Domaine des Chais

A butcher's son born on the Île d'Oléron, chef Benjamin Girard has chosen to focus on fish and seafood. In this narrow modern dining space done out in white and blue hues, the delicious dishes with creative touches keep on coming: mackerel half-cooked with a blowtorch, grilled watermelon and tomato water; halibut with a langoustine foam and blackberries; black forest gateau-style "explosive cherry" dessert. Eater-friendly prices and an enticing wine list with plenty of organic options.

(Temporarily closed) This pretty stone house two minutes from the Charente is the gourmet haunt of Pascal Yenk, who rustles up delicate, flavoursome cuisine with distinctive fresh notes and sweet-sour touches. A shell-less soft-boiled egg, sautéed asparagus and morels, or a low-temperature duckling, fragrant pastilla and confit of kumquat: everything is emblematic of the chef’s technique and generous nature. The garden patio offers a more casual experience courtesy of a tempting tapas and cocktail menu, all of which with slick, smiling service.

The handsome exterior of this 18C manor house, set in grounds, belies its 21C interior, visible in the various dining nooks: designer furniture, striking light fixtures, white walls, wine cabinets. A setting designed to inspire chef Jérôme Dallet, who has worked with Emmanuel Renaut (Megève) and Anne-Sophie Pic (Valence). Local produce is given pride of place (mogette beans, snails, Confolens lamb…) in the chef’s wonderfully indulgent gourmet score. Alfresco dining on the leafy terrace in fine weather is bliss.

Fall under the spell of this restaurant housed in an old farmhouse, where the chef has a penchant for beautiful seasonal ingredients (sourced from local producers or the aromatic plant garden located in the grounds). Drink in the view of the terrace, fountain and small lake through the bay windows, as you savour calf sweetbread, spatchcock, elderberry – the soft juicy meat makes for a taste sensation!