Hotels that promote the terroir: local gastronomy experiences

Numerous hotels in France combine accommodation and local gastronomy, offering a complete experience where bed and breakfast compete with meals. From gourmet inns to top-notch restaurants, these ten addresses combine the art of entertaining with the flavors of the terroir championed by the greatest chefs.

1. Fleur de Loire, Blois

Set on the banks of the Loire River, Fleur de Loire is a masterly creation by Christophe Hay, which in just a few years has become a masterpiece of Loire heritage. The Relais & Châteaux not only offers 44 refined rooms and a Sisley spa - both housed in a former 17th-century hospital - but it is above all its cuisine that attracts visitors. In his main restaurant (4 toques), the chef celebrates the Loire terroir and the produce of his garden with unrivalled finesse: carp à la Chambord, wagyu beef raised on the estate, truffles from his truffle farm, permaculture-grown vegetables and citrus fruits from the greenhouse. The second restaurant, Amour Blanc, offers refined bistronomy overlooking the Loire River. On the first floor, the patisserie kiosk serves up delicious sweet creations.

Fleur de Loire
44 rooms and suites from €85 a night
Quai Villebois Mareuil, 41000 Blois
See our hotel review

2. La Côte Saint-Jacques, Joingny

Nearly 70 years ago, on the banks of the Yonne, Marie Lorain founded La Côte Saint-Jacques, a haven of excellence. Just 1h30 from Paris, the five-star hotel on the edge of Burgundy boasts 22 keys, plus a luminous spa with indoor pool and panoramic jacuzzi. In the kitchen, Alexandre Bondoux, nephew of chef Jean-Michel Lorain, takes over the reins of the historic restaurant (4 toques) and imposes his style with brio: a committed cuisine where forgotten Loire fish, scallops with saffron, chest-roasted pigeon and black pudding with mousseline rub shoulders with the signature dish, a lightly smoked pollack with ˝Osciètre˝ caviar. The wine list, led by Thomas Noble, dares to include natural and biodynamic cuvées. A great house that moves with the times.

La Côte Saint-Jacques
22 keys from €300 per night
14 Faubourg de Paris, 98300 Joigny
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3. La Ferme Saint Siméon, Honfleur

in Honfleur, La Ferme Saint-Siméon perpetuates the soul of the Impressionists in an idyllic setting. The fully renovated 17th-century Normandy inn, classified as a Relais & Châteaux, boasts 34 charming rooms with half-timbering and slate walls. These include Monet's former studio room, with its breathtaking view of the estuary and its play of light. As for well-being, the spa nestled in the gardens offers organic treatments with Normandy apples. And in the kitchen, Matthieu Pouleur and his brigade make the most of local produce at the 5-star hotel's two restaurants: Les Impressionnistes (2 toques) and La Boucane, a bistro housed in an old thatched cottage, where turbot, scallops, prime rib and braised chuck give pride of place to local produce. A historic and inspiring address where the charm of the Côte Fleurie still holds sway.

La Ferme Saint-Siméon
34 rooms and suites, from €250 a night.
20 Rte Adolphe Marais, 14600 Honfleur.
See our hotel review

4. Les Hauts de Loire, Veuzain-sur-Loire

Located between Blois and Amboise, this former 19th-century hunting lodge stands at the heart of a 70-hectare estate. Ponds glisten under century-old oaks, while sculptures dot the landscape. The five-star manor welcomes its guests in 31 rooms and suites spread between the centuries-old walls and a Sologne outbuilding where the Clarins spa awaits tired bodies. But it's at the table that the adventure takes on a more intense flavour. At the helm of the eponymous restaurant (2 toques), Dominique Pépin celebrates the region: Touraine truffles, Loire fish and Sologne caviar. Straightforward, authentic flavors that reflect the terroir. For the rest, the swimming pool, tennis court and footpaths invite you to stretch your legs between two escapades. Chaumont-sur-Loire is ten minutes away, and the great châteaux less than an hour.

Les Hauts de Loire
31 rooms and suites. from €350 per night.
79 Rue Gilbert Navard, 41150 Veuzain-sur-Loire
See our hotel review

5. Royal Champagne Hotel & Spa, Champillon

Clinging to the slopes of the Champagne region, the Royal Champagne imposes its contemporary silhouette against the rolling vines. This 5-star hotel, just 1h30 from Paris, combines grandeur and intimacy with ease: 47 rooms with breathtaking views, a restaurant that plays on the harmony between food and champagne, and a spectacular spa with pools and treatments. In a setting of airy luxury, every detail aims for excellence, from the comfort of the rooms to the flavors of the Bellevue bistro and impeccable service. Its Le Royal restaurant (3 toques), led by chef and MOF Christophe Raoux, is a landmark in its own right. On the menu: Breton lobster en raviole, poached scallops, Rossini-style beef, French partridge - elegant dishes enhanced by champagnes selected by head sommelier Philippe Marques.

