An Epicurean Tour of the French Provinces

There aren't many gastronomic capitals in France. Paris, of course, is one. Lyons is perhaps the greatest. And it is pleasant to record that Bordeaux, the subject of this month's gustatory travelogue, is, by universal acclaim, a third. Its culinary glory may not quite reach the rarified heights achieved in Lyons; still, the cookery of Bordeaux will probably appear on the same lofty plane to all but those palates exquisitely attuned to subtleties and nuances. The combination of superb materials, scholarly and gifted cooks, and sensitive gourmets occurs in all three “capitals,” but Bordeaux has the added blessing of its incomparable wines. Beyond a doubt, Le Bordelais is a gastronomic province of proved top priority.

While the system of dividing France into provinces is generally sound, it sometimes is awkward, archaic, and arbitrary. These are not sacred boundaries, and writers on gastronomy have long since hurdled them when they ceased to apply to regional cookery. Thus Bordelais and Périgord have each been awarded epicurean entity, though they are both technically part of the wide-flung province of Guyenne. The Bordelais is now a province within a province and far better known than its parent. As it now stands, it is a narrow, wedge-shaped area bordering the Gironde River and its two winding tributaries, the Garonne and the Dordogne. So much for geography.

Too many travelers miss Bordeaux, the proud metropolis of southwestern France. It is a noble city, built along the banks of the wide Gironde. From its ancient stone quais, the world's finest and most versatile wines have been shipped for centuries. Most of the venerable buildings facing the river are intact, except those on the famed place de la Bourse, whose graceful eighteenth-century treasures were gutted during World War II and are only now being carefully restored. You sense the elegance of the Louis' as you stroll along these cobbled streets and large open squares dominated by the classic components of any French town— the Opera House, Town Hall Bourse, and inevitable squirming monument to Gambetta. Fine old stone houses with iron balconies recall the traditional wealth and aristocracy of Bordeaux.

You sense a prosperous, intelligent citizenry, and when you meet its individuals, you are fascinated with their successful mélange of the Latin and Anglo-Saxon races. English names abound in Bordeaux. They have been common for two centuries here. The secret, of course, is the wine, which the British have always held in highest esteem.

The Bordeaux native is an instinctive gourmet. He loves good food and insists upon it in his home and his restaurants. As in Lyons, a mediocre restaurant simply docs not survive in Bordeaux. Just about everybody cooks well. The Bordeaux hostess does her own marketing and coaches her own cook. She is a planner, and on Tuesday knows what her dinner is going to be the following Sunday. She knows that it has to be delectable to keep pace with the superb wines that her husband serves with it.

Things have been this way for a long, long time, to judge by the rapturous praises heaped on Bordeaux wine and food by the poet Ausone, born in the year 309! They should name a château after such a discerning bard, and they did!

Bordelais cookery is not purely provincial. It embraces The whole gamut of French cooking and is urban rather than countrified. It is pleasantly seasoned, recognizing garlic, shallots, olive oil, and spices, but with restraint. The regional aspect stems largely from the use of Bordeaux wines in many dishes and in that aromatic mainstay, la sauce bordelaise. This simple formula has become one of the world's great sauces, one which has helped to make the name of Bordeaux famous, and it is never better than with grilled meat. Some local dishes are heavy, cèpes à la bordelaise, for example, but the majority have that light balance which makes French cooking such a joy.

At this point I find it difficult to stay with my casseroles and to refrain from flying off on a tangent about the splendors and subtleties of Bordeaux wines. The Bordeaux wine experts find this a theme of endless fascination and surmise. You can glimpse the perspicacity of these sensitive fellows sometimes when, for example, they sip a wine, immediately place its vineyard and year, and then begin to speculate, from its bouquet, whether its grapes were picked by a widow, a married woman, or a virgin! I'm not certain that the subject has been explored so fully in GOURMET, although it has received much more than adequate treatment in years past [particularly September, 1947].

