France is renowned for its gastronomy, so it should come as no surprise that it is home to some of the best restaurants in the world. Many of these establishments have been awarded coveted Michelin stars, reflecting their quality and commitment to excellence.
Michelin stars have been awarded to restaurants since 1926, and they are considered a hallmark of culinary excellence. A single star means that the restaurant offers excellent food in its category. Two stars indicate that the restaurant has ‘excellent cooking, worth a detour’ and three stars mean that it is ‘exceptional cuisine, worth a special journey’.
Currently, there are 615 Michelin-starred restaurants in France. Of these, 101 have one star; 270 have two; and 244 have three – making France home to the highest number of 3-star restaurants in the world.
The most Michelin starred city in France is Paris with 83 one-star restaurants, 33 two-stars and 18 three-stars. Other cities with high concentrations of Michelin starred eateries include Lyon (58 one-stars; 23 two-stars; and 19 three-stars) and Bordeaux (17 one-stars; 12 two-stars; 7 three-stars).
In terms of individual chefs, the record for most Michelin stars belongs to Alain Ducasse who has a total of 21 across his establishments – including 3 at his flagship restaurant at Le Meurice in Paris. Other notable French chefs with multiple Michelin stars include Guy Savoy (18), Pierre Gagnaire (15) and Yannick Alleno (12).
In conclusion, France has an impressive 615 Michelin starred restaurants – 101 with one star; 270 with two; and 244 with three – making it home to the highest number of 3-star restaurants in the world. Notable French chefs such as Alain Ducasse hold records for most Michelin stars at 21 across all his establishments which highlight France’s commitment to excellence when it comes to gastronomy.