Royal Champagne Hôtel & Spa

47 keys from €900 per night

9 Rue de la République, 51160 Champillon
See our hotel review

6. Villa La Coste, Le Puy-Sainte-Réparade

halfway between Aix-en-Provence and the Luberon, Villa La Coste is a hymn to contemporary art and gastronomy. The estate, a veritable open-air gallery set in a 150-hectare biodynamic vineyard, is dotted with monumental sculptures and pavilions designed by leading architects. Conceived in 2004 by Irish businessman and art collector Patrick McKillen, this exceptional place combines 28 villa-suites, some with private pools, a spa inspired by the scents of Provence, and a culinary experience at the chef's table (2 toques). In the kitchen, Hélène Darroze celebrates Provençal market gardeners with a vegetal score featuring carrots, green cabbage and Verdaù melon, in 3, 5 or 7 courses. Not far away, at Château Lacoste, Francis Mallmann masters the art of wood-fired cooking in his Argentinian restaurant.

Villa La Coste
2750 Route de la Cride, 13610 Le Puy-Sainte-Réparade
from €700 per night
See our hotel review

7. Troisgros Hotel, Ouches

a few kilometers from Roanne, the Maison Troisgros is a French culinary institution nestled in a 17-hectare green setting. This contemporary Relais & Châteaux blends elegance and nature, with rooms that open onto the landscape and sumptuous bathrooms. Inspired by Italian villas, the first floor unveils a succession of luminous lounges and a panoramic terrace overlooking the surrounding fields. The experience reaches its peak at Michel Troisgros' Bois sans Feuilles restaurant (4 toques). With daring architecture by Patrick Bouchain, dining rooms glazed around a century-old oak tree, and cuisine by an auteur, each plate celebrates the terroir with unparalleled creativity. Opposite Roanne station, the family's second address, Le Central, offers bistro-style cuisine influenced by their travels.

Maison Troisgros

from 340 € per night.

728 Route de Villerest, 42155 Ouches
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8. Le Parc Hotel Obernai, Obernai

Located near the town of Obernai, facing a park housing the remains of an ancient church, Le Parc Hôtel has been perpetuating Alsatian hospitality for four generations. Behind its half-timbered facade, this family-run 4-star establishment boasts 62 rooms and suites decorated with antique woodwork and contemporary touches. In the kitchen, Cyril and Marie Bonnard orchestrate the Le Parc gourmet table (2 toques), where Alsatian terroir meets Japanese inspiration: red tuna tartar with foie gras, duck breast and sakura cherries, munster flambéed with gewürztraminer marc... After the feast, Le Yonaguni Spa - a 2,500 m² space winner of the World Luxury Spa Awards - invites you to slow down with its infinity pool, aquatic trail and Gemology treatments. Gourmet brunch on Sunday lunchtimes.

Le Parc Hôtel Obernai & Yonaguni Spa

169 Route d'Ottrott, 67210 Obernai

62 keys from €180 per night
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9. Château Lafaurie-Peyraguey, Bommes

Premier Grand Cru Classé de Sauternes, this historic estate, whose first vines were planted in 1618, was solemnized in 2014 by Silvio Denz, owner of Lalique. Transformed into a 5-star Relais & Châteaux-affiliated hotel, it reveals 10 rooms and 3 suites where Lalique crystal dialogues with original timbers, precious fabrics and refined furnishings. Chef Jérôme Schilling's gourmet table (4 toques) showcases Bordeaux terroir under a magnificent glass roof: crispy guinea fowl and smoked chestnuts, Landes mushrooms, sweetbreads with coffee and liquorice. The food and Sauternes pairings are precise and supported by a vertiginous cellar of 2,500 references.

Château Lafaurie-Peyraguey, Lalique Hotel & Restaurant

10 rooms and 3 suites, from €250 per night.

Lieu-dit Peyraguey - 33210 Bommes.

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10. Le Relais de la Poste, Magescq

Nestled between ocean dunes and century-old pine trees, Le Relais de la Poste has embodied the Landes art of living for generations. Nestled in a seven-hectare park in Magescq, this 19th-century mansion orchestrated by the Coussau family combines elegance and hospitality. While the Relais & Châteaux hotel may seduce with its hushed charm, it's above all for its gourmet cuisine (3 toques) that gourmets flock. After 52 years in charge, Jean Coussau handed over the kitchen to his niece Clémentine, who perpetuates a refined, locavore Gascon cuisine: warm foie gras with grapes, sole with porcini mushrooms, asparagus from the sands. The Auberge Côté Quillier, the house's second restaurant, offers generous market cuisine. The wellness area, with its heated swimming pool, spa and solarium, completes your stay.

Le Relais de la Poste

15 keys, from 200€ per night.

24 Avenue de Maremne, 40140Magescq
See our hotel review