The Mouton Blanc? The name evokes an age-old French gastronomic tradition. And age-old is no exaggeration when speaking of this restaurant, one of the oldest in Paris, where the sumptuous odours of traditional cuisine mix with the scent of history and literature. Molière, Racine, Boileau, Chapelle and La Fontaine dined there, sometimes in the company of the famous French tragic actress Champmeslé and Ninon de Lenclos. The latter, a woman of letters and wit, most likely came here to partake in the epicurean pleasures she held dear.
Of course, the décor has changed somewhat since those times. The Mouton Blanc dressed itself in all new furnishings in 2008, making sure not to lose any of its original spirit. The timeless stone, painted in shades of gold and copper, are adorned with portraits of the restaurant’s illustrious guests. The dining room is now divided into three sections with three different atmospheres, the first with small round tables and charming armchairs, the second with booths for more intimacy and finally traditional, long tables and benches in the third. Taken all together, the result is a place full of warm personality where one can devour a few pages from the book of French cuisine.
As Molière said, one should eat to live, and not live to eat, however, nothing says you shouldn’t be able to enjoy it too. Standing quietly in his frame above your table, Jean-Baptiste Poquelin looks as if he’s reading the Misanthrope, but he is actually looking on in approval.
Le Mouton Blanc
40, rue d’Auteuil
75016 Paris
Phone : (33) 1 42 88 02 21
Open 7 days/week
from noon to 3 PM
and from 7 PM to 11 PM