Following this explanatory word about wines, we come to the agreeable subject of the great restaurants of Bordeaux. There are about half a dozen to contend with, and all are concentrated, together with the best hotels, in the classic heart of the city. You are thus presented with the pleasant dilemma of choosing one of several Lucullan landmarks within what is known as “easy walking distance.” Bordeaux is not a tourist city and is not equipped with palaces for potentates and playboys. But it has several fine hotels for travelers without princely retinues. Among them is the:

Hôtel Splendide

This admirable hostelry, facing the broad Esplanade des Quinconces and possessing Parisian distinction, is considered one of the very best provincial hotels in France. Furthermore, its food is beyond reproach. You will find such classics as tournedos bordelaise, gratin de volaille, and canard à l'orange on the menu. in addition to many regional dishes. The wine cellar is wonderful, as you might well expect of a place located in the very heart of the Bordeaux wine trade, and Monsieur Pujo is a most gracious and thoughtful host.

Hôtel De Bordeaux

If you would like to preface your meal with an apéritif, we recommend the café of the Hôtel de Bordeaux for this classic ritual. It is one of the most attractive, luminous, gay, and aristocratic cafés we have ever seen. Its décor is extremely simple, with high-arched windows and restrained curtains, but the place has an indefinable air of elegance, harking back to the days when the Café de la Régence was the gathering place of “tout Paris.” You feel that “tout Bordeaux” is gathered in this charming spot between six and seven, and it affords an infrequent chance to observe at close range the delightful people who live behind those ancient stone walls and Louis XV iron grills. They appear just as charming as at a distance, and it is pleasant to record that most of those delicate pink checks are natural—a glowing tribute to the red wine of Bordeaux.

Le Chapon Fin

For generations this remarkable establishment at 5 rue Montesquieu has been considered one of the great restaurants of France. King Alphonso used to come here often to enjoy a change from Spanish food. King Edward VII was an assiduous visitor for years. Less eminent gourmets from all over the world have made it a point of pilgrimage and have not been disappointed. The highest standards have never faltered at Le Chapon Fin. Monsieur Sicart père came here in 1899, having first officiated at the famous Café Anglais in Paris, and his wise, exacting influence is always evident. You will find irreproachable food here, and many Bordelais specialties. If you are curious to taste chicken or steak or cèpes in the Bordelais manner, here is your best chance. Filets de sole Chapon Fin is a positive sublimation of that adaptable fish. If you are there in season. the terrine de caneton truffée is a most memorable experience. Possibly they will have plump little ortolans en caisse, one of the most savory dishes imaginable.

Perhaps the most striking thing about the Chapon Fin is its wine list, which must be the most complete in existence today. It takes you a long time to leaf through this astounding document, much less study it closely. The great and the lesser wines of Bordeaux from the great and the merely good years are here in profusion. They go back way before 1900 and up to the opulent present. Many of them are listed in magnums, jeroboams, and impérials. And for the lone diner. there are half bottles, a neglected commodity in many restaurants. If you order red wine, it is properly decanted for you and brought in with the newly pulled cork, a bit of extra attention which might well be emulated elsewhere. You may blink for a moment at the rococo décor of the Chapon Fin. It seems to fall somewhere between a winter garden and a grotto. You used to see these Gay Nineties interiors in Atlantic City, but pale blue lights, splashing fountains, and rocky niches come as a surprise in Bordeaux. But it's atmospheric, and the service, by alert young waiters and a venerable sommelier, is excellent. The prices, as one must expect, are a trifle high.

