chambre et table d'hôtes La Grande Ourse

You have to gain a little altitude to reach this village high up in the Pyrenees, which champions its exceptional natural heritage with understandable pride. In the central square, a young couple runs this restaurant with energy and enthusiasm, celebrating the region's traditions and produce. Highlights include their take on a garbure soup, with meltingly tender Tarbais beans, Noir de Bigorre pork belly, pan-fried duck foie gras from Ferme de Mourlon and cou farci (stuffed duck's neck). Other dishes are more contemporary: 64°C hen's egg with butternut cream, haddock and thyme. The appealing wi

A stone's throw from Saint-Girons, this eatery is housed in the vaulted cellars of the bishop's palace, a listed monument historique built into the Roman wall. Brazilian chef Pamela, also a trained pastry chef, has a personal brand of cooking that showcases local produce and a few fruits and vegetables from the kitchen garden. Sommelier Gianni, of Italian origin, has just the right recommendation of a wine to pair with each dish. Discover beautifully plated, elaborate creations such as "Noir et Or" (Black and Gold) – cocoa, foie gras and mirabelle plums from the garden, and the restaurant's si

This restaurant, located in the courtyard of an inn, sports a cosy mix of bare stone walls, a marble floor, a decorative fireplace and modern features such as workshop-style glass partitions and wooden screens. The food is the joint work of a couple, both locals, who have set up shop on the premises of the inn that belonged to her mother. Examples of their knockout score include crispy black pudding, amandine, black pork chorizo, squid and smoked gravy; a sorbet and a cream of lemon and Kampot pepper, mascarpone mousse and pinenuts. All the delicious bread, ice creams and sorbets are made from

A restaurant that has made a name for itself in the Arán valley! Here, the modern-inspired cooking is a surprising combination of locally sourced seasonal ingredients and Asian and Spanish-American flavours. It offers an à la carte-style menu entitled Er Occitan (on which you can choose an appetiser, starter, main course and dessert) plus a more extensive surprise tasting menu. One dish we can particularly recommend is the organic Berry green lentils with Vadouvan curry, pigeon and coconut.

A rustic-contemporary-style restaurant that has gradually enhanced the comfort of its facilities to create a welcoming ambience featuring open stonework, a plethora of wood, plus an attractive glass-enclosed wine cellar. Its consistent cuisine, modern in composition and mainly built around seasonal ingredients, is centred around the à la carte and two fixed-options. A standout dish is the flame-grilled aubergine ravioli with porcini mushrooms, black garlic, cured egg yolk and confit neck of baby goat.

Australian-born chef Luke MacLeod welcomes guests to this old farmstead, which has been done up in a tasteful country chic vein. He concocts generous seasonal cuisine that allies local produce with Asian ingredients, in a nod to his travels: pan-fried foie gras and kimchi; spaghetti squash tempura and fresh wasabi. The ingredients are firmly rooted in the terroir, and the seasonings are a blend of tangy, sweet and spicy flavours.

The Dupont family estate is enjoying its new lease of life. Antoine, scrum-half for the French national rugby team, and Clément, a Noir de Bigorre pig farmer, have taken over the property purchased by their grandparents in the 1960s. Expect authenticity, terroir and family spirit. The pork is prepared in a variety of ways – it might be finely cured, the offal slow-cooked, the loin pan-fried or even used as a filling for devilled eggs. Be sure to try the duck breast in a casserole, from an iconic recipe handed down by the grandfather. A buzzing atmosphere on the restaurant floor, smiling staff