Restaurants and cookery courses

 

We could hardly complete our gastronomic tour of Aquitaine without talking about the region’s top restaurants. Because there are so many of them, we will limit ourselves here to the most famous ones that have won the praises of the leading guides.

And if your hands are itching to give it a try, there are always cookery courses, in renowned restaurants and hotels as well as on farms and at table d’hôtes.

Heading from north to south, let’s go on a tour of Aquitaine’s best restaurants…

Around Bordeaux, there are many great chefs: Claude Darroze in Langon, Michel Portos in Bouliac (elected Chef of the Year by the 2012 Gault & Millau Guide) and Nicolas Magie in Cenon… or Philippe Etchebest in Saint-Emilion.

In Bordeaux, Nicolas Frion officiates at the Chapon fin, the city’s oldest restaurant. And Le Pavillon des Boulevards is also well worth a visit!

Off to the east now, to the Lot-et-Garonne and four top chefs: Bernard Lebrun at La Toque Blanche in Pujols, Michel Trama at the lovely Aubergade in Puymirol, Michel Latrille in Astaffort and Eric Mariottat in Agen.

Southwards to the Landes. In Magesq, between the ocean and the spa town of Dax, the Relais de la Poste is run by Jean-Jacques Coussau. His hare terrine with seven peppers and wild peach chutney vies for your attention with the lobster stew with meadow mushrooms, chestnuts and creamy sherry sauce. 

Further inland, Eugénie-les-Bains is the territory of Michel Guérard, renowned as the master of refined slim-line cooking…

Then we come to the Pyrénées-Atlantiques. Between Basque delights and wonders of Béarn, you will need at least two weeks to taste the creations of François Miura in Bayonne and his colleagues in Biriatou, Anglet, Jurançon, Biarritz, Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port, Bidart and Pau.

And then there are all the other magicians of flavour just waiting to cast their spells for you.