George Clooney joins celebrated hotelier for new venture close to French family farm

George Clooney is adding another feather to his cap – restaurateur.

The multi-hyphenate is collaborating with Canadian hotelier Graham Porter on a new Italian restaurant in the picturesque French village of Cotignac, miles from the sprawling estate where he has settled with wife Amal, 48, and their nine-year-old twins Ella and Alexander.

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The restaurant is set to open in early 2027, and Cotignac mayor Jean-Pierre Véran has confirmed George's involvement. However, according to the Daily Mail, George's name does not yet appear on municipal paperwork

Mr Porter is the owner of the nearby Lou Calen hotel, a terraced eco-resort that was a celebrated celebrity hideaway before it reopened in 2021. Renovation work is already underway at the former Les 3 Marches site at 11 Cours Gambetta, where the new restaurant will sit.

© Lou Calen Hotel

The new business venture will be situated around 12 miles from Domaine du Canadel, the wine estate George and Amal purchased in 2021 and where Oscar winner George confirmed in 2025 that the pair were now raising their twins after a decade in Italy.

"We live on a farm in France. A good portion of my life growing up was on a farm, and as a kid I hated the whole idea of it," he told Esquire. "But now, for them, it's like - they're not on their iPads, you know? They have dinner with grown-ups and have to take their dishes in. They have a much better life."

© Getty Images for Finch & Partner

Amal and George became French citizens in December 2025.

However in August the pair were forced to flee their home as wildfires ravaged the region. The couple, along with around 600 other residents, evacuated the historic village of Brignoles when a wildfire broke out and burned around 320 acres.

The mayor of Brignoles, Didier Brémond, confirmed on July 30, 2026, that all residents could return home. George, 65, and Amal's 18th-century mansion was spared from the blaze, however the couple pledged their support to the village in the aftermath.

In a letter addressed to the mayor, the Ocean's Eleven actor said he and Amal, 48, were "committed to making sure that whatever

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As well as the farm in France, the A-list couple owns a 17th-century Grade-II listed building in Sonning Eye in the UK, and have kept their Lake Como villa, which George bought for $10 million in 2002. The value has since soared in value, largely in part to George's purchasing the adjacent property, turning his home into an entire Como complex.

Very few pictures have been shared of the sprawling 25-room property – comprised of Villa Oleandra and the adjoining Art Nouveau Villa Margherita – with the mayor of Laglio previously warning that anyone who comes within 100 meters of the villa on land or sea could be fined up to €500.

However, celebrity astrologer Angela Pearl spent the evening at their lakeside home earlier in 2026 and shared a series of stunning photographs that gave insight into the grounds. The home boasts lush foliage that ensures privacy, while each window has a classic Juliet balcony.

An outdoor pool was highlighted with deep green umbrellas and plush sun loungers to make the space look like a five-star resort.