La tour cachée

This charming, rustic16C presbytery in the heart of a photogenic country village on the road to Mont Saint Michel is home to a restaurant flanked by a cottage garden. The latter provides chef Thomas Benady with plenty of produce (veg, fruit, aromatic herbs, flowers…) and inspiration for his single set surprise menu. Benady also works with small local producers and independent fishermen. You can expect a veggie-led, seafood slant presented and plated in a modern, minimalist manner and steeped in the distinctive personality and character of its author. Examples: roast Jerusalem artichoke served

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.

Just a stone's throw from the romantic ruins of Hambye Abbey, this welcoming hotel-restaurant run by an endearing couple is a hit with the locals. The tastefully restored interior sports a colourful vibe with a fireplace in winter and a large terrace overlooking the Sienne come summertime. The chef, who learned the trade here before moving on to other prestigious establishments, has returned to his roots, producing tasty, no-frills cuisine that draws upon his solid classical background, illustrated by risotto of Pont l'Évêque cheese, andouille sausage, a hint of cider vinegar and a crunchy cra

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.