An Epicurean Tour of the French Provinces

The headlines being what they are in this summer of 1950, it is obvious that there are many things in this world more important than the misfortunes of Channel swimmers, the affairs of Li'l Abner, and the theme of this article, which is concerned with the gastronomic state of affairs in Normandy. This much being readily admitted, the fact remains that this courageous and stricken province now offers inspiration and good cheer to travelers from all over the world, a mere half dozen years after it served as the liberation beachhead of Europe.

The recovery of Normandy is a prodigious accomplishment which must console the native Normand as much as it impresses the visitor. Nature has led the way. The incorrigible fertility of Norman soil needed only the industry of the farmer to remake this into a land of plenty almost overnight. Fields, orchards, and pastures now yield their rich bounty with only slight persuasion. Normandy's cows continue to be staked out daily, and each contented bovine consumes her semicircle of rich clover with becoming serenity. Thick cream, golden butter, and fragrant cheese are the result, providing the keystone of Normandy cooking. Each autumn the orchards are weighted down with apples, which arc forthwith converted into cider and Calvados, two other notable keystones of Norman economy.

Nature, however, could do little about restoring the shattered cities of Normandy. Today it is a sobering experience to visit St. Lô, perhaps the most desolate reminder of the fury which descended upon Normandy in the summer of 1944. Caen, Rotten, Le Havre, Falaise, and many another city or town are partly devastated. Lisieux, once so celebrated for its ancient timbered houses, is now almost devoid of them. The center of Lisieux, illustrated here by a prewar drypoint, contained only the church, once the wreckage was cleared away. Seashore resorts, from one end of the Normandy coast to the other, suffered heavily from bombardment. This summer many a camper has pitched his tent on the choice but weedy site of a former de luxe beach hotel. The colossal scale of the invasion may be visualized at Arromanches or Omaha Beach, where rusty hulks still dot the shore. Numerous were the villages, particularly in the region of Caen, which became entirely effaced from the earth's surface.

Against this saddening background, however, arc many heartening signs. The French people have gone about the immense problem of reconstruction with vigor, imagination, and good taste. Well-coordinated housing projects arc rising from the ruins, while bombedout merchants carry on in temporary wooden shacks. The main problem at present seems to be financial. Many projects are temporarily stalled for want of funds, and the lot of the sinistrés is still a sad one.

The Normandy countryside, however. presents a far different picture from that of its battered cities. It comes as a pleasant surprise to find that the scars of war have largely disappeared and that any number of towns have come through untouched. Most of Normandy's celebrated chateaux and manors and many of its noblest churches arc still miraculously intact. The picturesqueness of Norman villages is unchanged. There arc the same timbered cottages with thatched roofs and roses 'round the door. Most of the bridges are back in place. Roads have been resurfaced and lined with new rows of saplings to replace the trees cut for firewood during the bitter years. Most of Normandy has been preserved. It is as beguiling as ever and much more interesting to the average traveler.

For its courageous comeback alone, this fair province deserves a high priority from the visitor. To judge by the foreign automobiles on its roads. it has more than regained its erstwhile popularity, but not for sentimental reasons alone. Normandy's hotels and restaurants have fought their way back, not without a great deal of effort, to their prewar standards and even above them. This was abundantly clear to your roving correspondent after a studied epicurean tour last summer. Some of the best of Normandy's gastronomic glories are listed below, but no foolish claim is made that all are included. Normandy has five départements, and it is a large order-more than my waistline can take. You will note conspicuous omissions-Deauville, for example, where we just didn't seem to fit with the King of Egypt, the Aga Khan, and those new rose-colored chips, now current in the casino, worth a million francs each. But a lot of red-and-white checkered tablecloths were covered in arriving at the following list. Citing the five départements and their towns alphabetically, here are several of Normandy's noteworthy restaurants:

Bayeux (Calvados)

This lovely town, famed for its unique tapestry and its cathedral, was occupied by the British troops very shortly after the initial landings and escaped virtually undamaged. You will find a comfortable, unpretentious, and pleasant hotel almost across from the west facade of the cathedral called the HôTEL NOTRE-DAME. The cooking is very good. indeed, with a strong emphasis on sea food. Monsieur Catelain's method of preparing mussels with a cream sauce deserves particular acclaim. The prices are very fair, the rooms clean and bright, and one has the added privilege of hearing the cathedral chimes sound softly throughout the night. A garage and a cafe arc a part of this commendable country hotel.