Le Château-Trompette

On the top level of epicurean excellence is this celebrated restaurant, 5 rue Château-Trompette, long a gathering point for fins bees of the region. You find this little street just off the broad promenade called the allées de Tourny. Read the dazzling carle du jour, climb up one flight, and discover a cheerful, urbane restaurant in the fine old tradition. Monsieur Beziat, the proprietor, has adhered closely to the haute cuisine bordelaise throughout all these years, and you can count upon superlative cooking. The estimable lamprey is often served here à la bordelaise. And they prepare gratin de queues d'écrevisses with all the pomp and splendor that it receives in Burgundy. The foie de canard aux raisins is a regional splendor which you won't soon forget, and you couldn't end your meal more pleasantly than with an omelette surprise. The wine list is superb, as you might expect. The prices are not in the economy bracket, but there was a delectable prix fixe meal at about two dollars.

Restaurant Dubern

There are several fascinating shops along the wide promenade of the allées de Tourny, but none of them has quite the appeal of the food shop of Madame Dubern at No. 42. I've pressed my pudgy nose against many a pastry-shop window, but never have I seen such an artistic gallery of epicurean splendors. The immense window was a sylvan panorama of delectable things—baskets of truffles, mushrooms. and cèpes; braces of pheasant, quail, woodcock, and ortolans; provocative tins of foie gras and confit d'oie. There were glass jars of immense white asparagus, sausages of a dozen sizes, smoked tongue in scarlet casings, hams in tinfoil, and rich, golden pâtés en croûte. You just don't dare to gaze too long at such lush plenitude. The mere sight of so many good things serves as a compelling apéritif, and you find yourself rushing through the food store, which is even more beguiling than its window, and up the stairs to the excellent restaurant established by Madame Dubern.

In this well-furnished dining salon you will find, once again, cooking of irreproachable quality. Among the notable specialties were supréme de volaille Dubern and bécasse au foie gras, than which there is no better way to sublimate a woodcock. But I was most impressed by the fonds d'artichaut au foie gras, an utterly seraphic interpretation of the Lyonnais dish which couldn't have been done better by La Mère Filloux herself. The chef of the Restaurant Dubern was formerly with the Grand Hôtel in Paris. The wine list is most complete, and there is a fine old private stock brandy to be had. The prix fixe meals are reasonable in price and very good.

Restaurant Etche Ona

If you look down a narrow side street and perceive a sign bearing these cryptic Basque words, you have discovered one of the very best and most hospitable Bordeaux restaurants, at 11 rue Mautrec. The words mean “good house,” and they spell out a distinct understatement, in our opinion. The Basque and Bordelais cooking provided by the talented chefs of Etche Ona is not only good but downright delicious. They have their own regional ways of cooking veal kidneys and chicken and duck livers which open up a whole new culinary horizon. The restaurant is decorated in a charming rustic Basque style, the wines are splendid, and the service cheerful and good. For many generations this house has been in the hands of a Basque family called Sabalçagaray, a name as awe-inspiring as their cooking.

Hôtel Biscouby

If you happen to come to Bordeaux by train, there is an estimable hotel not far from the railway station, at 244 cours de la Marne. It is the Hôtel Biscouby, named for a hospitable gentleman renowned for his fine cooking and wines. We did not visit Monsieur Biscouby, but his reputation throughout the region is so fine that his name is worth remembering. He specializes in such regional dishes as bouillabaisse, cassoulet, piperade, and cèpes bordelaise. The hotel has been recently renovated, and the prices are reasonable.

A trip through the wine country, especially at the time of the vendange, is a soul-warming experience for any enthusiast for the good things of life. Famous châteaux whose names you have seen on wine labels for years suddenly come to life, and you encounter an amazing number of such old friends in a day's motoring. They aren't all architecturally impressive—none of them equals the majesty of the châteaux of the Loire Valley—but their names make you catch your breath with excitement. At the conclusion of the grape harvest, the Bordelais always celebrate with local village festivals. These bacchic ceremonies, called gerbaudes, are gay, carefree, and pleasantly pagan, a joy to the casual beholder as well as to the terpsichorean participants.

There is no more invigorating way of spending a crisp autumn day in France than motoring through the wine country. On such an excursion the wandering amateur need not worry about a good place to have lunch! Two memorable towns await him, Libourne and Langon. one in the heart of the Saint-Emilion country, the other in the Sauternais.

