Practical Information / FAQ

Dans le Noir ? is much more than a restaurant; it's a unique sensory, convivial, and human experience. You will enjoy a 100% surprise menu in total darkness, allowing you to rediscover gastronomy from a new angle, using your other senses.

This concept aims to awaken your perceptions, offer a new perspective on taste, and raise awareness of inclusion and diversity. Our visually impaired guide-waiters accompany you throughout this culinary adventure, allowing you to experience total immersion and a profoundly human and moving experience.

Yes, absolutely! There isn't a hint of light, not even a candle. Total darkness is essential for the experience, which is why we ask you to leave all light sources, such as lighters, phones, cameras, and even watches (even those that are not connected), in the free cloakrooms or lockers provided.

To ensure the safety and fluidity of the experience, you must also leave your coat, bag, or any other object there. This prevents any clutter or risk of loss in the dark, which could create a dangerous safety hazard for our teams and other guests.
This way, you can fully enjoy the experience in a safe environment without light distractions.

Yes, the first few minutes may be unsettling for some, but most of our guests adapt very quickly to this new perception. Our guides, experts in darkness, are here to accompany you, put you at ease, and reassure you throughout the experience.

More than just an immersion, it's a sensory adventure that challenges our usual frame of reference and invites us to rethink our relationship with the senses, flavours, others, and difference. An experience that is both enriching and fascinating!

Dining in the dark is a unique, fun, and discovery-filled experience! While it may seem strange at first, you quickly get used to it. In the absence of sight, our other senses—such as hearing, touch, and smell—take over and help us adapt. Our guide-waiters are here to guide you, offer tips, and support you throughout the experience.

In just a few minutes, you will adjust your bearings and discover how your ability to adapt gradually increases by temporarily removing a dominant sense. To fully enjoy this sensory adventure, we recommend wearing non-precious clothing, just to avoid any stress in case of a small accident. Like in any restaurant, we provide napkins to protect your clothes. Don't worry, accidents are rare. Our teams make sure everything goes smoothly. So, relax and fully enjoy this unforgettable experience!

At Dans le Noir ?, the experience is both sensory and friendly. Darkness allows us to erase social conventions and question our prejudices. This is why, since 2004, we have chosen shared tables to encourage exchanges and stimulate encounters.

If you come as a group or couple, you will be seated together, but next to other guests sharing the same adventure. Who knows who you will be sitting next to? Some of our guests have been surprised to find themselves seated next to celebrities, actors, singers, politicians, directors, and even members of the British royal family! Dans le Noir ? restaurant is a place where even celebrities find a little anonymity to breathe.

At first, it may seem surprising, but darkness makes it possible to overcome shyness and break down social barriers. Sharing this experience with strangers often becomes a very enriching and unexpected moment.

Of course, we understand requests for individual tables, but shared tables are an integral part of the experience. Let yourself be surprised by this spontaneous conviviality that is no longer so common. After the meal, many extend the experience around a cocktail or coffee to exchange more.

Simply by calling them by their first name. The guide will be introduced to you before entering the dark room. Don't raise your hand, as you may have to wait... for a very long time!

For obvious safety reasons, it is prohibited to move alone in the dark room! This could endanger other guests or the waiters. Our guide-waiters need clear spaces to work around the tables. If you need to move, whether it is to go to the restrooms or exit, let your guide know by calling them by their name. They will accompany you outside the room safely.

In general, you spend about 1h30 to 2h in the dark room. This can vary depending on the group, how fast you eat, the service, or even the restaurant you are in.

Yes, of course! At the end of your experience in the dark, when you leave the room, our team reveals everything you tasted during the meal. This moment is always full of surprises and often accompanied by bursts of laughter as you discover the ingredients and flavours you perceived in a completely different way. A real sensory revelation!

For groups, we can accommodate a maximum of 8 people per table. This number may vary in the event of privatisation.

We can accommodate up to 36 people in the dark room. If you are more than 36, we can offer you alternative solutions. Contact us to discuss it:

• By phone at +41 78 265 86 42
• Via the contact form.

To fully enjoy our experience, we use shared tables. We do not offer tables exclusively for 2 people. This is the perfect opportunity to meet other people and experience a truly unique adventure!

When booking online, don't forget to mention your dietary restrictions or allergies with the first name of the person concerned. Upon arrival, our team will ask you again, and our chef will accommodate your needs. Make sure to remind your guide of your restrictions when they bring your dish to you in the dark room. Feel free to mention your allergies as many times as necessary!

Of course, just like allergies, you just need to mention your specific diet when booking and the chef will adapt the menu accordingly.

