Hôtel du Pont Neuf

A picturesque medieval village provides the backdrop for this attractive 14C building, which houses a restaurant boasting an elegant contemporary interior and a terrace overlooking the garden. Chef Quentin Dorangeville, who hails from France's Sarthe département, cooks up seasonal cuisine that is as meticulous as it is ambitious. Using fine ingredients, he creates balanced combinations, such as medallion of blue lobster, tomato, preserved lemon and courgette cream with ginger. Good food and service with a smile!

Over more than 30 years, this chef has built up a loyal clientele of happy diners courtesy of his contemporary cuisine featuring nods to the Mediterranean, in dishes such as bouillabaisse jus and carpaccio of large wild prawns. The yakitori sauce on the duck fillet is one of his more exotic marriages. You can choose to dine in either the contemporary space or the former 14C cloister.

From his open kitchen, the chef consummately crafts dishes such as low-temperature arctic char, flanked with a velvety gribiche sauce and a crunchy salad of fennel. The single set lunchtime menu is a steal – all the better when leisurely sampled on the delightful, cobbled patio in summertime.

In a quiet street bang in the heart of Moulins, we don't need to be asked twice to take a seat in the snug dining area. In the equally dinky kitchen, the chef-owner crafts honest, homely, seasonal fare, illustrated by provençal aïoli with loin of cod and whelks, or grilled duck breast with lemon-spiked polenta and moussaka-style stuffed courgette.

This spot to the north of Nevers, once a roadside café, has been taken over by a pleasant young couple. The chef serves enjoyable traditional cuisine (roast monkfish, curry and lemongrass fumet, courgette and tomato tarte Tatin; chicken supreme, poultry liver and port stuffing), as well as a vegetarian set menu. In fine weather, make a beeline for the quiet terrace to the rear.

Break up your journey with a gourmet interlude at this family-run establishment! Matthieu Omont skilfully crafts creative cuisine for guests to enjoy in a spruce modern setting. A champion of the Bourbonnais terroir, the chef showcases ingredients sourced from small-scale producers, the kitchen garden and the orchard, but not to the exclusion of fish and shellfish fresh from Brittany – such as langoustines from Le Guilvinec crusted with thyme, artichoke and a hazelnut oil jus, or duo of quail, celeriac mousse and browned ceps. The excellent house-made bread made using heirloom flours is the id