Introduced in 1900, the guide was not published during the two World Wars or in 1921, this year the MICHELIN guide France is celebrating its centennial.

From a small, 400-page red guide distributed free of charge to motorists and containing a wealth of useful information on such topics as tire changes and vehicle maintenance, the MICHELIN guide has developed over the years to become the benchmark in gourmet dining, a more than 2,000-page guide that offers a selection of nearly 8,500 establishments, to help travelers in their journeys.

The mission of the MICHELIN guide, which has always been the same as that of the Michelin group, is summed up in its corporate signature—"A better way forward."

The centennial edition of the guide provides a unique opportunity to celebrate all different types of cuisine, which is why Michelin is organizing"Le Mois Gourmand" (Month of Fine Dining). For a month, from March 9 to April 5, some 900 restaurants featured in the MICHELIN guide France 2009 will help celebrate the event with special "100th edition" offers. These include affordably priced menus, visits to food markets, guided tours of wine cellars with tastings, and special deals on wines and cooking classes.

To take advantage of these offers, the customer shows the restaurant manager a pass that has been inserted in every copy of the MICHELIN guide France 2009. The pass is valid for two people and can be used and re-used in all restaurants taking part in "Le Mois Gourmand".

To celebrate the 100 editions of the MICHELIN guide France published since 1900, Michelin has also commissioned 100 covers for the 2009 guide featuring original artwork.

For the occasion 100 well-established artists and art school students selected through a competition have created their own versions of the cover to the MICHELIN guide. Each of these unique works of art was sponsored by a chef who has been awarded stars by the guide. These highly artistic guides will be displayed in leading bookshops throughout France beginning on March 5, the date that the MICHELIN guide France 2009 goes on sale.

A website—see at the end of this article—has also been created especially for the centennial edition of the MICHELIN guide and will be up and running as of March 2. It will provide access to a list of all restaurants taking part in "Le Mois Gourmand" and to their exclusive offers. It will also feature the 100 artistic editions of the guide and a list of the bookshops in which they are displayed.

On the occasion of the release of its 100th edition, the MICHELIN guide has become more visible than ever, with the selection now accessible via mobile telephones—including the iPhone. The restaurants featured in the MICHELIN guide France, as well as in all other European guides, can now be accessed at the App Store from an iPhone or iPod Touch or via iTunes from a computer, with prices beginning at €€7.99.

In just a few seconds and a few clicks, iPhone users can not only select and reserve their restaurant but also provide feedback on their choice, sharing their opinions—"warm welcome," "good value for the money" or more detailed remarks—with other iPhone users or visitors to the viamichelin.com website.

In another new development, the contents of Michelin's hotel & restaurant and tourist guides (MICHELIN guides and Green guides) for Europe and the United States will be available later this year on Nokia telephones using Nokia Maps 3.0 software.

The selection of restaurants in the MICHELIN guide France 2009 reflects the vitality of the country's cuisine. This is the first time in many years that so many restaurants have been awarded their first star—a total of 63 in the new guide. The selection also includes 86 new Bib Gourmand restaurants offering excellent value for money, with menus priced at less than €29 outside the Paris area and €35 in the capital. The new edition features nearly as many Bib Gourmand restaurants (527) as "starred" restaurants (548).

The selection in the MICHELIN guide France 2009 also reflects a growing interest among chefs for local produce.

The MICHELIN guide France 2009 is available in two versions: one with a 100th edition collector's cover (€24.00) and a numbered edition in a boxed set (€34.50) that includes a previously unpublished book featuring all the three-star restaurants in the 2009 guide worldwide. The book, which includes many photographs, allots four pages to each chef and to his career path, restaurant and cuisine.

MICHELIN guide France 2009: Key Figures:

• Number of establishments: 8,499, of which 4,429 hotels, 539 guesthouses and 3,531 restaurants
• Number of restaurants awarded stars: 548, of which 26 with three stars (1 new), 73 with two stars (9 new) and 449 with one star (63 new)
• Number of restaurants awarded the Bib Gourmand label: 527, of which 86 awarded the distinction for the first time
• Number of Bib Hotel: 293, of which 26 awarded the distinction for the first time
• Number of Rising Stars: 19, of which 14 for a first star and 5 for a second
• Sale price: €24 for the guide and €34.50 for the boxed set (on sale beginning March 5)
• The English-language versions of the MICHELIN guide France 2009 and the MICHELIN guide Paris 2009 will go on sale on March 18, 2009.

Released alongside the MICHELIN guide France, the MICHELIN guide Paris 2009 includes an updated selection of hotels and restaurants, of which 20% are appearing for the first time. The listing features 21 new Bib Gourmand restaurants (out of a total of 57), as well as 15 new bistros. In addition, cooking styles from around the world (such as Spain, Italy and Asia) make up more than 20% of the selection.

The guide also lists 65 "starred" restaurants, of which 10 with three stars, 14 with two stars and 41 with one star. In total, this edition selects 416 restaurants and 60 hotels. Another practical feature for Parisians as well as tourists: the MICHELIN guide Paris 2009 includes a list of around 60 restaurants with terraces for warm-weather outdoor dining and a list of 140 restaurants with menus priced at less than €30. The MICHELIN guide Paris 2009 goes on sale on March 5 for €14.50.

For more information: www.guide-michelin-centieme.com