Domaine l'instant du Colibri

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

Following in his father’s footsteps, Guillaume Guibet has taken over the reins of this former hunting lodge (1886). His spot-on, creative cooking keeps pace with the seasons, with the occasional nod to Asian traditions acquired after a stint at the Japanese restaurant, Kei, in Paris). He delicately, even cheekily crafts a feast of premium ingredients, as in a ceviche of bream with button mushrooms or morels and a bacon-flavoured sabayon. The same flair extends to the stylish wood- and leather-rich interior and to the guestrooms, designed like individual chalets, with a terrace or outdoor tub w

This residence in Lyons-la-Forêt, which opened in 1610, was first a coaching inn before accommodating La Licorne Royale in its refined Napoleonic interior. Christophe Poirier's cuisine showcases top-quality local produce, vegetables from an organic market gardener and meat from farm-raised animals. Precise cooking, punchy sauces: tangy beetroot vinaigrette with trout, orange butter with scallops, concentrated truffle meat jus. Pleasant terrace overlooking the garden and elegant guestrooms to prolong the experience.

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,

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

On the road to the Château de Chantilly – famous for its ancient paintings, the richest collection after the Louvre's – this place with a refined decor has not one, but two terraces. Perfect for sunny days! The delicious, seasonal cuisine works its charm, enhanced with harissa here (on the gazpacho), with pesto there (on the tuna, broad beans, Swiss chard and peppers).