A PRIVATE chef whose customers include French ministers and Sir Richard Branson, has swapped the boulevards of Paris for the lanes of North Yorkshire ahead of the arrival of the Tour de France.

Yves Quemerais, 45, has moved to Knaresborough with his wife Anne and teenage children Thomas and Marie, to launch a business providing authentic French haute cuisine for parties and functions as excitement for all things French builds in the area.

Mr Quemerais trained under chef Alain Ducasse, who has 21 Michelin stars, and has served dishes such as turbot beurre blanc to the Virgin tycoon.

He said he decided to base his business in the county after falling in love with the Victorian architecture and rolling hills.

Mrs Quemerais said the French Chef at Home business would focus on classic dishes such as boeuf bourguignon, cassoulet and bouillabaisse.

She said: “Since we arrived we’ve seen French flags everywhere, which has made us very proud.”