Le petit nid

This restaurant in Égletons, between Tulle and Ussel, was opened by a young couple from the Basque Country, who are winning diners over with their commitment and unpretentious cuisine. On weekday lunchtimes, the food is deliberately simpler, with a good-value set menu that attracts regulars. In the evening, the menu pushes the envelope: grilled Basque blood sausage with potato patty and golden apples; crab mayonnaise enhanced with a carrot and curry cream, blini made with walnut flour.

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.

Don’t miss this opportunity to discover the work of a jovial, self-effacing chef, as modest as his food is good. Premium seasonal produce takes front stage in his dishes: free-range duck breast, purée of quince and prunes and a spicy gravy. Rugged, deftly crafted, lip-smacking food! In fine weather, head for the pretty terrace in the back garden.

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

Beds of aromatic herbs, Japanese enclosure, rose garden etc. These gardens created by a famous cosmetics brand celebrate both the poetic nature of the site and the virtues of nature. In the restaurant with its beautifully restored old timber frame, the chef elevates the Corrèze terroir by using spices encountered during the years he spent in Asia and the West Indies – the resulting dishes are as fragrant as they are confidently prepared.

On the main road to Brive-la-Gaillarde, you are bound to notice this Corrèze-style building with its characteristic local stone walls and slate roof. You will immediately feel at home inside, thanks to the soothing decor (wooden floors, oak tables, leather- and fabric-upholstered seating) and the beaming smile of the laid-back chef. He cooks by instinct, devising blind menus out of locally sourced ingredients. His delicious dishes, such as Limousin veal belly, smoked beetroot, carrot ketchup and mashed parsnips, lack neither colour nor precision.

Nothing remains of the ruined château, except its founding spirit, which has been given a new lease of life thanks to the vision of two local childhood friends. It is now home to guestrooms, a bar and a restaurant housed in the tasteful timber extension. The Colombian chef crafts authentic cuisine packed in flavour and scattered with South American notes (ceviche of fish of the day, flame-licked cooking). In line with their eco-responsible ethos, priority is given to local producers, and some of their vegetables, herbs and even fish also come from their own aquaponics greenhouse, hence the one