L'Auberge de la Roche in Valdeblore – natural wine and a first star

In a hamlet of Valdeblore, between the Tinée and the Vésubie valleys, Louis-Philippe Riel and Mickaëlle Chabat have turned an abandoned house into an inn with rooms, a list of natural wines and, since March 2026, a MICHELIN star.

La Roche is a hamlet of Valdeblore, the commune that sits on the ridge between the Tinée and Vésubie valleys in the mountains north of Nice, in the heart of the Mercantour National Park. Its auberge lies just below the road, opposite the town-hall annexe. In winter, the MICHELIN inspectors note, dinner is served by the fire beneath timber rafters; in summer the terrace frames the surrounding peaks.

01From Montreal and Paris to the Mercantour

Louis-Philippe Riel is from Quebec. A self-taught cook, he trained in oenology and as a sommelier in Montreal, and in Paris Bertrand Auboyneau gave him the kitchen of the historic 6 Paul Bert. He names Martin Juneau, Yves Camdeborde and Auboyneau as his mentors. With his wife, Mickaëlle Chabat, he left it all behind to bring an abandoned building in Valdeblore back to life, and in March 2026 the MICHELIN Guide gave him his first star – "a fine encouragement", he told L'Hôtellerie Restauration.

He describes his cooking as instinctive, free and sincere – a cuisine of the moment and the place, which tries not to transform the produce too much; "a mountain gastronomy, rugged, but with finesse". Everything is made from scratch, from the bread and charcuterie to the pasta and ice cream, and the produce comes from the auberge's own garden and from nearby farms, among them Éric Martin's poultry from Pierlas.

02Carte blanche

Dinner is a carte blanche menu that changes daily with what is available. The MICHELIN inspectors, who call the cooking creative and vegetable-led, cite fresh green peas with shaved artichoke, almond milk and confit egg yolk; spinach ravioles with a saffron beurre blanc; and veal sweetbread with gambero rosso, oyster mushrooms and a sauce of fish stock and white wine. They also praise a first-class line-up of natural wines and cheerful service.

Insider tip

Dinner Friday to Monday, Sunday lunch; reopens on 6 November.

Worth knowing before the drive up: the kitchen can adapt the menu for pescatarians but cannot offer a vegetarian or vegan alternative, and severe allergies to iodine, gluten or lactose are incompatible with the menu. Tell the auberge about any restriction when you book, and use the waiting list when dinner is full.

03Natural wine, and a night upstairs

The wine list is an exclusive selection of natural wines, with growers such as Domaine Prieuré Roch, Jean-Pierre Robinot, Domaine Labet and Patrick Bouju. On Sundays a bistro lunch – "cuisine du dimanche" – is served, and the auberge will pack a picnic for two to take into the mountains if you order it when booking.

Rooms and suites are sold for two with dinner and breakfast included, along with the outdoor baths – one hot, one cold – and a sauna with a small wood-stove lounge, open all year. Room bookings are non-refundable and cannot be changed, and check-in is from 16.00.

For a weekend. For a lifetime.