George Clooney, 65, is preparing to open an Italian restaurant in the village of Cotignac in southern France, not far from his home, according to reports in the British press. If all goes according to plan, the restaurant is expected to open in spring 2027.
Clooney is advancing the venture together with Canadian businessman Graham Porter, who owns a hotel in the area. The restaurant will operate in a building that previously housed a local eatery, and renovation work has already begun. Details such as the restaurant's name, menu and chef have not yet been disclosed, and official plans have not yet been submitted to the authorities.
The Clooney family's new life
The choice to open a restaurant in southern France is hardly surprising. In recent years, Clooney and his wife Amal, a human rights lawyer, have spent a significant portion of their time in the region, after purchasing a country estate near Brignoles in 2021. Last December, the couple and their two children, nine-year-old twins Ella and Alexander, received French citizenship.
In an interview with Esquire magazine, Clooney said that life in France allows him and his family to enjoy a quieter routine, away from the Hollywood spotlight.
"We live on a farm in France," he said. "They're not on their iPads all the time. They eat dinner with adults and have to clear their plates. They have a much better life."
According to him, one of the main reasons for the move was the desire for his children to grow up in an environment where they would not have to deal with their parents' fame. Clooney admitted he was concerned about raising them in Los Angeles, where they might have found themselves constantly compared to other celebrity children.
