Hi all, first of all - this is my first post here at egulett - although I'm watching you guys for a while. You got a great discussion forum with much interesting information. As for Mr. Briffard - I've managed to eat at his former restaurant - Le Regence in the Plaza Athenee (yes, Le) "par hasard". The only reason I went there is that I heard rumors saying that this restaurant is going to get its second "macaron" in the Michelin 2000 guide. During lunch, the "maitre d'hotel" asked me whether I heard these rumors, and was very surprised when I said that I heard them two weeks ago (actually, I didn't hear them, I only read them in the web - at the time it wasn't that popular in France.) He was so stunned - that from this point he gave us a special treatment. I must say that the lunch we ate there was one of the best my wife and me ever had, even when comparing to dinners in other "starred" restaurants. I compare him to Eric Frechon from Bristol, who is - from my point of view - one of the most elegant/creative chefs I know. When we returned to Paris few months later - the resraurant was closed due to the replacement of Briffard by Ducasse. Ever since I'm trying to track him, with no much success. There were rumors that he moved to Drouant - but this deal never realized. Now, I hope he'll last there at least unril the end of January - so that we'll have the opprtunity to eat again from his marvelous cuisine. Besides - there is a question: did anybody ever sleeped at the Beaugraviere at Mondragon? We intend to eat, drink and stay there for two nights next January, and would like to know whether the rooms are comfortable enough.