LOVE a buffet but fancy something a little more luxury? Well, we’ve found the spot perfect for that with the world’s biggest buffet just a few hours from the UK.
Les Grands Buffets in the south of France is so in demand that it often has a seven-month waiting list.
The luxury buffet dates back to 1989 and welcomes 400,000 brave diners each year.
That’s around 600 people each day, for lunch and dinner.
Whilst not exactly your budget buffet, it isn’t too outrageously priced either at €65.90 (£57.38) per person.
The inside of the restaurant is so vast that visitors are handed a map upon entering – there are four dining rooms in total.
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One of the rooms – called Salon Dore Jean de la Fontaine – was created by the same people who restored the Palace of Versailles, so as you can imagine, is pretty extravagant.
In fact, around 18,000 gold leaves have been added to the finishings in the room.
Another – the Tente d’Apparat Jean-Baptiste Nolin – is a tented room that pays tribute to Louis XIV.
If you’re a glutton for punishment, you can even weigh yourself before and after to see how much food you have consumed.
All of the food served at the buffet is inspired by 19th century chef Auguste Escoffier, who is often considered one of the masters of traditional French cuisine.
In total, there are 150 entrees, main courses and desserts at the buffet.
One section of the restaurant is a seafood buffet, with dishes including a royal seafood platter, fish soup and smoked salmon.
Bottomless lobster is also available.
At the foie gras buffet, guests can help themselves to a range of different duck foie gras, including ones with pepper or creme brulee.
Then there is also a pâté en croûte buffet and a cooked meat and terrine buffet.
For main dishes, guests can enjoy a range of options such as veal, snails,a roasted leg of lamb, scallops, quail stuffed with foie gras, suckling pig on a spit, omelettes, salmon, beef fillet, beef stew, onion soup, squid, wild boar stew, gratin dauphinoise… The list goes on.
Les Grands Buffets is home to the largest cheese selection in the world, in a restaurant with over 100 varieties of cheese.
When it comes to sweet treats there is a cake section, with a towering chocolate fountain.
Classic desserts make an appearance as well, such as creme caramel and black forest gateau with candied cherries.
Flamed desserts are available too, like crepes, rum bananas and baked Alaska.
Or opt for some classic ice cream or sorbet.
The restaurant has over 32,000 reviews on Google, equalling an average rating of 4.5 stars.
One recent visitor said: “You don’t come here just for the food.
“It’s about the whole experience which is totally ridiculous and fun.
“While it wasn’t the best buffet food I’ve ever had, the showmanship and atmosphere really do make up for it.”
Another added: “It is a feast for once in a lifetime.”
The restaurant is located in Narbonne, a town in south France on the Canal de la Robine.
If visiting, the town has some other lovely spots to explore such as the Gothic Cathédrale Saint-Just et Saint-Pasteur, which started construction back in the 13th century but was never finished.
For some history, head to the Archbishop’s Palace which is home to a number of archaeological and art museums.
And if it is sunny, you can explore Plage de Narbonne beach which has golden sand and clear waters.
One of the world’s most expensive buffets is in the UK
THE Sun’s assistant travel editor, Sophie Swietochowski tried out one of the world’s most expensive buffets and here is what she thought.
The Grove Hotel in Hertfordshire went viral earlier last year when TikTok foodies discovered its Glasshouse restaurant where everyone dines en masse, but in five-star luxury.
Costing a whopping £82 per person at the weekend, there is certainly enough to choose from.
After several, overly-generous spoonfuls of caviar, a few servings of beetroot-cured salmon and seven superbly crafted sushi rolls, decorated with dainty herbs, I felt I’d made a good dent in “getting my money‘s worth” – a statement that had been thrown back and forth between my buffet partner, Mum, and I.
The shellfish section was part of one of 10 dining areas at the buffet.
There was a sushi station with hand-made California rolls placed delicately alongside huge tubs of wasabi and seaweed salads.
If all this isn’t enough to wrap your head around, you can also order directly from the chefs, doting on each station, when there is something in particular that you fancy that isn’t on display.
The desserts – including a chocolate fountain and fruit for dipping, rows of perfectly wobbly creme brûlées and a freezer containing all manner of ice cream flavours – are in a section on their own, so you don’t even need to ponder those choices until you’ve satisfied your savoury stomach.
In other buffet news, these are the little-known way hotels are trying to make you eat less at the breakfast buffet.
Plus, 10 tips to enjoy your holiday buffet without gaining extra pounds – from plate size to eating that dessert.