Yes, the Dans le Noir ? restaurant in Geneva has been made accessible to everyone despite the nature of this old building (the disabled toilets had to be moved to the neighbouring sensory space), whether you are in a wheelchair, with crutches, or have other specific needs. Don't forget to let us know when you book so that we can adapt the experience to your needs. We are here to ensure that everyone can fully enjoy the adventure!

Of course! We welcome children from 6 years old with pleasure. They are often more enthusiastic than adults! However, we leave it to the parents to judge whether their children are ready for this experience (for example, if they are afraid of the dark). We simply ask that they be accompanied and under the responsibility of an adult. In case of any problems during the experience, our team will take care of them so that they keep a good memory.

Not particularly. Most blind people live this experience daily, which reduces the interest of the experience for them. However, those who come often find it's a great way to share an aspect of their daily lives with their friends and family. It is also an effective way to make sighted people aware of their reality.

For safety reasons, pets are not allowed in the dark room. However, you can come with a guide dog! For the comfort of the guide dog, its safety and that of the guests and waiters, it will not be able to accompany you in the dark room, but it will be well taken care of in a dedicated space in the light of our restaurant.

Dans le Noir ? is an inclusive company that hires without discrimination. We select our waiters primarily for their skills and motivation. While the majority of our staff in the dining room is made up of blind or visually impaired people, it is because they are the best suited to guide our guests in total darkness, an environment they are familiar with.

This experience offers a reversal of roles: in daily life, we are accustomed to helping blind people, but here, they accompany us and reassure us. It challenges our assumptions, invites us to recognise competence beyond appearances and encourages us to value differences.

In our establishments, we prioritise expertise, kindness and the human aspect above all.

For obvious reasons of hygiene and safety, the kitchen is lit so that our team can prepare delicious dishes with fresh ingredients. We make every effort to offer you a culinary experience that is both tasty and unique.

Chefs and kitchen staff are recruited based on their professional skills and experience. Their culinary expertise is at the heart of the quality of the dishes we serve.

At the Dans le Noir ? Geneva restaurant, we employ 5 blind or visually impaired guide-waiters. Internationally, nearly a hundred people with visual disabilities work in our restaurants, spas and sensory spaces, representing about half of our staff.

We operate in an ordinary environment, without specific aid or subsidies. Dans le Noir ? is a company like any other, where all employees have the same rights and duties.

Beyond the service in the dining room, visually impaired people occupy various key roles:

• Events and entertainment: Blind experts are involved in corporate events, receptions, product launches, sensory workshops, brainstormings, but also for private occasions such as birthdays, bachelor parties or Christmas parties.
• Training and supervision: Some evolve as training guides, ensuring the integration of new employees and training in the context of opening new establishments.
• Positions of responsibility: Didier Roche, one of the co-founders of the group, is blind, and several of our consultants, experts and trainers in France, England and Europe are also visually impaired.
• Well-being and sensory discovery: In our Spas in Paris and Bordeaux, all practitioners, including the Director, are visually impaired. Our perfume discovery workshops and our sensory Escape Game are also led by blind or visually impaired people.

Thus, Dans le Noir ? does not only offers an immersive experience, but also actively contributes to the professional inclusion of people with visual disabilities, by valuing their expertise and talents.

At Dans le Noir ?, we offer gastronomic cuisine that is both innovative and eclectic. Our chefs take great pride in playing with flavours, fragrances, textures and temperatures to offer you an unforgettable sensory experience.

The surprise menus are specially designed for this unique experience in the dark, taking you on an unparalleled sensory journey. Before being served, all our dishes are meticulously tested in total darkness by our chefs, guides and sensory experts to ensure a harmonious and immersive experience.

The menus are regularly renewed, approximately every 3 months, to surprise you with each visit.

To find out the detailed prices of our options and menus, we invite you to consult the Menu.

The price of the Dans le Noir ? experience reflects several unique elements:

• Specific safety requirements, requiring tailored organisation.
• A larger area than in a traditional restaurant, ensuring comfort and fluidity.
• A larger team, including specially trained guide-waiters.
• A menu crafted from fresh and high-quality products.

Beyond just a meal, Dans le Noir ? offers a unique immersive and sensory experience. The additional cost related to this experience is estimated at around 15 CHF per person compared to a traditional restaurant of the same range.

Yes, absolutely! Offer your loved ones a unique, memorable and meaningful culinary experience.

To order a gift card, visit our online store. You can then choose a gift card, for example one of the menus offered in our restaurant or other experiences of the brand that will please your loved ones twice: when they receive the gift and when they come to live this unique experience.

Thus, you can instantly receive your electronic gift card by email. In addition, these will be available in your customer area in the "my gift cards" tab to download them in PDF.

Your order will be taken in the light upon arrival at the beginning of the experience. At that time, you will have the option to add drinks if you wish. You can also order drinks during the experience by asking your waiter-guide.

