Am wondering where to eat in Vezelay. I know L'Esperance is supposedly very good but I fear that dinner would be approximately $145 per person U.S. I'm hoping for suggestions for cafe and restaurants that are somewhat reasonable, although does not have to be necessarily cheap. We are staying at Vezelay that evening. Much thanks.

I'm also wondering as we are going to Vezelay in the fall. Looking for something more reasonable than L'Esperance!

The red Michelin Guide recommends the Poste et Lion d'Or, which has meals beginining at around 20 €. In nearby Pierre-Perthuis is Les Deux Ponts--about the same price range.

If occurs to me that you might have better luck by going over to Avallon, which has a better selection of moderately priced restaurants. Vézelay is fairly small, thus the limited number.

Let me recommend my favorite in the area, where I experienced my first (rare to find) triute Bleu.
The Moulin Des Ruats.

Underhill's suggestion is listed as a landmark, hardly as aged as nearby Basilique Ste-Madelaine. Duck terrine or snails in a chablis sauce, yummy!

We were glad we didn't know why the trout was blue until after we had eaten it....

If the fish is not twisted and blue, you know it was not just plucked from the water. I have seen restaurants try to peddle their dish as blue trout but once you have tasted and seen it, you will know. The moulin is also where MFK FISHER had her first truite bleu.

Much thanks, I will now do research on all these suggestions. Thanks again for your time. I plan to do a post when I return in June, as to where we stayed and had meals, etc., in the hopes that it will be of some use to others, as this site has been very helpful to me in my many plans for France.

We had a delicious lunch at le Poste et Lion D'or in Vezelay many years ago. Your post brings back wonderful memories. Have a great trip.

Agree that the Moulin des Ruats is wonderful. We stayed there two nights and had a couple of great dinners - and at a reasonable price.

I also highly recommend the Moulin des Ruats - I had a wonderful meal there in October, and it's also a lovely place to spend the night. I wished I had been there more than one night.

In October, the Hotel de la Poste & Lion d'or did not have a restaurant that was open - only breakfast. I had planned to stay there until I changed my find for the Moulin des Ruats, and that's what they told me. Maybe there had closed for the season, I don't know.

Well, Fodorites, why not go onto Fodor.com and research. I did and
here is a recommended inexpensive restaurant: : Le Bougainville, 11-17 Euros, old house with fireplace. Closed Weds, no dinner Tues.

Isn't there a really fancy gourmet restuarant nearby in St. Pere sous Vezelaly?

Yes, that's L'Esperance that liko is looking to find an alternative to. We stayed years ago at Moulin des Ruats and also had truite bleu. Thanks for bringing back wonderful memories. A great place.

Based on the recommendation of a knowledgeable Francophile, we had a delightful and reasonable lunch at the Relais des Gourmets in Avallon last October.
Here's their website: http://perso.wanadoo.fr/relais-des-gourmets/

Dear Liko,
Last Sept we visited Vezelay and had lunch at a lovely restaurant right on the main street leading to the cathedral. The name was Saint Etienne. Absolutley wonderful!! Food and Service was impeccable and prices were quite reasonable. Website www.le-saint-etienne.fr
Enjoy Vezelay
Diane P

L'Esperance is a fabulous experience but it will probably be close to US$250 per person by the time you get out of there as opposed to $145. I had one of my most memorable dinners ever 2 years ago when I was there. It also has extremely formal Michelin-star type service that my husband and I found a bit off-putting but the food was unbelievably good.
Le Lion d'Or seemed fine. There is also a little shop on the main road leading up to the basilica that you can buy bread and cheese to have a picnic.

Diane P - thanks so much for mentioning the restaurant St. Entienne - and the website. I thought the name sounded vaguely familiar - I looked back at my album, and sure enough, we ate there in 1998! I loved reading all about the history of the restaurant - we thought we remembered that they had not been open too long when we were there - and according to the website, the chef left Paris sometime in 1997. Anyway, we were excited to read all this, and are planning to be in Vezelay again in Oct. So we will try to eat there this trip! (The restaurant was closed when we were there in 1999 - we happened to be there on a day they weren't open).