What is a Bib Gourmand?

What is a Bib Gourmand?

When we think of gastronomic restaurants, we immediately think of starred restaurants. Although they are not within the reach of everyone, there is nothing to stop you from enjoying exceptional refined cuisine, thanks to the Bib Gourmand. Find out more about this distinction, awarded by the Michelin Guide to restaurants offering "fine cuisine at a moderate price".


 WHAT DOES "BIB GOURMAND" MEAN?

The Bib Gourmand probably takes its name from the famous Michelin man, the Bibendum. Indeed, let's not forget that the Michelin Guide was initially launched by the tyre company.

But what does the Bib Gourmand really represent? It is simply a recent award, created in 1997, attributed by the Michelin Guide. It distinguishes the good restaurants that offer a refined cuisine at an affordable price. This means that the price of the menu must not exceed €32 in the provinces and €36 in Paris.

At this price, a Bib Gourmand award-winning restaurant must offer a complete menu, with starter, main course and dessert, with an outstanding price/quality ratio.  

Although the Bib Gourmand is obviously less prestigious than the Michelin star, it does reward the quality restaurants. This is the case for nearly 600 establishments in France.

The advantage of such a distinction is that all styles of atmosphere and cuisine can qualify, from the small, trendy bistro to the traditional restaurant.

 

THE BIB GOURMAND: A CONCEPT THAT IS BEING EMULATED

For almost 25 years now, the little "red guide" has been rewarding best value restaurants of a Bib Gourmand. Although this distinction is still little known, the health crisis could well bring it to the fore. It is indeed the ideal solution to allow consumers to have access to refined quality cuisine at a reasonable price.  

It is in this idea of making gastronomy accessible that the Bib Gourmand is becoming more and more popular with the general public.

The concept was so successful that the award was extended to hotels in 2003. Hotels can now also apply for the Bib hotel. They need to offer a comfortable and quiet room for two, with a good welcome, for less than €60 a night in the provinces and €75 in Paris.  

 

THE BISTROT DE BERNE, AWARDED THE BIB GOURMAND

Nestled in the heart of Provence, the Bistrot de Berne welcomes you in an exceptional Provençal setting, and offers top-of-the-range cuisine at a lower cost. All these qualities have earned it a Bib Gourmand in the Michelin Guide.

The friendly atmosphere of the Bistrot de Berne

Between conviviality and authenticity, the Bistrot de Berne welcomes you to the heart of the Berne estate. Surrounded by vineyards, lavender fields and olive groves, the restaurant du Var is an invitation to gourmet pleasures, to be shared as a couple, with friends, with family, or even for work. You will be installed in a typically Provençal setting. You can enjoy your meal around the fireplace in winter or on the terrace in summer. And why not enjoy the cool winter days by eating on the covered and heated terrace overlooking the vineyards?                                    

A cuisine that puts Provence in the spotlight

Led by the chef Matthieu Wanlin on bistrot de Lorgues proposes a warm cuisine, where nature and Provence are honoured. This passionate cook puts all his know-how into imagining recipes where tradition and local produce are mixed, to create a harmonious menu between modernity and the great classics of French cuisine.

The menus are constantly redesigned according to the seasons, with strict respect for the cycle of nature, and the majority of the products come directly from the garden of the domain or local producers.

For dessert, it's the turn of the pastry chef Éric Raynal to enter the scene, and to propose to end the meal with a sweet and gourmet touch magnifying the fruits and products of the region.

A restaurant in the heart of a breathtaking estate

The Bistrot de Berne draws its values of good food and respect for nature from the entire estate to which it belongs. Located in the Château de Berne. The bistro is part of a vast domain dedicated to well-being, the pleasures of the senses and respect for the environment.

Lunch or dinner at the Bistrot de Berne is then the opportunity to combine different experiences, by visiting the cellars and the vineyard, by tasting the good wines of Bern, by enjoying the spa of Cinq Mondes, or by staying at the 5 star Relais & Châteaux hotel. There are many activities in the area, which provide an unforgettable experience in a wonderful setting.

VIP offers for an unforgettable meal

If the very principle of the Bib Gourmand is to be able to treat yourself for less than €32 ($35). But the Berne domain does not stop there and offers you the possibility to extend the experience thanks to various offers. Several packages allow you to combine a menu at the Bistrot de Berne to another activity on the estate, such as the Bistrot Escape Pass, with access to the spa, a 50-minute treatment and a menu at the Bistrot, or the Bistrot Relaxation Pass, which offers access to the spa and a menu at the Bistrot de Berne. Please check back regularly for the various offers.

 

Would you like to enjoy a delicious meal without spending a fortune? The Bistrot de Berne, awarded the Bib GourmandThe restaurant welcomes you in a dream setting, to enjoy an exceptional menu with Provencal flavours.