Athos I Stylish 1BR Home on the Rive Gauche

"The best cookbook ever written was by Mother Nature herself," according to Alain Passard. His green philosophy is de rigueur more than ever in his cuisine, which is now entirely free of animal protein. The chef who fetes fruit and flowers never feels more at home than when in one of his three kitchen gardens in the west of France, where his twin vocations of cook and gardener meet. He heads there for inspiration and to explore culinary possibilities, coming back with recipes as accomplished as his "sushi fantaisie" or beechwood-smoked potatoes with wine sauce, for example. Enjoy as you take i

After a decade working with Hélène Darroze, Shinsuke Nakatani is at the helm of this elegant, restful restaurant, decked in soothing colours and natural materials. Thanks to his acute flair for seasoning, cooking and presentation, this ultra-talented Japanese chef concocts a pedigree French score in tune with the seasons, in which the flavours and textures are seamlessly combined to create a consistent whole. Guests can savour a single set menu (4 dishes at lunchtime, 6 in the evening and which changes every two months), served by a crack team that is as low-profile as it is professional. Give

The whitewashed facade of this small bolthole tucked away in a lane blends in so perfectly with its surroundings that you may even miss it entirely! Behind its spruce façade lies a jealously kept secret, namely exquisite Japanese cuisine. The pristine white interior is both elegant and minimalist, in line with the visual charter commonly associated with restaurants in Japan. Take a seat at the counter (eight seats only) for a close-up view of the teppanyaki griddles. As you sample a single tasting menu, you will discover subtle, precise cuisine that carefully crafts culinary ties between Japan

Just opposite Ferrandi, the legendary culinary school, Quinsou ("chaffinch" in Occitan) is ideally positioned to influence the great chefs of tomorrow. In a trendy, vintage interior (cement tiles and zinc bar counter), the warm owner-chef, Antonin Bonnet, signs a spot-on, authentic take on artisanal cuisine. The excellent value for pleasure lunchtime formula is a hit every time with a choice of two menus devised around premium market-fresh ingredients. The duck and foie gras pâté en croûte, which keeps pace with the seasons, is a masterpiece of culinary balance from the delectable pastry crust

This place is run by Takayuki Honjo, a Japanese chef who is a fan of French culture and cuisine. Having trained in prestigious establishments (Astrance in Paris, Quintessence in Tokyo, Mugaritz in the Basque Country), he has designed his restaurant down to the smallest detail: a white, pared-down – almost monastic – space, in which the modern furniture is not there to attract attention. In this context, the meal resembles a kind of ceremony. Foie gras and sea urchins, or pigeon and cocoa: the pairings are striking and the flavours mingle intimately. The harmony of his subtle creations recalls

Gaya par Pierre Gagnaire has all the trappings of a gourmet temple, starting with its eye-catching bright blue façade and pretty awnings. A-listers and connoisseurs come here to wind down in the chic brasserie that is fashionably uncluttered yet eminently comfortable. The focus is unabashedly on good food, courtesy of a delicate, precise score in the zeitgeist with a seafaring slant: carpaccio of seabream and oyster-laced ice cream: shellfish and seafood platter; line-caught turbot with butter made from milk from Froment de Léon dairy cows; Gaya apple pie with poppy-flavoured chantilly cream.

In Gaël Orieux's compact restaurant – seating barely 30 people – the elegant contemporary interior with deceptively sleek lines exudes an unexpected calm. It's a chic and refined place in which to enjoy technically sound modern cuisine: tetragon soup with herbs, frogs' legs and smoked eel; scallops, oyster mushrooms and grape pulp, chestnut broth "espresso" and black truffle; crispy sweetbreads with peanuts, chanterelles with dried apricots and Jura wine. With the courage of his convictions, Gaël Orieux sources his ingredients from the market and only serves fish that are not endangered (black