Hôtel Loubat

For over sixty years this pleasant hotel in Libourne, at 28 rue Chanzy, near the railway station, has been the gastronomic citadel of the Saint-Emilion wine region. It is a small city hotel without pretension, but its food will surprise and probably enchant you. Following a long and memorable tenure by Monsieur and Madame Loubat, an amiable gentleman by the name of Monsieur Michel has now taken over. He has maintained the lofty tradition, and you may feel sure of departing content and full of praises for his fare. Monsieur Michel really cooks with wine. You may have coq an vin, lamproie bordelaise, entrecôte à la bordelaise, and, on certain lucky days, lièvre à la royale. Then there is a more-than-adequate prix fixe for about a dollar. You can well imagine how good his “local” wines are!

Hôtel Oliver

Langon is a tranquil town of about four thousand inhabitants in the very heart of the Sauternes country. Life seems to be reposeful and filled with a gentle join de vivre in this old wine own, and this relaxed feeling is reflected in the small Hôtel Oliver. You settle down in the handsome dining room or in a garden sheltered with parasols, feeling that all's right with the world, after all. The food will only increase your sense of well-being, for you find yourself face to face with la grande cuisine bordelaise, and very gratifying it is, too We had a few simple hors-d'oeuvre, a Stuffed shad, some of those divine cèpes bordelaise with an autumnal red Bordeaux, followed by cheese, pastry, a perfumed Sauterne, and a coal-black cafénoir. In fond retrospect it seems inconceivable that the Hôtel Oliver could disappoint you.

If you happen to be motoring south ward from Bordeaux to the Pyrénées a very different landscape confronts you. Instead of sloping vineyards, there are endless stretches of pine forests. Even here, gastronomic good fortune does not desert you. There are two good country inns on this road, just south of Bordeaux. You can find a good meal in either of them, and if you prefer country tranquility, they can put you up overnight with comfort. One of these is the

Hôtel Dulucq

This is an attractive country inn at Le Barp, about twenty miles south of Bordeaux, with a sheltered terrace where you will find good country fare and such specialties as civet de lièvre, confit d'oie, or even a spot of foie gras truffée. The wines are good, and the welcome is cordial.

Hostelleries des Pins

This pine-sheltered oasis is a pleasant halt at Belin, eight miles south of Le Barp. The menu is simple but well prepared and copious.

Now for a few notes and recipes on Bordelais cookery, much of which can be adapted to the American kitchen. We can't emulate some of their dishes— cèpes à la bordelaise, for example, is a delicacy which is all but unknown here. This floppy, orange field mushroom is a memorable fungus, but a heavy one. Nor do we see much of the lamprey, an unpromising eel-like creature which can be converted into a most appetizing dish by a good Bordeaux chef. I wish we could catch the winsome ortolan here, the way they do in Bordeaux. They capture this tiny bird and fatten him until he is round like a feathery ball. His fat melts in your mouth, and he has a flavor which is utterly delicious. Garlic raises its pretty head in many Bordelais dishes, and you will find it an inseparable companion of tomatoes, eggplant, locks, and cèpes. The mysterious flavor of goose liver and truffles is there, too, imparting a haunting fragrance to the finer dishes. liven though some of these subtleties are far from the American horizon, we can prepare oilier authentic Bordelais dishes with eminent success and satisfaction. Here are a few of them:

Oeufs Mollets à la Bordelaise (Eggs with Artichoke Hearts Bordelaise)

Boil 4 young artichokes for 30 minutes. or until tender. Remove the leaves and keep them to serve cold with French dressing.

Discard the chokes, slice the artichoke bottoms into bias pieces, and sauté them for 10 minutes in butter and a few drops of wine vinegar.

