Vaucluse
For fine dining in Vaison, this is everyone's tip. The setting is full of atmosphere, in a vaulted cellar in the medieval city (once the château stables),…
Must-see restaurants in France
The Dordogne
It's well worth stopping in the nondescript village of Couze St-Front for the warm welcome and riverside dining at Au Fil de l'Eau. Jazzy tunes tinkle as…
Montpellier
Drop in to this sweet little gourmet neo-bistro for top-notch market cuisine concocted by a trio of hipsters. The tiny menu changes every day and always…
St-Jean Pied de Port
This two-Michelin-starred restaurant at the Hôtel des Pyrénées is renowned for miles around, and is where chef Firmin Arrambide works wonders with market…
Var
Seek out this farmhouse for the home-cooked cuisine (by husband Jean-Luc) and the warm welcome (by wife Dany). House-made foie gras features frequently,…
Lyon & the Rhône Valley
Overseen by two-Michelin-starred chef Patrick Henriroux, L'Espace PH3 offers an affordable gastronomic menu, serving a small selection of French classics…
Rennes
This very smart bistro garners serious accolades in a city where talent is in no short supply and competition is fierce. The chef has created a choice…
Beaune
Focusing on fresh-from-the-farm meat and vegetables produced within a 100km radius of Beaune, this cosy little restaurant changes its menu daily. Reserve…
Normandy
Young chef Pierre Marion is at the helm of the town's best restaurant, which has been serving Cherbourg gastronomes for over a decade. Expect a lively…
Corsica
With a prime location – and outdoor tables – on gorgeous place Paoli, this wine bar does a brisk trade in salads, cheese and charcuterie platters and…
Colmar
Tucked down a backstreet, this half-timbered house is decorated with milk pails, clogs and an attic’s worth of other rustic knick-knacks. Bright flavours…
Limoges
Book ahead for a spot at this romantic modern restaurant that serves some of the best food in the region. Dishes incorporate fresh seasonal produce from…
Nice
Roast meat is the order of the day here: make your choice from beef, chicken, veal or lamb, and pair it with a choice of mashed or sautéed potatoes,…
Yonne
Adjacent to the clock tower at the entrance to the historic centre, young chefs Laurens and Hélène serve a delicious, unpretentious and ever-changing menu…
The Dordogne
Périgueux’ wonderful street markets explode into action on Wednesday and Saturday, taking over place du Coderc, place de la Clautre and place de l…
The Lot
Figeac's top table is a must for foodies into creative cuisine incorporating fresh, regional ingredients. Choose between beautifully prepared dishes…
Cahors
Book ahead to get a seat in this small, contemporary restaurant that takes its creative, local cuisine quite seriously. The welcome is warm and the…
French Basque Country
Located right on the beach, this terrace with views offers sumptuously created fare featuring local seafood. You can't go wrong if you want to splash out…
Limousin
Reserve ahead for a seat at Brive's top table, where refined, creative local cuisine is served with charm. Dishes arrive looking like small works of art…
Var
Locals travel from miles around to sit at a tree-shaded table on place de la République and feast on daube de boeuf (beef stew), forest mushrooms and…
Camargue
A true local favourite, this isolated cottage restaurant with sage-green wooden shutters is one of the best places to sample genuine Camargue food. Summer…
Parc National du Mercantour
Five kilometres from Allos at an altitude of 1700m, this working farm is a wonderful spot to try true mountain food – all of it homegrown, farm-raised,…
Carcassonne
Robert Rodriguez is an artisan (and character) who works with high-quality, exclusively organic and locally sourced materials. In his atelier du goût …
Dauphiné
It's hard to overstate how seriously this all-Italian baker and chocolate-maker takes its craft. Order a caffè marocchino (espresso with milk foam and…
French Basque Country
This red-and-white half-timbered hotel is characteristic of the architecture of the Basque Country, and its food is equally classic – piment d'Espelette…
Touraine
Expect the kind of meal you came to France for, with exquisite attention to flavours and detail, served in relaxed intimacy. The offerings range from ris…
Brittany
Not your average crêperie, the Breizh Café is renowned for its gourmet crêpes and galettes made from organic flours. The cappuccino-and-cream decor gives…
Var
The Béal is the name of the 15th- to 16th-century canal that brought water 10km to Hyères, which still functions and can be seen at points around the old…
Var
The ultimate summer seafood, suntan and socialisation shack, Chez Jo buzzes with tanned, barefoot beach-lovers, sipping Bandol whites and devouring the…
Aix-en-Provence
It’s all about hearty, honest dining here, with tabletops made out of old wine crates, and a lively chef-patron who runs the place with huge enthusiasm,…
Cannes
Phillipe and Catherine’s prefab cabin on the waterfront is a perfect lunch spot. This is fast-food, Cannes-style – giant salads, toasted panini and the…
Vaucluse
If you suffer from a sweet tooth, it's best not to even step inside this patisserie palace, where the glass cases brim with tempting things – from…
The Luberon
There's a strip of cafes on pretty place de l’Orneau, but Café Gaby is the town's beating heart and soul. It's busy throughout the day – from gentlemen…
Paris
The menu is devised by Tomy Gousset, one of Paris' top chefs, so it's impossible to go wrong in this modern bistro. Food follows the season, with starters…
Carcassonne
Inspired by the market and his region's rich culinary roots, chef Jérémy Thomann has rapidly carved out a grand name for himself at La Table d'Alaïs. The…
Orléans
You’ll get the perfect amuse-bouche with your aperitif upstairs in the salon while you decide on a set of French, Asian and fusion courses, each a…
Antibes
'Beef & Wine' is the strapline of this contemporary wine-bar-styled space, so that should give you some idea of the focus here. It's popular for its…
Bayeux
With a vast expanse of glass in its windows and set with white-painted cast-iron chairs, this sumptuously decorated patisserie and salon de thé (tearoom),…
Perpignan
If only every market was like this. Renovated and now a temple to fresh local produce, this is the kind of place where you pop in for a pastry and emerge…
Var
For an authentic Provençal feast, head east out of La Motte along the D47 to this rustic wine estate on the intersection of the D47 and D25. Taste and buy…
