A culinary experience
Les Grands Buffets Narbonne
For many of our guests, this restaurant is the reason to come to Narbonne at all — and even after countless visits we still look forward to it every time. Les Grands Buffets presents the best of French cuisine as an opulent buffet: from the lobster fountain via one of Europe's largest rotisseries to the cheese buffet that, with 111 varieties, holds the Guinness World Record as the largest in the world.
How to get a table — the honest guide
This question reaches us more often than any other, so it sits right at the top. First things first: we cannot reserve tables either — Les Grands Buffets allocates places exclusively through its own website. Here is how it works anyway:
- Plan ahead: book at least two months before your preferred date — weekends and summer evenings go first.
- Too late? Keep at it: cancellations free up tables all the time. In the days before your preferred date, simply check the booking page briefly every day — that is how we do it ourselves, and so far it has almost always worked.
- Use the off-season: outside high summer, Narbonne is still pleasantly warm — and a table is much easier to get.
- Choosing a room: every dining room is designed differently. Our favourite is the Salon (Le Salon Doré Jean de la Fontaine) in the style of Louis XIV — above all because it is a little quieter. The Tent (Jean-Baptiste Nolin) is barely behind it; the Garden is the airiest choice.
What awaits you
Every course has its own area. Among the starters wait countless small specialities and a rich offering from the sea: lobster from the "Fountain of Lobsters", oysters without end — as much of everything as you like.
For the mains, the house leaves out no culinary region of France. Our favourite: the gratinated oyster, which you order directly at the open rotisserie. The principle there is wonderfully down-to-earth — the chef takes your order of classics after Auguste Escoffier, calls it into the kitchen through a microphone, and moments later you are holding a masterfully plated dish. Next to it, a cook at the antique Versailles table prepares your meat exactly to the point.
By the way: in France, cheese only comes at the very end. With 111 varieties, the stomach wants careful planning — not easy, given the temptations that come before.
Welcome to dessert heaven
The great chocolate fountain catches your eye the moment you walk in — and every time we are tempted to skip everything else and start straight in on one of the roughly 50 desserts. Macarons, patisserie, the finest mousse variations, plus a crêpe stand where your crêpe Suzette is flambéed fresh. And in the ice-cream parlour in baroque Parisian style waits our insider tip: the Trou Normand — it has the magical ability to make room in your stomach again.
Wines at estate prices
The truly special thing about the drinks list is the pricing: around 70 wines to choose from — and every bottle costs exactly what it does at the winery gate. We checked it ourselves, with a bottle of Clos de la Tour from Château Rouquette-sur-Mer in our La Clape wine region: the same price as at the estate shop. The same goes for champagne — and so far, every year there has been the offer that the bottle you drink in the restaurant is free if you take a case of it home afterwards.
By the way: big plans until 2027
Les Grands Buffets is not just staying in Narbonne — the house is expanding considerably: by 2027, a gallery in the style of Napoleon III, a gourmet arcade with local produce and even its own microbrewery are being built around the restaurant. The number of seats stays the same — so demand is likely to rise further. All the more reason to book in time.
Frequently asked questions
- How far in advance do you need to book at Les Grands Buffets?
- At least two months, especially for weekends and the summer season. More spontaneous? Check the booking page daily — cancellations free up tables all the time.
- How much does Les Grands Buffets cost?
- There is a fixed all-you-can-eat price per person (drinks extra), which changes regularly — you will find the current price at lesgrandsbuffets.com. The wines are strikingly cheap: they cost the same as at the estate.
- Can you as hosts reserve a table for us?
- Sadly no — Les Grands Buffets allocates tables exclusively through its own website. But with two months of lead time, or a daily glance at freed-up tables, it almost always works out.
- Is Les Grands Buffets suitable for children?
- Children are welcome, but since October 2025 everyone pays the same flat price — there is no children's menu and no discount, and children count fully towards the booking. Between the chocolate fountain and the lobster fountain the visit is an adventure all the same; with very small children, though, the house itself advises against it — a meal takes a good three hours.
- Is there a dress code?
- Yes, and the house means it: swimwear, shorts, flip-flops and sportswear are banned (bermudas only for children up to 12), and the restaurant says it consistently refuses entry on violations — you are reminded of it several times by email beforehand. So: long trousers, closed shoes — most guests enjoy dressing up a little anyway.
- Which dining room is the best?
- A matter of taste — our favourite is the Salon (Le Salon Doré Jean de la Fontaine) in the style of Louis XIV, because it is a little quieter. The Tent (Jean-Baptiste Nolin) is at least as beautiful.