LOCAL FLAVOUR

After moving from the Netherlands to living close to Eymoutiers in the Limousin, Diederik and Charlotte quickly settled-in to life in France. Discovering the area was one of their priorities and that, of course, also included finding some great places to eat and drink, not only for their own pleasure but also to be able to make recommendations to guests of their B&B and gîte business.

So here goes, a variety of gastronomic and imbibing experiences to delight the senses.

Take a 7-minute drive north out of Eymoutiers on the D14 and you’ll come to the hamlet of Vervaille, here you will find Le Ranch des Lacs. This is probably the most famous restaurant in the area and popular with locals and tourists alike… here they cook using local products according to the seasons. Well worth a try is their Fondue Pelaude, a tender Limousin steak that really is mouth-watering, and to wash it down, you have an impressive wine cellar stocked with a fine selection of wines to choose from.

Something a little closer to home in Eymoutiers is the quaint bistro Viens Vienne located in an old tanner's house dating back to the 1600s. This eatery has the most beautiful terrace sitting above the river Vienne overlooking the old monastery and the collegiate church of Saint-Étienne. International cuisine provides a great choice of well-prepared food that is also great value for money.

Travel 10kms (6 miles) down the D982 out of Eymoutiers and you come to Nedde, nestling in the Vienne valley. Here you should try Chez Caroline which is in a former butcher’s shop. It is a friendly restaurant with a creative cuisine featuring many different flavours.

Now sometimes you want to raise the stakes (Editor: is that ‘steaks’ – sorry!) and for an elegant dining experience head to Le Relais Saint Jacques on the outskirts of Saint-Léonard-de-Noblat; it is located on the old pilgrims route to Saint James of Compostela. Here you will receive a courteous welcome in a peaceful environment. Make sure you leave room for the desserts …they are to die for!

Bread is really important to the French way of living and you can get the best bread and pastries at the Boulangerie Sainte-Hélène in Bujaleuf. It is not without reason that this bakery has won several awards, and for those with a sweet tooth their cakes are something really special. They also have an eatery in Limoges.

Dining out is great fun, but so too is dining in and if you fancy meat for the main dish then you should head along to Glangeaud Pierre on Rue Firmin Tarrade in Châteauneuf-la-Forêt. Here you can buy tender cuts of Limousin veal, beef, and homemade charcuterie.

And to complement the dish, there’s a wide selection of organic and local products from the grocer’s Le Temps des Cerises in Eymoutiers.

The choice is yours, but one thing is for sure, eating out or eating in, there’s plenty of choice and opportunity in this pretty part of the Limousin.