirazur in Menton operates in a similar market-driven register at three Michelin stars. See our full Salon-de-Provence restaurants guide for a broader view.
At the €€€ price tier with a Michelin star and a 4.7 Google rating across 561 reviews, yes , the value case is strong. You are not paying Paris prices for Paris-level cooking, which is the honest pitch. Michelin's inspectors specifically note that the daring combinations are consistently on point and executed skilfully, which is exactly what you need to hear before trusting a kitchen you have never met with all of your courses. The comparable experience at Flocons de Sel in Megève or Troisgros in Ouches would cost considerably more.
| Venue | Cuisine | Price | Awards | Booking Difficulty | Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Villa Salone | Modern Cuisine | €€€ | Alexandre Lechêne has taken over this pretty mansion in the heart of Salon-de-Provence. Here he treats diners to truly remarkable creative cuisine served in the form of surprise set menus: the ethos here is "go with the flow"! The beautifully plated dishes showcase market garden produce and local fruit. For instance: printed pasta, a medley of courgettes, flowers, fresh almonds and marigold. Fresh, tasty and perfectly seasoned, it is a real delight for the taste buds! The combinations of ingredients are sometimes daring, but always on point and executed skilfully in the service of a well-balanced whole. The decor is elegant, with mouldings, frescoes on the ceiling and pretty Provençal tiles, not forgetting the pretty little patio terrace, which is very popular in summer. Attentive, efficient service.; Michelin 1 Star (2024) | Hard | — |
| Plénitude | Contemporary French | €€€€ | Michelin 3 Star, World's 50 Best | Unknown | — |
| Pierre Gagnaire | French, Creative | €€€€ | Michelin 3 Star, World's 50 Best | Unknown | — |
| Alléno Paris au Pavillon Ledoyen | Creative | €€€€ | Michelin 3 Star, World's 50 Best | Unknown | — |
| Kei | Contemporary French, Modern Cuisine | €€€€ | Michelin 3 Star, World's 50 Best | Unknown | — |
| Le Cinq - Four Seasons Hôtel George V | French, Modern Cuisine | €€€€ | Michelin 3 Star, World's 50 Best | Unknown | — |
What to weigh when choosing between Villa Salone and alternatives.
Yes — it is well-suited for birthdays, anniversaries, or any occasion where the meal is the event. The surprise set menu format removes decision fatigue and keeps the focus on the experience. The setting inside a mansion with frescoed ceilings and a patio terrace adds atmosphere without being stiff. At €€€ with a Michelin star, the occasion has built-in weight.
The venue data does not specify a private dining room or group capacity, so large parties should check the venue's official channels before booking. Given the intimate mansion setting, tables for 2–4 are the safest assumption. Groups of 6 or more should confirm availability early, as the format — surprise menus for everyone — does simplify group logistics when it works.
Lunch is the more accessible slot and runs Tuesday through Sunday at 12 PM–1:30 PM, so it is the easier window to plan around. Dinner service runs Wednesday through Saturday only, which limits flexibility. If you are travelling through Salon-de-Provence mid-week, the lunch sitting often represents better value in Michelin-starred restaurants of this tier — fewer covers, same kitchen.
The venue is housed in an elegant Provençal mansion with mouldings, frescoes, and Provençal tiles, which signals a step above casual. Smart attire — no shorts or trainers — is the reasonable baseline for a €€€ Michelin-starred setting in France. The patio terrace is available in summer, so breathable layers are practical rather than overpacked.
There is no à la carte choice to make — Villa Salone runs entirely on surprise set menus. You commit to the format and the kitchen decides the dishes. If you need to approve a menu in advance or have significant dietary restrictions, contact the restaurant before booking. Michelin's own notes highlight market garden produce, local fruit, and daring ingredient combinations executed with precision.
Salon-de-Provence has no direct Michelin-starred competitor at the same level, which is part of the case for booking Villa Salone when you are in the region. For Provençal fine dining with more options nearby, Aix-en-Provence is the closer alternative hub. If the surprise-menu format is not for you, a more structured tasting menu elsewhere in Provence may be a better fit.
At €€€ with a Michelin star, Villa Salone sits at a price point that is justified if you are comfortable committing to a surprise format. Michelin's notes specifically flag the combinations as 'sometimes daring, but always on point' — language they use sparingly. If you want to choose your dishes, this table is not for you; if you trust the kitchen, it is one of the more interesting Michelin-starred lunches in Provence for the price.
Keep this venue in your Pearl passport, rate it after you visit, and track it alongside every other place you collect.