All our menus are "surprises", designed to awaken your senses in a unique way. But don't worry, they are adapted to your dietary requirements and allergies, which you will have specified when booking. These details will be verified upon your arrival at the restaurant. We also encourage you to remind your guide-waiter of your restrictions when they bring your dish, even though they should already be informed, to avoid any misunderstandings.

This way, you can fully enjoy the experience with complete peace of mind!

To give you an idea of our cuisine, you can check out the previous menus we have served, which are published on our Facebook page!

 The safety of our guests is our priority. Since 2004, we have welcomed more than three million people worldwide in our establishments, without any major accidents.

To guarantee a serene experience:

• Our equipment is specially adapted and complies with safety standards in collaboration with local authorities in each city.
• In case of emergency, soft lights can turn on automatically or be activated manually by a team member, trained in these situations.
• Emergency exits and safety equipment are regularly checked to ensure their perfect functioning.
• Our guide-waiters and all staff members receive thorough and regular training in safety and customer management in total darkness. They are prepared to accompany each guest with kindness and to react effectively to any unforeseen situation.

You can therefore fully enjoy your experience, with peace of mind!

 That would be an… original experience, but rest assured, they are well lit!

We recommend that our guests go before starting the experience to avoid any interruption. However, if necessary, you can go at any time:

1. Call your guide by their first name and ask them to escort you to the lit area.
2. After your visit to the sanitary facilities, wait by the curtain, our team will call your guide to take you back to your seat in the dark room.

All information about our news and special events is available on our website:

• News
• Private events

You can also follow us on our social networks to stay informed:

• Facebook
• Instagram
• LinkedIn 
• Tripadvisor

Absolutely! Dans le Noir ? is one of the most powerful team building tools, combining team cohesion and awareness of inclusion. It is also an ideal experience for brands to discover a product from a unique sensory angle.

Dans le Noir ? restaurant is ideal for corporate events, whether for:

• A friendly moment with colleagues,
• A welcome or farewell dinner,
• A year-end celebration,
• A success to celebrate,
• A meal with clients to strengthen relationships,

We offer solutions adapted to your needs:

• Privatisations for lunch or dinner in the dark,
• In addition to the meal, we also offer sensory activities (e.g. pictionary in the dark, blind test, scent lotto, mystery boxes…)

You can also offer the Dans le Noir ? experience as a gift to your employees or clients with our gift cards and boxes, available on our website and in our establishments.

Our team is at your disposal to assist you in organising your tailor-made event!

For all corporate group requests, you can contact the Dans le Noir ? Geneva restaurant team via our contact form so that our team can offer you a project and a quote.

All information concerning our B2B offer is also available on our website:

• B2B Offer
• By video

We highly recommend that you reserve online in advance. You can check real-time availability online.

If you have any questions, feel free to contact us via the form.

The Dans le Noir ? restaurant in Geneva is open every Friday, Saturday and Sunday for dinner from 6.30pm.

The restaurant can also be open during the week for lunch and be fully or partially privatised upon request, subject to availability and the number of guests. For more information, contact our team via the form.

Restaurant Genève is located at The Ritz Carlton Hôtel de la Paix, Quai du Mont-Blanc 11, 1201 Geneva, Switzerland.

The Dans le Noir ? Genève, located within the Ritz-Carlton Hotel de la Paix, is easily accessible by public transport.

The Genève, Molard (lines 2 and 7) and Genève, Alpes (lines 6 and 8) bus stops are 2 and 3 minutes' walk respectively.

The Geneva-Cornavin train station is about a 10-minute walk away (500m), offering a convenient connection for travelers arriving by train. The airport can be reached in 15 minutes by car.

Yes to Parking des Alpes - 12 rue Thalberg Geneva.

Our digital gift cards offer two reception options:

• Receive them directly by email
• Send them to the recipient's email address on a date of your choice (programmable up to 10 days after purchase).

Once you receive your gift card by email, youwill find a 3-page PDF, also accessible from your customer account on danslenoir.com.

You can then present it in two formats:

• Classic format (page 1): A one-page gift card, ready to be printed and gifted.
• Creative format (page 2): A gift card to cut and fold for a guaranteed surprise effect!

A video tutorial is also available as a QR code (page 3) on your gift card to guide you in assembling the creative format.

If your gift card has expired, you can extend it for an additional 2 months from its original expiration date for a fee of 15€.

Example: If today is the 15th February and your gift card expired on the 3rd February, you can extend it and use it until the 3rd April.

This extension can be done directly from your customer account on danslenoir.com.

⚠️ After the 2-month extension period, it will no longer be possible to use or extend your gift card.