Dives-sur-Mer (Calvados)

Architecturally as famed as any hotel in France, the HOSTELLERIE GUILLAUME-LE-CONQUéRANT is lodged in an ancient and vastly picturesque building dating back to the eleventh century. William the Conqueror's Inn has been Celebrated for decades, and its guest book contains countless notable signatures-so notable, in fact, that some ungracious guest recently walked off with it! Its garden is a bower of flowers, and its venerable dining halls are nothing less than museum pieces. The food is more than adequate to keep pace with such unprecedented surroundings, and a little expensive. But the atmosphere is worth it. In case you can't find Dives-sur-Mer on the map. it is on the southern outskirts of the seaside resort of Cabourg.

Pont-l'Evêque (Calvados)

This little crossroads town, which lends its name to one of the noblest of French cheeses, had a tough time during the last war and shows it. Luckily, both of its attractive inns, the Golden Eagle and the Golden Lion, survived with minor damage. The HOSTELLERIE AIGLE D'OR is a handsome fifteenth-century timbered inn whose courtyard is sketched on our title page. Its ancient dining salon boasts an immense fireplace, glistening with copper, pewter, and old china. The cooking is typically Norman-sweetbreads, chicken, and escalopes de veau in rich cream sauces, sole swimming in butter, wild strawberries basking in thick cream. Madame Castelain is a cheerful, capable cook, and it is a pleasure to be her guest.

The HÒTEL DE LION D'OR is easier to find as one motors through Pont-l'Evêque, for it stands smack on the crossroads. It is also an old timbered house, but boasts the appendage of a glassed-in terrace on the town square. The food is so good that one doesn't mind the noise of passing traffic, Another gifted cuisiniÈre presides here and shows particular skill in preparing shellfish, rabbit, and the classic Norman poulet à la Vallée d'Auge. The prix fixe meal, which looked most tempting, was quoted at 350 francs, or just a dollar, plus wine and service.

Bizy (Eure)

In writing about the RESTAURANT QUERVEL in the village of Bizy, I find it difficult to avoid bias. This is because I have known Monsieur Quervel for more than a quarter of a century and have been a steadfast admirer of his pâlé en croûte, his délices de sole normande, and his poulet rôti all of that time. Monsieur Quervel began his career as a pastry chef. His restaurant, which is located on the edge of the forest on the outskirts of Vernon, began as a pastry shop, where an occasional meal was prepared for old friends. Little by little, it became known to discriminating Parisians, who would come out for the week end and lead a Lucullan life on his simple, box-hedged terrace. Finally the pastry shop had to be abandoned in favor of the invading gourmets. For the past forty years, Monsieur Quervel has been the patron-chef of his own superb country restaurant, and for just as long Madame Quervel has met her guests at the door with a smile. There is not a whit of pretence about the place, but you will find some of the best cooking and finest wines in Normandy. And, needless to say, the pastry is scrumptious. The Quervels promised to show particular courtesy to my friends, so if you will mention Monsieur Shom-bear-laaa, it might pay off. The hamlet of Bizy is within a reasonably short drive of Paris and makes a pleasant Sunday outing.

Conches (Eure)

This pleasant little town, perched on the edge of a ravine. still treasures many of its Norman timbered houses and ancient stone buildings and is well worth a visit. It also boasts a simple country hotel in the fine old tradition. This is the HôTEL DU CYGNE, a clean and hospitable little place, quite suitable for an overnight stop. One glance at the capable Madame Richoux and her lofty, spotless kitchen should be enough to convince you of the high plane of her cooking. You will undoubtedly like her saucisson chaud brioché, not to mention her delectable tournedos béarnaise.

