餐厅酒店 la maïade

"The Auvergne I want you to meet is the one we encounter and pick every morning in our mountains, meadows and forests." The words of local lad Xavier Beaudiment are far from platitudes. Le Pré celebrates the quintessence of its region through cuisine that is both instinctive and poetic. Frog’s legs, pike, foie gras and rabbit are lovingly and enthusiastically crafted and paired with some 200 plants and wild herbs picked at the foot of the volcanoes or in the establishment’s own herb garden. All of which is washed down with a knock-out wine list.

This restaurant in a peaceful village in the Corrèze hinterland charms with its tranquil setting and view of the Corrèze valley (especially from the terrace). The bright dining room with a festive atmosphere is the playground of chef Thomas Ceaux and his partner Pauline Gane, who works front of house. The chef cooks up seasonal cuisine that showcases the local terroir: Limousin veal, creamy peas and chorizo; crispy puffs with red berries, vanilla mascarpone cream, and strawberry and raspberry sorbet from Tulle. A place with a loyal following.

Between Corrèze and Lot, this charming 19C manor house has been completely renovated and now sports an airy, stylish dining room. The ceramic apples hanging from the ceiling evoke the restaurant’s nearby orchard and vegetable garden. Gifted, youthful chef Oscar Garcia (stints at Franck Putelat in Carcassonne and La Table d'Uzès) crafts seasonal dishes with a touch of creativity, using produce sourced from within a 100km radius: trout with beetroot, verbena and blueberries; Lot duck, chicory and blackcurrant pepper jus; hazelnut fougasse with a grape and tomato dessert. Five cosy guestrooms. Si

This restaurant occupies a converted mill built out of black volcanic stone with a slate roof. Set just outside a village, it overlooks a pretty lake, beside which the terrace is laid in fine weather. The interior is the epitome of snug with a stone fireplace, a bar and mismatched furniture. The chef signs recipes tailored to modern tastes using local produce (even the coffee and cocoa is roasted locally) to which he adds a well-travelled spin: trout jazzed up with a chimichurri sauce or veal that resembles couscous… Beautiful plating and talented craftsmanship. Platter of regional cheeses.

From the upper reaches of town, this attractive hotel dating from the 1930s broadcasts a non-stop resounding tribute to the electro-magnetic waves and the triode vacuum tube that made the invention of the talkies and the wireless possible. Its Art Deco decor has lost none of its splendour – mosaic flooring, decorative wrought iron and a marriage of glass and mirrors. In the kitchen, chef Wilfrid Chaplain mixes influences from his native Normandy and his adopted Auvergne, drawing out their gentle, little-explored harmonies. Technically proficient, he creates ambitious, subtle and delicate cuisi

At Olivier’s Table, Pierre is in the kitchen, while his partner, Fanny, a talented pastry chef, oversees the front-of-house. Normandy-born Pierre has enthusiastically embraced Corrèze, his land of adoption, in this town centre stone house, whose modern furnishings and designer lighting are the epitome of elegant. The repertory, in tune with the zeitgeist and at bargain prices, ticks all the boxes: enticing, polished and colourful. Examples include poached oysters, marinated seabass with citrus fruit and a lemon-vodka sorbet; veal scallop and sweetbread, ravioles of chanterelle mushrooms and bl

This dinky establishment, in the hands of Cyril Auboiroux for some ten years now, rolls out a concise, inspired menu composed of a choice of three starters, three main courses and three desserts. Local produce steals the star roles (Limousin beef, Corrèze veggies, sturgeon and caviar from Dordogne), albeit with the occasional more far-flung gourmet escapade and unexpected creations like an amber beer ice cream. Artistic plating enhances the perfectly paired contrasting flavours. Delightful, professional front-of-house team.