About
La Villa-Saint-Jean
An exceptional establishment nestled on the corniche
Formerly Le Roc Saint Jean, renamed La Villa Saint Jean in 2022, this establishment with a rich history has reinvented itself to become an exceptional place by the ocean. Thanks to extensive renovation work, it is now a must-visit site for your gourmet meals and sea-view stays.
Karine Buchy
A native of Les Sables d'Olonne, Karine BUCHY grew up in La Pironnière quarter and studied hotel management in La Rochelle. She then traveled around the world to manage the hotel services of Club Med. Back in France, she managed teams in some of the most beautiful Parisian hotels.
Alongside her partner, upon returning to Vendée, she made a name for herself by managing the restaurant La Chabotterie for 15 years, earning 2 stars in the Michelin Guide. She then built a 4-star hotel on land adjacent to the restaurant, the first Relais & Châteaux in Vendée.
In 2022, she returned to Les Sables d’Olonne and embarked on this new project by purchasing Le Roc Saint Jean, this building erected in 1928 and nestled on its rocky promontory near the Abbaye d’Orbestier, overlooking the Atlantic Ocean facing the starting line of the Vendée Globe.
With the passion recognised by all, she opened her establishment to the public, renamed La Villa Saint Jean, a magnificent restaurant attached to a 20-room hotel, to start the summer season in 2022.
Chef Bruno Cornu
Bruno Cornu was trained alongside great names such as Pierre Gagnaire or Michel Rostang. Possessing a solid culinary culture, he likes to quote chef Paul Bocuse, recalling his declaration: "Good cuisine is when you lift the lid, it steams, it smells good, and you want to serve yourself again."
Formerly at the Crillon, having worked in Paris, London, Atlanta, and Luxembourg, this chef from Nantes offers instinctive, elegant, and inspired cuisine, where each dish tells a story.
He finally met Karine Buchy and decided to join her restaurant, La Villa Saint Jean, in Les Sables d’Olonne in September 2024 because, as he says: "one day, you have to come full circle."
Chef Bruno Cornu offers high-quality cuisine, which he calls "cuisine from Bocage to the Coast." Inspired by his journey and the Vendée terroir (Land-Sea), he crafts his dishes to enhance the noble and local products through refined and accomplished cuisine. He wants his cuisine to reflect his personal roots, the source of his inspiration that spans from La Chaume to Nantes, where he first began his culinary career.
The arrival of Bruno Cornu marks the upscaling of the Restaurant at La Villa Saint Jean. A new gourmet and gastronomic cuisine takes its place in this oceanic gem.