Léry (Eure)

Just across from the church in this sprawling village near Rouen is the recently restored HOTEL BEAUSé JOUR, a newcomer among Normandy inns and a noteworthy one, especially if you like to fish. Near by is a canal which appeared, to my inexpert eyes, to be a fisherman's paradise. Everyone seemed to be hauling in small silvery fish at will, and many a failure seemed in prospect. From a dozen toothsome specialties quoted on the menu of the Hôtel Beauséjour. our inquiring trio chose variously quiche Lorraine, truítes an bleu, gnocchis au gruyÈre. and rognons madÈre and found nothing bur praise for the fare. We finished our dinner with a delicious choice of cheese and tar-black coffee of infinite richness and taste. Last year cheese and coffee were on the dubious list, but not any more! Restrictions on the cream content of French cheese have been lessened, and coffee no longer suffers the companionship of roasted acorns. Monsieur Nauwelaerts has done the passing gourmet a distinct favor in setting up the Hotel Beauséjour. It is easier to praise his cooking than to pronounce his name!

Les Damps (Eure)

As you drive along the river road near Pont-de-l'Arche, you must look closely to find the fork leading down to one of the most charming of all Normandy inns. This is LE VIEUX NORMAND, a genuine thatched, timbered cottage in the half-hidden village of Les Damps. (Only a Frenchman can pronounce that word Damps and not say dans or don!) The rustic dining room is not one you'll soon forget. Its blackened timbers are ornamented with a fascinating miscellany of polished brass and copper, old faience, and flowers. Flowers are everywhere. Near by is a lazy stream where one can row or fish or relax in anticipation of a truly fine dinner. The menu of Le Vieux Normand follows the new tendency to list only a few specialties, but they are noble ones! There was an unexpected stranger from Provence on the menu, the garlic-fragrant bourride. We didn't try it, not being unanimous-which is essentialbut we can recommend with enthusiasm the escalope de veau, covered with a blanket of mushrooms and a thick cream sauce, sprinkled with cheese, and quickly browned in the oven. This enchanted cottage is worth the trouble to find.

Pont-Audemer (Eure)

Surely Normandy must surpass all of the French provinces in picturesque and ancient inns. Here comes another one, perhaps the most fanciful of all. It is the AUBERGE DU VIEUX PUITS, a quaint assemblage of Norman architecture, centered about a time-bleached timbered well. It is located at 8 rue Notre-Damedu-Pré, a rather elusive side street, and it's worth any amount of effort you expend in finding it. This group of buildings. which once served as a tannery, was converted into an inn decades ago. Part of it was destroyed in the bombardment of 1944, and there remain but four rooms for overnight guests. But the dining facilities escaped serious damage. My pencil sketch might seem a little out of date, since it was made twenty years ago. However, nothing has been changed, except the wording on the suspended sign.

After you have absorbed the atmosphere of the place and a cool aperitif in the garden, the fine fare established by the affable Monsieur Foltz awaits you. Here again is the limited menu containing a few tempting specialties. You couldn't select a better place in all Normandy to taste the famous poulet à la Vallée d'Auge, but here is also an opportunity to sample that comparative rarity, canard aux cerises. To sum the matter up, the food at the Auberge du Vieux Puits is extremely good, served in unforgettable surroundings, with a noble cave awaiting your pleasure.

Verneuil (Eure)

Looming up at the end of every road approaching Verneuil is a magnificent Gothic church tower, one of the noblest in France. Unfortunately, it was another casualty of World War II, some of its delicate tracery being powdered by shellfire, but restoration is under way. On the square facing the church tower is a long-established hostelry with an excellent reputation, the HôTEL DU SAUMON. Monsieur Vannier, its young and enterprising proprietor, represents a new school of hotel men. and a very good one. Regardless of the hotel's name, the trout remains king here rather than the salmon, and we've rarely encountered a more delectable truite meuniÈre. And if you are ever going to like andouillettes grillées, those aromatic sausages whose contents are best left undefined, here is the place to make the attempt! Thanks to the Hôtel du Saumon, this old town in the wheat country makes an excellent epicurean stopover if you are motoring between Paris and Brittany.

