DOMFRONT-BNB : CHIC & CONFORT

Deep in the Normandy countryside, the huge forest of Andaine seems to have put down roots in this wood-rich restaurant as it nurtures and nourishes Franck Quinton’s forest-inspired cooking. His way with mushrooms is second to none: tricholoma, bearded hedgehog, blue foot or grey and yellow oyster mushrooms make guest appearances in his famous “mushroom toastie”. The surrounding woodland plays a prominent role in his cooking, as the Douglas pine used in herbal tea illustrates. A committed champion of local produce, the chef cherry-picks his ducklings, veg from down the road and creamy Gillot AO

This restaurant with a bright, contemporary decor delivers the goods when it promises a warm welcome. Chef Gaëtan Crespin works with excellent seasonal produce, most sourced locally, to craft creative and technically on-point cuisine. A shining example comes in the form of his scallops, endive and clementine, or roast veal, parsnips and shiitake… And with excellent value for money guaranteed, it was love at first bite!

The striking metal fretwork façade of this restaurant on the outskirts of Mayenne is well worth a gander. Once inside, you will be greeted by a tastefully understated snug dining room. It is the stomping ground of a husband-and-wife team, chef Nicolas and Isabelle Nobis, both locals, who honed their skills with Bernard Loiseau and Georges Blanc. Simplicity and natural are the hallmarks of the chef's cooking, who strives to work with plants and vegetables sourced from local producers. The regularly renewed menu reverently respects the seasons.

For nearly 30 years, Arnaud and Cécilia Viel have been running their modern establishment with a strong personality in perfect harmony with the chef's cuisine. Here in Argentan, homage is paid to Normandy through exceptional hand-picked ingredients: local butter and unpasteurised farmhouse cream, scallops from Port-en-Bessin, lobster from Carteret, foie gras from the Pays d'Auge, sand carrots from Créances, sometimes combined with premium items such as caviar or black winter truffles. The food impresses with flawless execution and harmonious flavours. The excellent wine list is curated by Céci

Behind 19C bow windows, a town centre hotel is home to a bustling bistro which sports a stylish herringbone parquet floor. The unpretentious score is vibrant, well crafted and stars top-drawer produce. The emphasis is on fresh ingredients, illustrated by a ceviche of wild shrimp and seabream with citrus fruits or hanger steak with melt-in-the-mouth shallots. It is always a pleasure to watch the meat roasting on the spit visible from the dining room. A welcoming establishment, popular with a regular crowd of locals, and just the ticket to sample expertly crafted bistro classics.

This 18C building, whose conservatory overlooks wooded grounds planted with hundred-year-old trees, is run by a Franco-Japanese couple who continues to knock the socks off our tastebuds. While Masako pours her talents into pastries, Julien finetunes his exquisite, flawlessly balanced culinary score: roast monkfish, girolles, mussels and hay or lightly seared tuna in spices, aubergine and cucumber. Regional ingredients invariably take the limelight (Normandy beef, Cahagnes poultry, cheese from local farms and locally grown veggies) and the chef often waxes lyrical about his suppliers when he po

In the upper reaches of Vire, this contemporary bistro stems from a friendship between two chefs, Jordan Lebascle (ex-second chef of Ivan Vautier) and Clément Gosselet (ex-second chef at Manoir de la Pommeraie). They craft modern country cuisine, drawing on the cornucopia of ingredients from Normandy and local producers – think translucent cod paired with a medley of golden turnips and a passion fruit stock.