Goélia Le Domaine des Nouailles

In this picturesque village where visitors can journey from prehistory to the Renaissance, this restaurant enjoys a truly stunning setting at the base of a cliff. This outbuilding of the Benedictine abbey of Brantôme also features a splendid terrace on the banks of the River Dronne, facing the town’s 16C angled bridge. Here, the chef’s fine, flavoursome cuisine is ably supported by a cast of superb ingredients, perfect cooking techniques and meticulous presentation. All in all, a venerable property with a contemporary and timeless charm.

Picture a sprawling estate (almost 2,500 acres) of woodland, forest, meadows, farmsteads and ponds and now add a 13C castle equipped with all the modern comforts one would expect from a luxury establishment. The former stables have been converted into a dining room that adroitly blends antique and trendy details. The estate’s homegrown produce and aromatic fresh herbs feature prominently on the menu, as kitchen garden recipes vie for pride of place with confidently curated textbook classics. The terrace is heavenly in fine weather.

It is so popular that you have to book weeks, even months in advance. In a peaceful, airy house opposite the church, Mickaël Clautour and Laura Legeay lovingly craft a seasonal score. The vibe in the dining room is warm and attentive, while the kitchen team finetunes each detail with a focus on taste above all. Chawanmushi-style flan of crab and grapefruit, confit trout with citrus fruit, apples and sweet chestnuts: every dish is a masterpiece of delicate simplicity steeped in heroically wondrous flavour. Even better, it is all at sensible prices.

Let’s get down to the basics (or the Essentials), rather than losing time in pointless conjectures. The ingredient rules in this family-run restaurant, next-door to the cathedral, and Éric Vidal is its virtuoso (yet humble) servant. For thirty or so diners, he organises a genuine banquet of flavour, thanks to delicately balanced preparations. Wild turbot baked in olive oil, pressed celery with black truffles; tartare of mango and pineapple with passion fruit jelly and French almond tea cakes… The tasty culinary score is flanked by a selection of wines that is fully equal to the attractive menu

The story begins as you enter this vast estate on the edge of the Périgord-Limousin Regional Nature Park, here in the heart of Périgord Vert. Winding its way through the grounds is the Bandiat, the small river after which this restaurant is named. Housed in a large building featuring a brand new timber roof, it is bathed in soft light and imbued with a country house atmosphere. The chef concocts a surprise menu using seasonal ingredients supplied by small-scale local producers – as well as mushrooms and herbs picked on site (sometimes by the chef himself).

In the upper reaches of Périgueux, chef Gilles Gourvat (a local lad) has been welcoming guests for some fifteen years in a tastefully refurbished farmhouse. His modern recipes pay tribute to Périgord traditions with passing nods to his beloved Basque Country. Local produce is cast in the star role in a hearty gourmet menu: duck confit and wild mushrooms; scrambled eggs and truffles in season; semi-cooked duck foie gras served with figs. A friendly professional front-of-house team caters to your every need.

In a modern building on the higher ground outside Périgueux, Sandrine and Vincent Cardoso's restaurant has a functional dining space. The food represents a complete change of tack, with a different menu on offer every week. Served with good jus, first-rate local ingredients are accompanied by seasonal vegetables that demonstrate the chef's indisputable expertise. Everything is cooked precisely and from the heart. The brandade of salmon with sweet wine, the chicken supreme in a ramekin with bay leaves and farm spinach, or the diced Golden Delicious apple on a buttery sablé reflect the care lavi