Mont-St. Michel (Manche)

It is only by a caprice of the River Couesnon. which technically divides Brittany and Normandy, that this celebrated shrine happens to fall in the present article. Atmospherically, the Mount and its granite buildings arc as Breton as Quimper. But since it now rises east of the shallow river, it is awarded to Normandy, together with its Huffy omelettes and salt-marsh-fed mutton. There is so much to be said about the incredible Mont-St. Michel that a verbal thumbnail sketch would be a downright impertinence. Suffice it to say that there is nothing like it in this world.

The food-conscious traveler has always connected the name of La MÈre Poulard and her famous omelette with Mont-St. Michel. Though the dear lady departed this world decades ago. her descendants still carry on. The HOTEL FOULARD is undoubtedly the best of the numerous hotels clustered on this spiny rock. They don't hesitate to capitalize on the fame of that omelette. A strongarmed lad in the costume of an apprentice chef beats eggs constantly in a large copper receptacle, pounding out a rhythm with bis sauce whisk which would do justice to Shoe Shine Boy himself. It is a sort of gastronomic tom-tom, and the crowd gathers ten deep around the kitchen door. Two expert Breton maids cook the omelettes in long-handled pans in a wood-burning fireplace. and it is a very pretty sight. The white and yolks are beaten together, and generous quantities of melted butter are lavished on the finished product, which is foamy and fragrant. At the risk of being an old kill-joy, I contend that any good French cook can make a more interesting omelette than Madame Poulards fluffy variety, which seems to pall the second time you try it. However, it is a refreshing novelty and harmonizes well with the langouste and agneau de pré-salé which are, apparently, obligatory as succeeding courses. Four or five other restaurants on Mont-St. Michel's steep thoroughfare serve precisely the same menu, but not quite so well. The Hotel Poulard has clean, pleasant rooms for an overnight stop.

Pontaubault (Manche)

This is just another French town on the fringe of Brittany, but it takes on significance to the wandering voluptuary on account of the HôTEL DE LA GARE ET 13 ASSIETTES. As may be judged by its name, this is not a mere run-of-themill place. This modest hotel by the railway tracks has earned a reputation for line food and plenty of it. It is enormously popular with French family groups and is inclined to be overcrowded, rough-and-tumble, but gay and effervescent. For less than two dollars, they serve a quite fabulous meal, including appreciable slabs of told langouste. One can arrange to confront that thirteen-course dinner, if one wants it, and it is quite an epicurean procession. Only the hardy souls attempt it. though. The wine cellar is well stocked with cool, heady Muscadet. The service is boisterous, the noise and laughter are unremitting. You won't forget your luncheon at the sign of the railway station and the thirteen plates!

Pontorson (Manche)

If you are motoring to Mont-St. Michel and arc reluctant to be too touristy, the town of Pontorson should prove a pleasant alternative. It is on the mainland, only about six miles from the Mount. It has no garage problem, which the Mount has. Pontorson is a flat town on the main highway and not particularly seductive, but the unusual old HôTEL OUEST ET MONTGOMERY makes you forger the fact. This remarkable building was the medieval lodge of the counts of Montgomery. Many of its rooms contain the original beamed ceilings, painted in faded colors, and are furnished with antique Breton pieces. Monsieur 1e Bellegard takes very good care of his guests, offering them a menu rich in poultry and sea food and a heartening dry Muscadet which harmonizes particularly well with a handsome bomard à l'américaine.

