Since 1971, customers have been fed a taste of France after entering the restaurant and historic home of French Chef Gerard Labrosse, who warmly welcomes customers inside for cozy, candle-lit dining amid white table clothes and soothing French music at Le Lyonnais Restaurant Français in Acton, writes The Beacon.

For the last 45-plus years, Labrosse and his wife of 50 years, Joan, have owned and operated Le Lyonnais Restaurant at 416 Great Road in Acton. The hearty selection of French cuisine, including an affordable prix fixe menu, is served throughout four dinning rooms, with one room's series of windows overlooking a small brook and herb garden in the grassy backyard.

In 1971, the couple eventually found a circa-1850 house outside of Boston in Acton where they could temporarily call home and transform into French dining. Today the lelyonnaisacton.com (which means the "Man from Lyonnais") remains largely unchanged since opening. Gerard continues to delight customers with his mostly organic French country fare and Joan with her classical French décor. Dessert is served on Joan's collection of decorative plates and China.

"A lot of the [decorative plates] are from France. They just have meaning for us... We try to give it a French feeling," said Joan, noting the dinning space is available for rent. "We like Acton and we like this particular place – it has its charm."

What brought you to Acton?

Joan: We started looking for restaurants and we looked in more places than west of Boston, but we did like the west of Boston area. We thought it'd be a good place to raise a family.

How has Le Lyonnais evolved over the years?

Gerard: Acton changed a lot. We've stayed the same.

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