It certainly does appear that French cuisine has largely rested on it's laurel, Carol. In our area of the Aude, many restaurants do seem to serve up very simialr menus, looking a bit like the sort of menu that would have been about in the UK in the 70s.
There are a number, though, some established restaurants and some newcomers who appear to be moving forward into the 21st century. As I mentioned before, En Bonne Compagnie in Homps and le Relais Chantovent in Minerve are just 2 examples of excellent cuisine in fabulous surroundings, not cheap, but then you get what you pay for.
There's a great restaurant in Carcassonne (la Bastide), just off Place Carnot, which is innovative and gives you a wine "credit card" to top yourself up. Hard to explain, but quite ingenious! Can't remember the restaurants name, but has a cookshop/deli next door.
A new restaurant in Cessaras, is also excellent, as is la Peniche on the banks of the Canal du Midi in Homps. Oh and l'Anais at Ginestas any day of the week, but excellent fish and chips on Friday!!
hmm...I do get what you are saying Miv... years ago we used to visit France on holidays and have meals at little eateries with lorries parked outside....absolutely sure that we would have an amazing eating experience. I am a good cook and have catered for special dinner parties/parties for friends and know good food when I eat it. We too have been disappointed by regular village restaurants; some friends have advised us to try places and we have found chewy steaks, what I consider plate dressing rather than a decent salad....and the same old menu's...however...what we have found are occasional jewels and the more expensive restaurants we have tried, have been reliably excellent. I would agree that reasonable priced places that serve really good quality food are few and far between, certainly where I live the best places are either Italian or 3 star French at 60 plus euros a head. We have friends who have had holiday homes in France for over 30 years..and they both say that France has largely rested on its laurels...whilst the rest of the worlds cuisine has improved in leaps and bounds. Obviously depends where you live....but in St Cyp, Languedoc there are two restaurants out of a possible 30 that we enjoy eating in....the rest are much of a muchness and here on the Dordogne/Lot border there are maybe 3 restaurants out of a dozen that we would enjoy (have to say that we dont drive more than 30 minutes tops to eat out).
That all sounds delicious but I can't travel that far Steve. I am in the South and perhaps all that deliciousness peters out around Toulouse. I know we have ceps at the local market and I make a demon porcini risotto!
But haven't seen a smidgen of cep on a menu down here!!
It depends on what you want Miv. Around here, 12€ or 12€50 gets you a 4 course meal with 1/4wine and a coffee. Most of the time the produce is fresh and very tasty. My only problem is that being a fussy b*gger, there are a lot of things I don't eat so like places that advertise what the dish of the day is. A recent find was a place in the lower Beaujolais hills that does steak and home-made chips that are to die for, simple but the sort of stuff I like.
Here is the daily menu (12€50) from our local (he emails it out to regulars)
Voici le menu du jour des trois ours.
Je vous souhaite une excellente journée.
Cordialement.
============ Demi-avocat au thon ou Salade et oeuf poché ___ Langue de veau sauce gribiche et ses légumes ou Filet de dorade rôtie Riz créole ___ Fromage ___ Succès au chocolat ou Salade de fruits frais
Does such a thing exist?? Only yesterday were I and my beloved discussing the disappointments of eating out in rural France. Agreed, one of the reasons I love France is that determined resistance they hold against change, but Oh! How endlessly tiresome to be served up another bed of tired lettuce supporting something grissley and/or tasteless. No matter how much time one invests in turning over the lettuce and searching expectantly for a hidden morceau of delight, the best one encounters is a satiated snoozing slug! Admittedly fresh, unlike the lettuce!
Other than this, we have found food, like rural fashion, to be over accessorized with frills and lacy bits, often disguising, like fashion, a badly made garment. Why??? I ask myself when a trip to my local market provides a cornucopia of fresh and varied delights. The regular salad man, who picks his leaves fresh on the Friday morning and peppers them with wild flowers and rare shoots, would never dream of selling a lettuce of such a common variety as ....Oh Dear! I forget the name, but my mother served a lot of them in the fifities.
The other stall holders offer an equal amount of mouth watering products and yet these just don't ever seem to filter down into the local restaurants.
I think perhaps we need the french equivalent of Jamie.....I think perhaps I have the very man!!
@Alexander Ternand is in the Vallée d'Azergues, from Lyon head North via Limonest/Lozanne/Ponts Tarrets towards Cublize/Lac des Sapins. Interesting village perched on a hill with an art gallery or two
@Catharine It is, photos around the place show him as a former billiard player and her as a show jumper. The meal is accompanied with whatever vinyl records he fancies playing from a vast selection that covers the bar (made from half a grape press)
Hello. Larlequin on the Port of Cap D'Agde is no hidden jewel... no secret. We went there with a couple of French friends. It was a warm evening..the view was of the beautiful Port, the live music was free. The service was excellent, the quality of the food and presentation faultless. Great evening great place.
My favourite French restaurant is "En Bonne Compagnie" in the village of Homps, Aude on the banks of the Canal du Midi. Actually English owned and run, but an excellent restaurant in a magical location.
hmm, let's see, le ptit'gibus, around Rue Moufftard, in Paris.. can't quite recall if the street is pot au feu, or pot au fer...
it's a small family owned (two brothers) creperie (they are Breton) Simple, yummy, they are friendly, and they are very reasonable.
The food in L'outa, La Clusaz is really good, I mean,tasty stuff. The last few times we went,however, we ended up with a rather blasé waitress.
L'auberge d'Alex, in Alex (haute Savoie) is a little gem. the chef is quite adventurous, and it's a nice break from typical savoyarde restos.
In annecy, the 20 sur Vins is a great place if you love wine. the food is super, and you can taste/drink a wide variety of wines. http://restaurant-annecy.com/index.php
The best restaurant I have ever eaten in is the Relais des Plages in Saint Paul le Dax, honestly this place is fabulous. I do know the chef, but my recommendation is based upon his amazing abilities.
Auberge de Vieux Ternand (69620) run by a mother and son, he is 50+, she is 70+. No printed menu, he will tell you what is on offer that day. Complete opposite of fast food, our first meal took 5 hours, 2nd time we went on a Sunday, they excused themselves after the cheese course and went out to vote. You have to book and at lunch are asked not to arrive before 1 PM. Food is excellent and ambiance unique.
Hi Mary...well....we first lived in St Cyp, Languedoc and found a wonderful little Italian restaurant in a little wooded area near the Grande Stade there....its called La Main a La Pate...they do traditional Italian food....and in the summer the kitchen which has an enormous window is opened so you can watch the Pizza chef throwing the dough....it also does very good meat and fish dishes and you can enjoy your meal outside under a canopy of trees. Everyone Ive introduced the restaurant to loves it.
In our part of the Dordogne...we live very near Monbazillac...and there is a superb restaurant called La Tour des Vents in the Monbazillac hills.....the seating is on the terraces...with amazing views over Bergerac. The restaurant is superb, expensive....and we only use it for high days and holidays. But you wont be disappointed.
