Appart'Hôtel - Au Vieux Palais

Between Causses and Aubrac, the Burgarella family ushers you into this tastefully refurbished house. Downstairs, the Table de Romane brasserie celebrates hearty regional fare (calf’s head, tripoux (sheep tripe), while upstairs the swanky gourmet La Tour establishment allows the creative chef, visible from the open kitchen, to give free rein to his inspiration without losing sight of his Aveyron roots. A delicious gourmet halt on the banks of the Lot River under the aegis of Château de Calmont.

On the ground floor of the hotel, this restaurant, which sports a bright, modern interior, is enthusiastically helmed by Loïc and Océane Gay. Regional produce (Aubrac beef and trout) takes front stage in soul-warming, indulgent dishes: persillade of lamb sweetbreads or squab breast. Traditional aligot (mashed potatoes and cheese) is served with the main course.

This chic, rustic inn commands a breathtaking view of the famous Bozouls Canyon, a natural cirque hewn out of the limestone plateau. The chef has a contagious enthusiasm for traditional farming methods and wines from small-scale producers, as shown by a dish such as house-smoked bacon, green beans, potatoes and herbs, Causses yoghurt.

At Hōra and its elegant, understated dining room, Gilles Moreau has reinvented his universe, whilst retaining his knack for flavourful cuisine drawing on local produce: Aubrac beef, aligot and a red wine reduction with shallots; organic trout from the Monts d'Aubrac with a bacon foam, risotto with Vieux Rodez cheese; free-range guinea fowl with black trumpet mushrooms and ham-perfumed wheat. In fine weather, the terrace at the rear is blissfully quiet.