Cover the bottom of a round serving dish with the artichoke slices and place on them 6 oeufs mollets, or eggs boiled for 5 ½ minutes, doused in cold water, and shelled. Pour over all a sauce bordelaise and serve very hot.

Sauce Bordelaise

Combine ½ cup red wine, 1 shallot, chopped. ¼ teaspoon salt. 2 peppercorns, crushed, a pinch each marjoram and thyme, and ½ bay leaf and simmer until the wine is reduced to half its original quantity, or about ¼ cup. Add ½ cup strong consomme or 1 teaspoon meat glaze dissolved in ½ cup water and continue to simmer for 10 to 12 minutes, or until the sauce is again reduced to half its quantity. It should be somewhat thickened and highly concentrated in flavor. Strain the sauce and stir in ¼ teaspoon lemon juice, 1 teaspoon chopped parsley, and 1 generous teaspoon butter.

The true bordelaise sauce is especially good with meats, above all grilled meats. Entrecôte à la bordelaise is an unforgettable classic, due to the subtle marriage of wine, shallots, and spices.

Next is a highly decorative dish which tastes as good as it looks!

Poulet Samé à la Bordelaise (Chicken Sauté Bordelaise)

Cut a 4- to 5-pound roasting chicken in serving pieces and saute them in 3 tablespoons butter combined with I or 2 tablespoons olive oil. Turn them to brown on all sides and add salt and pepper. Cover and cook for about 1 hour, or until the chicken is tender. Put the pieces in the center of a heated oval serving dish and keep hot.

Meanwhile, cut away the tops of the leaves of 3 young artichokes and boil the vegetable for about 35 minutes. Cut the artichokes in quarters, discard the choke from the center, and sauté the pieces in butter, turning them frequently.

Peel 3 medium-sized potatoes, slice very thinly, and wipe dry. Cook the slices in butter until golden-brown on each side.

Slice 2 or 3 onions thinly, separate the rings, and dip them first in milk and then in flour. Fry them in hot oil until they are crisp and golden.

At the last, drop a few sprigs of completely dry parsley into the hot oil, fry for 3 seconds, and remove instantly to absorbent paper to drain.

Now arrange the chicken attractively on its platter—the artichoke quarters in parallel rows on each side, small mounds of the potatoes and onions at each end, and sprigs of fried parsley between each piece of chicken. Just before serving. pour the following sauce over the chicken:

Put 1 clove garlic, finely chopped and mashed, in the remaining butter in the pan in which the chicken was cooked. Cook for 2 minutes and add ½ cup chicken stock (made from the neck and giblets), ½ cup dry white wine, and 1 teaspoon meat glaze. Stir up all the good brown bits sticking to the pan and simmer to reduce the liquid a little. Put through a strainer into a small saucepan and blend in 1 tablespoon tomato paste. Heat and serve.

This manner of cooking adds greatly to the charm of a small oven roast and is particularly recommended for one of the less fine cuts,

Boeuf Rôli à la Bordelaise (Roast Beef Bordelaise)

Remove the fat from a 3-pound rump roast. Marinate the meat overnight in a bowl with 1 onion, sliced, 2 shallots. chopped. 1 bay leaf, 4 sprigs parsley. ½ teaspoon dried thyme, salt and pepper, ½ cup olive oil, and 1 cup white wine.

When ready to cook the meat, place a strip of its fat in the bottom of a roasting dish. Put the sliced onions, shallots, and herbs from the marinade on this and place the meat on top. Season and place another piece of fat over the meat, adding 2 tablespoons of the marinade. Roast in a moderate oven (350°F.) for 1 to 1 ¼ hours, or until the meat thermometer indicates rare, basting often. Place the meat on a platter and keep it hot.

Strain the juices from the pan and the remainder of the marinade into a small saucepan, heat, and reduce a little. Let it stand for a few minutes and then remove most of the fat from the liquid with the aid of a basting syringe. Add 1 tablespoon wine vinegar to what remains, reheat, and serve in a sauceboat with the roast.

