La Bergerie à Menée

Nestled between two lakes, Lac de Laffrey and Lac de Petichet, on the Plateau Matheysin, this stone village house is home to a unique restaurant. After passing by the large open kitchen, you come to the vaulted dining area, which is lit from the floor and has a glassed-in wine cellar and a handful of tables, including a table d'hôte. At the helm, three chefs with MICHELIN stars to their names, who met at restaurant Lamartine – Kevin Mangione, Lunis Chaïb and Théo Doumecq – are now combining their talents. Theirs is creative modern cuisine, made using local produce to showcase the best of the s

As enthusiastic as ever, Guillaume Monjuré (who first came to our attention in Lyon and Corrençon-en-Vercors) plays host to guests in this family-owned barn, which has been renovated into a table d'hôte-style restaurant. Fanning the flames of his passion for cooking over an open fire, he has set up a wood-burning oven in full view of diners; he cooks absolutely everything in it, from bread first thing in the morning, to vegetables and fish during the meal. This is natural, primitive cuisine that is no less personal and creative for all that. He is able to elevate vegetables, herbs and fish fro

This peaceful 16C château, restored to the highest standards, is the quintessence of Drôme provençale. From the terrace overlooking the grounds and lavender fields or in the cosy dining room with its vaulted ceiling and a fire crackling in the hearth, get ready to embark on a poetic culinary voyage inspired by regional delicacies. Each dish is carefully thought out and crafted to allow the ingredients to shout their name. Delightful welcome. Book one of the lovely rooms and stay longer.

(Temporarily closed) Julie and Sébastien Bonnet have settled in a pretty country village a few kilometres from Crest, their previous haunt. In an edifice dear to Sébastien’s heart (it was formerly the Demeure de Grane, a local institution where he carried out his apprenticeship), he enthusiastically demonstrates that both his talents and his seasonal fare, equally poised between surf and turf produce, are as enticing as ever. His spot-on, sophisticated, occasionally playful dishes are served in two cosily contemporary dining rooms. The splendid wine list, with Rhône wines in a prominent positi

Chef Maxime Szczepaniak, who switched from construction to cooking, taught himself the trade during lockdown and then went on to hone his skills in prestigious star establishments, clearly lives life to the full. He has set up shop in a listed stone house in the centre of the village, whose pared-down interior with exposed stone walls and polished concrete floors also hosts exhibitions by local artists. First and foremost, however, it is the setting for vibrant cuisine, whose surprise menu zooms in on local produce: stuffed courgette flowers, pike-perch and asparagus, lake trout with watercres

This handsome building is an institution in this Vercors village. Dating from 1867, it is home to a historical cafe adorned with frescoes dating back to 1912. Locally sourced ingredients from the Vercors plateau play the lead roles on the menu, which changes regularly. Respect for the seasons goes hand in hand with respect for the produce, culinary skill and flavour. Three guestrooms upstairs.

A fortified house during the Middle Ages, and a convent up until 1905, this "chalet" is now a hotel-restaurant run by the Prayer family, for whom tradition and generosity are the answer to everything. Their big-boned, wholehearted score reads like a vintage cookbook: hare pâté, fillet of trout and crayfish and Dauphiné ravioles, or a melt-in-the-mouth chocolate and vanilla ice cream extravaganza. Cosy rooms for overnight stays.