In January, news of the imminent closure of the fine dining restaurant La Villa de Camilla et Julien spread like wildfire among gourmands.
After the closures of Pavillon Eden Rose and An der Villa, it was a shaking time for Luxembourg’s gastronomy scene. Chef Julien Lucas said at the time, however, that the restaurant would remain open until it found new owners.
Plans have now changed. “The restaurant is no longer for sale,” co-owner Camille Tardif said on Monday, when asked about when the restaurant might close. “We have decided to stay in Pulvermuhl because we feel at home there. La Villa de Camille and Julien will remain and will not change its address.”
Upgrade the neighbourhood
At the beginning of the year, Lucas complained that, in addition to the changing leisure habits of Luxembourgers, the increased operating costs and the difficulties in finding qualified staff, the restaurant was also struggling with some decisions made by the City of Luxembourg. “The succession of events really made me wonder whether they didn’t even want us to leave,” said the restaurant owner.
In the meantime, however, the owners have adopted a much more conciliatory tone about the decisions made by the city authorities. “The neighbourhood is currently experiencing a nice revival with promising measures on the part of the City of Luxembourg,” said Tardif. These include the extension of the car park opposite her restaurant, as well as the expansion of the cycle path.
The couple are also satisfied with their customers. “Our business is going well, we continue to welcome our regular customers and new customers are arriving every day.”
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The two entrepreneurs are even hoping for a further upswing in the coming weeks. “The game season is returning, a season that my husband and I love very much,” said Tardif, noting that game suits Lucas’s cooking well. “To the great delight of our guests, his famous Lièvre à la Royale is back on the menu,” she said.
A speciality of French cuisine, Lucas won a world championship title for it in 2022.
(This article was published by the Luxemburger Wort. Machine translated, with editing and adaptation by Alex Stevensson.)
