Hôtel Particulier CHÂTEAU DES MARAIS Proximité et vue sur le Lac de Grand lieu

Overlooking the Loire, this 19C mansion, a landmark of Nantes, commands a sweeping view over the former shipyards. Chef Jean-Yves Guého deftly fashions a banquet of grandiose Gallic classics. Seafood and fish take the limelight, illustrated by a delicate marriage of Breton langoustine and sea urchin or Croisic John Dory confit in butter. The front-of-house team is enthusiastically led by the chef’s daughter, while the well-curated wine list is rich in Loire vintages. Gutsy food in a restful setting – consider us smitten!

Trained under Michel Troisgros, Ludovic Pouzelgues is one of the faces of the city's fine dining revival. A stone's throw from the famous Machines de l'Île, he heads up this restaurant with a pleasing, comfortable and contemporary interior. Here, the finest produce reigns supreme (the fish markets of La Turballe and Le Croisic are nearby); it is prepared with precision and inventiveness to create surprise menus based on what the market has to offer. Modern cuisine that is full of personality: a real success.

In this warm buzzy eatery, chef Romain Bonnet crafts creative surprise menus of Asian inspiration: the ‘omija’ is a Korean fruit, known as the five-flavour berry due to its unique combination of sweet, sour, bitter, salty and pungent flavours. Bonnet is unswerving in his dedication to taste, illustrated by green ‘kombujime’ asparagus flanked by sesame-flavoured ice cream, or squid from la Turballe marinated in Korean pepper. Virtuoso craftsmanship, gutsy stocks and addictive, big-boned sauces. The mainly organic produce is painstakingly sourced (common shrimp from la Cotinière on Oléron Island

These cadets are brothers who greet diners in a trendy hip interior of 1950s inspiration. Charles and Tristan Bernabé cherry-pick outstanding veggies from local market gardeners and the finest fish from nearby fish markets. They consummately juggle with current trends and their classical training, grandmother's Breton culture, and even their father's pied-noir origins. All of which without ever compromising on the clarity of the dishes or the flavour of the sauces. Examples include cockles from Morbihan, tuberous parsley and black garlic; rack of veal, potatoes and shallots; baked apple, sweet

This greenhouse with timber arches devoted to the goddess Freia is perched on top of a contemporary building. It is the perfect place to grow a garden of aromatic herbs and berries and to admire the panoramic view of Nantes. After the success of Vacarme, Sarah Mainguy crafts poetic and creative cuisine, mainly plant based and scattered with Scandinavian and Asian touches. Each dish is a treasure trove of brainwaves and delicious sauces – cases in point being the white asparagus with a vegetable seaweed XO sauce, or periwinkles with crisp green peas, topped with a glazed gwell snow.

In the stylish Logis de la Chabotterie, a historic stately home in deepest Vendée, 2015 MOF chef, Benjamin Patissier, rolls out a polished, creative score that elegantly and savvily shines the spotlight on local produce. In an interior that mingles rustic charm with contemporary details, he delights our tastebuds with signatures such as flame-seared mackerel from Sables d’Olonne and confit of fennel, or Vendée saddle of lamb in a bread crust, escorted by roast artichoke and delicate tarragon-perfumed gravy. The meal finishes on a high note thanks to the talents of pastry chef, Élie Bremont, wh

In his contemporary and elegant restaurant laid out around a lovely patio, Xavier Giraudet creates top-drawer modern cuisine with a focus on vegetables. The various set menus feature local and seasonal produce (sometimes even from the family vegetable garden), expertly cooked and full of flavour. In season, don't miss their exemplary rendition of hare à la royale à la Antonin Carême, a classic dish! A bravura performance.