Le Shamballa

The restaurant of Château Saint Jean, which impresses first by its stunning location in a former chapel, sports a surprising, highly successful marriage of periods, like that of the nave, clad in copper lacework panels for an almost snug feel. The food is of the same ilk and chef Olivier Valade more than demonstrates that his star-studded background (Côte d’Or at Saulieu, Hélène Darroze) owes nothing to chance! His surgical craftsmanship showcases seasonal premium produce and overflows with character: delicately smoked brill and truffle-flavoured blanquette; squab with wild mushrooms and walnu

"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.

Established on the ground floor of a Belle Époque edifice, chef Rémi Laroque rustles up modern, distinctly globe-trotting food. This Puy-de-Dôme lad with Vietnamese origins scatters his cooking with numerous Asian, particularly Japanese twists. His wholehearted culinary dedication shines through, particularly in the line-up of dishes around a single ingredient (be it lobster or fennel) that fully embody his spot-on knack for pairing. His medallion of monkfish, flanked by fennel, lovage oil and coconut cream, showcases his delicate craftsmanship. Street art on the walls, unusual tableware and a

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

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

Rather than a summons to a hearing, this restaurant near the courthouse extends an invitation to foodies! Jean-Claude Leclerc has been running this popular Clermont-Ferrand restaurant for over two decades. The chef delivers his balanced and assured take on seasonal classical cuisine in an elegant contemporary setting. The dishes are unapologetically indulgent, as illustrated by the beef tournedos with Périgueux sauce and melt-in-the-mouth potatoes with Cantal cheese, or the sea bass with gently braised savoy cabbage and black truffle.