Bagnoles-de-L'orne (Orne)

This town strikes a different note from the others listed. It is an inland spa, surrounded by forests, bubbling with healthful waters, and replete with restful hotels. One hotel in this reposeful resort has established a wide reputation for its fine food. We sought it out and can report a delicious luncheon as our reward. The hotel is called the LUTETIA PALACE, a pleasant, modern establishment, resembling many others in the town. Its food, however, sets it apart. If you cherish a quiet week in the forest, with the companionship of distinguished cooking, you should like the Lutetia Palace.

Forges-les Eaux (Seine-Inférieure)

This little brick-and-stone town is the quintessence of Normandy and a popular stopover point between Paris and the Channel pores. We will always recall with gratitude the night we arrived here at the doorway of the HôTEL DU MOUTON, tired and famished after a breakdown. It was after ten o'clock, but Monsieur Lemercier and his willing staff whipped up a beautiful dinner, including an unforgettable sole dieppoise. At mote normal hours, they can do even better. This is a simple country inn with simplicity's attendant virtues: it is clean, hospitable, and inexpensive.

Rouen (Seine-Inférieure)

Tragedy struck at Rouen during World War II, and acres of its ancient buildings were laid waste. Its Cathédrale, its Eglise St. Maclou, and its rare Gothic Palais de Justice were gravely damaged. but reconstruction crews are already well along with their work. Apart from the devastated area near the river, however, the story is less discouraging. One of the buildings which escaped by a hair was the celebrated HôTEL DE LA COURONNE, the ancient timbered hostelry built in the pure Norman style of the fourteenth century. Located at 31 place du Vieux-Matché, the site of the martyrdom of Jeanne-d'Arc, it has been a credit to the Normandy cuisine for generations, nay centuries. Monsieur Lucien Dorin, whose career with his brother as a master restaurateur is well known, now is aided by his son in guiding the destinies of the Couronne. In these ancient surroundings you can be assured of a superb dinner at a very fair tariff. We began with the best white port I've ever tasted and ended with an inspiring old Calvados. Between these two pleasant extremities everything was irreproachable, including the service.

The HôTEL DE LA POSTE is Rouen's leading hotel, a most comfortable place which verges on what the French call élégance, perhaps because the Duke of Windsor and the Aga Khan stopped there last year. Located at 72 rue Jeanned'Arc, the hotel possesses the restaurant which is rated No. 1 in Rouen by all the critics. This is called the RELAIS FLEURI, and it presents a very impressive menu, indeed. The famous canard à la rouennaise is at its finest here, and you probably won't find a better sole normande than that prepared by the gifted chef, Monsieur Lautier. Rouen could be your most memorable overnight stop in all Normandy.

Totes (Seine-Inférieure)

The hazards of the alphabet place this town last on the list and permit me to end this epicurean tour of Normandy in a blaze of glory. Totes is a crossroads hamlet, midway between Rouen and Dieppe, and there would be no earthly reason to stop there except for the HôTEL DU CYGNE, one of the truly remarkable shrines of good food in France today. This large brick building, halfcovered with vines, has always been an inn known for its fine cooking since it was built in 1611. Its reputation has never been higher than it is today, however, a fact which is attributable to one man. Monsieur Claudius Richard. To be received by Monsieur Richard in his gigantic kitchen is an experience, we promise you. which you will never forget. A very small man. with a vast white toque and a wistful smile, he is a superlative chef whose career has taken him from Paris to Brussels to London to New York and, finally, back to this quiet crossroads where he has supposedly retired. In this lofty kitchen, decorated with a priceless collection of copper, brass, and old platters, the genial little man prepares the dishes which lave taken a lifetime to perfect. Most of them are simple dishes. but they have a master's touch. You simply can't find better quenelles de brocket, better entreóte minute or truite amandine. There are a dozen such classic dishes to choose from, along with impeccable pastry, cheese, fruit, and wine. The prices are exceedingly fair. The most priceless commodity, however, is that first glimpse of the beaming Monsieur Richard n his medieval kitchen. That is worth a trip to Normandy, all by itself. The Hôtel du Cygne is our most enthusias:ic recommendation-by far.

