Château de la Râpée Hôtel restaurant

A short walk from Claude Monet's house, this half-timbered Anglo-Norman residence dating back to 1912 extends an invitation to relax and enjoy the good things in life. Normandy-born chef David Gallienne, who earned his stripes at the Manoir du Lys, crafts precise, refined cuisine, with inventive and colourful dishes that feature unorthodox marriages of flavours and carefully crafted textures. He uses a network of local suppliers, but allows himself forays further afield, paying particular attention to the selection of ingredients, eg farmhouse butter and mussels from Mont-Saint-Michel. In addi

This charming hotel perched on a chalk cliff was originally commissioned in 1908 by King Leopold II of Belgium so that he could entertain his lover, Blanche de Vaughan, but it is now a magnet for foodies. Sourcing local produce is central to the estate’s outlook: scallops from the Bay of the Seine, farm-reared lamb from nearby breeders and fresh fruit and vegetables from local growers. The result is recipes oozing in fresh, crisp, wholesome flavours. When the weather is fine, alfresco dining on the terrace gazing down over the meanders of the Seine is heavenly. On the other side of the street,

This restaurant promises succulent traditional cuisine, made using quality ingredients, most of which come from the surrounding countryside. Fine dining takes the limelight in this former coal barn, converted into a plush, culinary haven. Following in Marc Duval's footsteps, chef Thomas Filippa is a firm fan of old-school culinary classics, although he does allow himself the occasional more modern twist: asparagus, shellfish, Noilly Prat sabayon and caviar; line-caught seabass, roast lettuce and olive oil sauce… The dining room opens onto a manicured garden.

Chef Naoëlle d'Hainaut chose this small side street at the foot of Pontoise Cathedral as the location for her first restaurant. The result is a real success, from the elegant decor (Scandinavian style, light colours, glass-fronted wine cellar, open kitchen) to the contemporary cuisine. One dish that lingers in the memory is the iced lobster with a concentrated jus, roasted quinoa, shiitake mushrooms and a beurre noisette foam. Each dish rolls out the same technical skill, harmony of flavours and refreshing honesty, underpinned by well-paced, relaxed and professional service from a young and ef

On the edge of the forest of Hez, this gracious late-19C mansion, set in peaceful wooded grounds, is ideal for a gourmet weekend in the country. After savouring the peace and quiet of the terrace, the plush bourgeois interior provides the perfect foil for the talents of chef Nicolas Leclercq and his wife Yolaine. Nicolas’ grandmother first opened the restaurant back in 1956, at which time she made her own butter from the milk of her own cow! The large cottage garden (take the time to stroll around it after your meal) supplies the kitchen with fresh vegetables and herbs, which are picked by the

In an ideal location in the heart of the old town, this restaurant has three areas: the main dining room with a view into the kitchen, a pleasantly secluded terrace and Le Balcon de l'Odas, a private lounge with a view of the cathedral. Chef Suzanne Da Silva's resolutely seasonal cuisine boldly draws on her origins in the north of France and ingredients from Normandy's terroir: vegetables from a market gardener in the Eure, farmhouse cream, organic mushrooms from a local mushroom farm, bread made by a Meilleur Ouvrier de France in Rouen, and fish from nearby fish markets. She puts it all to go

Rediscover the green fields of Normandy, admire the horses at the neighbouring stud farm, dream of country living: this authentic half-timbered farmhouse is so pretty that it will make even the most die-hard city-dweller want to retire to the countryside. Calves, cows, pigs and traditional culinary treats await – truffle ravioli with a wild mushroom cream sauce; caramelised fruit tarte fine; not to mention the beef cooked over a wood fire. No sooner have you left than you're longing to return to these tempting rustic-style dishes.