Gourmet back-to-school surprise: star chef Cyril Lignac will take the reins of the legendary Lucas Carton, Place de la Madeleine. As of September 25, 2026, he will sign the card of this Parisian institution, now owned by the Lapérouse Holding group.
For the chef as for the house, the challenge is heavy. Ex-starred with his restaurant, closed in 2019, Cyril Lignac embodies warm and popular cuisine. For his part, Lucas Carton has been seeking for years to rediscover his cult aura.
Cyril Lignac facing the Lucas Carton monument and his legacy
Born in the 19th century, based on Place de la Madeleine, Lucas Carton won three Michelin stars in 1933. In 1985, Alain Senderens turned it into a food and wine pairing laboratory. In 2005, he gave up his three stars to make his table more accessible.
After his departure, Julien Dumas and then Hugo Bourny maintained a Michelin star without making the address essential again. A fine connoisseur of Parisian restaurants warns, quoted by Food et Sens: , before specifying: In this Art Nouveau decor by Louis Majorelle, many wonder:
Why Lapérouse Holding chose Cyril Lignac for Lucas Carton
In June 2026, the house joined Lapérouse Holding, the group of Benjamin Patou and Antoine Arnault, already at the head of Lapérouse, Prunier and Lafayette’s, which takes over heritage places to give them contemporary appeal. Focusing on iconic addresses is part of their roadmap.
With Cyril Lignac, the group relies on a chef capable of filling rooms thanks to his television visibility, his pastries and his already established bistros. From September 25, the Lucas Carton offering will bear his signature, with an orientation described as bistronomic, close to the spirit of his restaurant rather than an immediate return to three-star haute cuisine.
A high-risk challenge for Cyril Lignac and for Parisians
The new owners are not talking about a quick reconquest of the three stars, but of a lively, more relaxed Parisian house. For Cyril Lignac, the equation consists of respecting a monument of haute cuisine while remaining faithful to his immediate and readable cuisine.
For Parisians, this Lucas Carton Lignac version could become a new party event as well as a life-size test for the future of large historic theaters. The start of the school year will tell whether the popularity of the chef and the know-how of Lapérouse Holding are enough to bring life back to Place de la Madeleine in the long term.
When does the Cyril Lignac version of Lucas Carton reopen?
The reopening is announced for September 25, 2026, Place de la Madeleine in Paris.
Will Lucas Carton remain a Michelin-starred gourmet restaurant?
The house retained a star under Hugo Bourny; the new owners are not aiming for an immediate reconquest.
Who now owns the Lucas Carton restaurant?
Since June 2026, Lucas Carton has belonged to the Lapérouse Holding group of Benjamin Patou and Antoine Arnault.