Boeuf Bouilli à la Bordelaise (Boiled Beef Bordelaise)

This dish consists of thin slices of cold boiled or coast beef heated in a sauce made thus:

Sauté 1 onion, chopped, in 1 tablespoon butter with ¼ teaspoon salt and a dash of freshly ground pepper. Sauté with it the slices of beef and let them brown on both sides. Now add ¼ cup bouillon. 1/3 cup white wine. 1 clove garlic, chopped and mashed, 1 shallot. chopped, and 1 tablespoon chopped parsley.

Simmer all together until the sauce is greatly reduced. There should be just enough sauce left to coat the beef slices.

Sole art Gratin Comme en Gironde (Filet of Solo with Cheese Gironde Style)

Chop finely 2 shallots, 4 sprigs parsley, and 1 or 2 chives and mix with ¼ pound mushrooms, coarsely chopped. Place half this mixture in the bottom of a buttered baking dish lightly sprinkled with Hour and cover it thinly with bread crumbs. On this bed place 6 small filets of sole or flounder, sprinkle them with salt and pepper, and cover with the rest of the chopped mixture. Pour over all ½ cup white wine and ½ cup bouillon, dust again lightly with bread crumbs, and sprinkle with grated Gruyère or Parmesan cheese, Bake in a moderate oven (350° F.) for about 25 minutes, or until the fish is tender and the top of the dish is delicately browned.

Aubergines á la Bordelaise (Eggplant Bordelaise)

Cut 1 large eggplant, without peeling it, into slices about ½ inch thick. Sprinkle the slices with salt and let them stand for ½ hour. Drain and wipe them dry on a cloth. Fry the slices in oil, in several batches if necessary, so that the pan holds no more than can conveniently bathe in oil at one time. Turn the slices often and when both sides are lightly browned, place them on a heated platter.

Now into your hot oil drop a mixture composed of 2 shallots, chopped, 1 clove garlic, chopped. 1 tablespoon chopped parsley, and 2 or 3 tablespoons bread crumbs. Fry for a few seconds, being careful not to let the garlic burn. Strain out and sprinkle the herbed crumbs over the eggplant slices.

For those fortunate gourmets who are sailing or flying to France this year, here is a handy checklist of the restaurants and hotels already recommended by Samuel Chamberlain in “An Epicurean Tour of the French Provinces” which began in GOURMET, March, 1949.

Aisace

Département of Bas-Rhin

• Chatenois—Hôtel de la Gare
• Haul Koenigsbourg—Hôtel Schaenzel
• Marlenheim—Hôtel Cerf
• Moosch—Hôtel de France et Relais 66
• Obersteinbach—Restaurant Anthon
• Schirmeck—Hôtel Donon
• Stambach—Hôtel Fameuse Truite
• Strasbourg—Maison Kammerzell; Restaurant Valentin Sorg; Restaurant Zimmer
• Wasselonne—Hôtel de la Gare
• Wissembourg—Hôtel Ange

Département of Haut-Rhin

• Colmar—Restaurant des Têtes
• Kaysersberg—Hôtel Chambard
• Ribeauvillé—Restaurant Pépinière

Béarn

Déepartement of Basses-Pyrénées

• Ascain—Hôtel Etchola
• Biarritz—Ambassade de Bourgogne
• Bidarray— Restaurant Noblia
• Biriatou—Bonnet-Atchénia; Hôtel Hiribarren
• Cambo-les-Bains — Hôtel St. Laurent; Maison Basque
• Ciboure—Hostellerie Ciboure
• Jurançon—La Belle Casis
• Pau—Rôtisserie Périgourdine; L'Etrier; Le Romano
• St. Erienne-de-Baïgorry—Hôtel du Trinquet et Pyrénées
• St. Jean-de-Luz—Petit drill Basque