Not much space remains for Normandy recipes. We have worked on a lot of them, however, and when this collection finally appears in book form. a large chapter will be devoted to this rich land of fresh butter and thick cream.

Soupe Normande

Stew gently in several tablespoons of butter a bunch of leeks and 3 small white turnips, all thinly sliced. When they are partly cooked, add 3 potatoes, also thinly sliced, and let them soften a little in the butter, but do not brown. Add 1 ½ quarts good beef stock, as from a pot-au-feu, and ½ cup cooked dried Lima beans or uncooked fresh Lima beans. Season to taste. Add 1 ½ cups milk and cook very gently until the vegetables are tender. Stir in 1 tablespoon butter and 2 tablespoons heavy cream and serve.

Barquettes d'Huitres à la Normande (Oyster Tarts Normandy Style)

Make a dozen little tart shells from flaky pastry, baking them either in small. round tart tins or in the pointed oval tins known as barquettes. Partly fill the cooked pastry shells with a mixture of about two do/en shrimp, cooked and sliced, one dozen large mushrooms, cooked and sliced, ant 2 sliced truffles, all blended into 1 cup béchamel sauce (see August, 1950).

Poach two dozen fresh oysters for just 2 minutes in their own liquid, keeping it just below the boiling point. Drain them, reserving the liquor, and arrange 2 on each tart Reduce the oyster liquor to ½ cup, add ½ cup white wine, and heat. Off the fire, blend in 2 beaten egg yolks and season with salt and pepper. Return to very low heat, or set in the top of a double boiler over hot water, and add, bit by bit, 2 tablespoons butter, beating constantly until the sauce thickens like a hollandaise. Put 2 tablespoons of this sauce over the top of each little tart and brown ever so lightly under a hot broiler flame.

Salade Cauchoise (Potato Salad Caux Manner)

An interesting salad is made in the Pays de Caux and the Rouen district by combining boiled diced potatoes with diced celery and ham, cut in tiny strips. Season with salt, pepper, vinegar, and lemon juice. Stir in at the end heavy cream instead of oil.

Poulet à la Vallée d'Auge (Chicken Valley of Auge)

Cut up two 3-pound broilers as for frying and salt and pepper them. Brown the pieces of chicken lightly on all sides in about ¼ pound butter. Lower the flame and continue cooking for 15 minutes, turning the pieces often. Pour 4 tablespoons warmed Calvados, or applejack or apple brandy, over them and light it, shaking the pan until the flame dies. Add 5 or 6 shallots, finely chopped. 1 tablespoon chopped parsley, a sprig of thyme or ¼ teaspoon dried thyme, and ½ cup cider or white wine. Blend well, cover, and cook until the chicken is tender. Arrange the chicken on a heated platter, add ½ cup heavy cream to the liquid in the pan, heat, and pour this aromatic sauce over the chicken just before serving.

Asperges à la Sauce Normande (Asparagus, Normanade Sauce)

Asparagus served with the following sauce provides a delicate and welcome variation. Steam a bunch of asparagus, with only the cud sialics in boiling water. until tender but not overcooked. Pour over it the following sauce:

Blend ¾ tablespoon flour with 1 heaping tablespoon butter, barely melted. in a small saucepan. Add salt, pepper, and a good grating of nutmeg. Pour in gradually 1/3 cup cider and 2/3 cup heavy cream, stirring well. Simmer for just a minute, stirring constantly, until slightly thickened. Place over boiling water and cook for 10 minutes. Add a few drops of lemon juice and serve over the asparagus or in a separate sauce dish.

This Normandy sauce may also elevate other vegetables to the category of a plat worthy of being served as a single course. For this purpose use a whole cooked cauliflower or carrots, sliced and cooked in a minimum of water with salt, pepper, and a pinch of sugar. Celery. leeks, and salsify also appreciate such kind treatment.

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