Département of Landes

• Peyrehorade—Hôtel Central

Bresse

Département of Ain

• Artemare—Hôtel Berrard
• Bourg-en-Bresse — Hôtel de France; Hôtel de l'Europe; Restaurant à l'Escargot
• Ceyzeriat—Restaurant Balcon
• Ferney-Vohaire—Hôtel de Pailly
• Nantua—Hôtel de France
• Pérouges—Hostellerie de Peéouges
• Priay—Hôtel Bourgeois
• St. Germain-de-Joux—Hôtel Reygrobellet
• St. Jean-de-Gonville—Restaurant Demornex
• Thoissey—Hôtel Chapon Fin

Brittany

Département of Côles-du-Nord

• Dinan—Chez la Mère Pourcel; Hôtel de la Poste
• Perros-Guirec—Hôtel Printania; Hôtel le Sphinx
• Pointe de l'Arcouest—Hôtel le Barbu
• Sables d'Or — Hostellerie des Dunes d'Armor
• Saint-Briac—Hostellerie du Centre
• Saint-Brieuc—Hôtel Croix Rouge
• Saint-Efflam — Grand Hôtel Saint Efflam
• Le Val-André—Le Grand Hôtel

Département of Finistère

• Huelgoat—Hôtel d'Angleterre
• Landerneau—Hôtel des Voyageurs et du Commerce
• Locronan—Auberge Saint-Ronan
• Port Manec'h—Hôtel Julia
• Quimper—Hôtel de l'Epée et Relais Saint-Corentin
• Quimper—é—Vieille Maison
• Riec - sur - Belon — Restaurant Rouat (Chez Mélanie)

Départment of Ille-et-Vilaine

• Hédé—Hostellerie du Vieux-Moulin
• Saint-Malo—Hôtel de l'Univers

Département of Loire-Inférieure

• Nantes—Hostellerie du Change; Restaurant Mainguy
• La Baule—Hôtel Toque Blanche

Département of Morbihan

• Auray—Hôtel du Pavilion; Lion d'Or et Poste
• La Trinité—sur-Mer - Hôtel-Restaurant des Voyageurs
• Vannes—La Rôtisserie

Lower Burgundy

Département of Yonne

• Auxerre—Hôtel de l'Epée; Tour d'Or bandelle
• Avallon—Hôtel de la Poste
• Chablis—Hôtel de l'Etoile
• Joigny—Hôtel Escargot
• La Cerce—Relais Fleuri
• Sens—Hôtel de Bourgogne; Hôtel de Paris et de la Poste
• Valée du Cousin—Moulin des Ruats
• Vézelay—Hôtel de la Poste
• Villevallier—Pavilion Bleu

Upper Burgundy

Département of Côte d'Or

• Beaune—Hôtel de la Cloche; Hôtel de la Poste
• Chatillon-sur-Seine—Hôtel Côte d'Or
• Chenove—Hôtel de l'Escargotière
• Dijon—Hôtel du Nord; Grande Taverne;
• Restaurant Pré-aux-Clercs; Restaurant aux Trois Faisans
• Les Laumes—Hôtel de la Gare
• St. Seine—l'Abbaye - Restaurant de la Poste
• Saulieu—Hôtel Côte d'Or

Département of Saône-et-Loire

• Anost—Restaurant Guyard
• Auton—Hôtel St. Louis et de la Poste
• Chalons-sur-Saône—Hôtel Royal
• Charolles—Hôtel Moderne
• Fleurville—Hôtel Chanel
• Mâcon—Auberge Bressane
• Pontanevaux—Hostellerie Compagnons de Jehu
• Tournus—Hôtel du Sauvage

Languedoc

Département of Aude

• Carcassonne—Hôtel de la Cité; Restaurant Auter
• Castelnaudary—Grand Hôtel Fourcade

Département of Aveyron

• Roquefort-sur-Soulzon—Grand Hôtel

Département of Gard

• Ales—Hôtel de Luxembourg

Département of Haute Garonne

• Toulouse—Restaurant Richelieu

Département of Hérault

• Gignac—Hôtel Central
• Montpellier—Chez Nénette

Département of Tarn

• Albi—Hôtel Vigan

Département of Tarn-et-Garonne

• Montauban—Hôtel du Midi

Lyonnais

Département of Loire

• Feurs—Hôtel Parc et Provence
• St. Priest-en-Jarez—Le Clos Fleuri

Département of Rhone

• Bans—Restaurant Cros
• Les Halles—Hôtel Charreton
• Lyons—Restaurant Morateur; La Mère Guy; La Mère Filloux; La Mere Brazier; Le Molière; Garcin; Farge: Restaurant du Café Neuf
• Tassin-Ia-Demi-Lune — Restaurant la Sauvagie

Nivernais

Département of Nièvres

• La Charité-sur-Loire — Le Grand Monarque
• Nevers—Hôtel de France et Grand Hôtel; Auberge de la Porte du Croux
• Pouilly-sur-Loire—Hôtel l'Espérance

Périgord

Département of Corrèze

• Beaulicu-sur-Dordogne—Central Hôtel

Département of Dordogne

• Bergerac—Hôtel de Bordeaux
• Beynac—Hôtel Bonnet
• Brantômc—Hôtel Moderne
• Les Eyzies-de-Tayac—Hôtel Cro-Magnon
• Périgueux—Hôtel Domino

Département of Lot

• Rocamadour—Hôtel Lion d'Or
• St. Céré—Touring Hotel
• Sou iliac—Grand Hôtel

Provence

Département of Alpes-Maritimes

• Antibes—Taverne Provence; Chez Felix au Port
• Beaulieu-sur-Mer—La Reserve
• La Brague—La Bonne Auberge
• Cannes—Marjolaine
• La Colle-sur-Loup—Hôtel de L'Abbaye
• La Napoule-Plage—La Mère Terrats
• Nice—Restaurant Raynaud; Restaurant St. Moritz; Petit Brouand; Chez Garac
• Vence—Hostellerie du Lion d'Or

Département of Basses-Alpes

• Barcelonnette—Touring Hotel
• Digne — Ermitage Napoléon; Hôtel Grand Paris
• Forcalquier—Hostellerie de la Louette

Département of Bouches-du-Rhône

• Aix-en-Provence—Hôtel Roi-René
• Les Baux—Mas de Beaumanière
• Cassis—Hôtel des Roches Blanches
• Marseille—Restaurant Isnard; Brasserie de Strasbourg; Restaurant Campa; Restaurant Gardanne

Département of Var

• Carqueiranne—Chez Justin
• Cavalaire-sur-Mer—Le Lido
• La Celle—Abbaye de la Celle
• Le Luc-en-Provence — Hostellerie du Parc; Hôtel de l'Etape
• St. Raphael—La Voile d'Or
• Toulon—La Potinière

Département of Vaucluse

• Châteauneuf-du-Pape — Restaurant La Mule du Pape; Restaurant Mere Germaine
• Orange—Restaurant le Provençal
• Vaison-la-Roimine—Hôtel le Beffroi
• Vaucluse—Restaurant Philip
• Villeneuve-lès-Avignons — Hôtel le Prieuré

Touraine

Département of Indre-et-Loire

• Amboise—Auberge du Mail; Hôtel de Choiseul; Hôtel de Lion d'Or
• Chaumont—Hostellerie du Château
• Chenonceau—Hôtel Bon Laboureur et du Châteaux
• Chinon—Hostellerie Gargantua
• Langeais—Family Hotel
• Loches—Hôtel de France
• Monnaie—Hostellerie Coq Hardi
• Tours—Hôtel de l'Univers; Grand Hôtel; Hôtel Métropole; Restaurant Lyonnais; Hôtel Moderne; Hôtel Bordeaux
• Vouvray—Hôtel Pont de Cisse