The gastronomic scene in Bordeaux and SW France is very attractive with some of the country’s most exciting cuisine coming out of our region. As restaurants are closed due to the pandemic until 20th of January 2021, we would like to support our local gastronomy by dedicating this article to all our passionate chefs across the region.

World class chefs are making their marks in this foodie heaven. There are now two dozen Michelin-starred restaurant in south-west France and a similar number just over the border in northern Spain.

But it’s not just the big names – up-and-coming chefs at restaurants from the coast to the banks of the Dordogne are showcasing the delights of the region.We love to discover new talents and share with our clients the addresses of restaurants off-the-beaten track.

Tickle your tastebuds

There’s something for foodies each and every week of the year – from food festivals and oyster fairs to cheese and wine-tasting nights.

Just as you can easily visit a wine chateau in , you can take a gourmet food tour, drop by an oyster farm, or watch the apple harvest.

If food is your thing, then Bordeaux, south-west France and the Basque Country is your region. From canelés and foie gras to Arcachon oysters and cèpes, there’s something to amaze even the best-travelled tastebuds. Explore the amazing food from the south west in more detail here.

The Basque Cuisine

There’s nothing in the world quite like Basque cuisine, born from the unique and mountainous region straddling the Pyrénées. It’s a healthy and robust combination of an ancient cuisine mixed with abundance of modern creativity.

Recipes like piperade, ttoro (a kind of fish soup) with chipirons, basque chicken, and kaskarote tuna (tuna à la Basquaise) are delicious and homely, while dessert such as pettanmamia, Basque cake, muxuk (similar to macaroons) or etxebizkotxa feature on restaurant menus both sides of the Spanish border.

TOP TIPS – HOW TO GO LOCAL

There are many ways to get a truly local foodie experience. Here are some top tips:

• Visit local food markets. The new Halle Bacalan near the Cité du Vin in Bordeaux is a feast for the eyes, the nose and tastebuds. Halle les Biarritz and the market in St Jean de Luz are also worth a visit, especially for their tapas. But there are markets in different towns almost every day. Greens & Grapes can include a visit to one of them on your itinerary.

• Take a cooking course. For instance, the 4-star Le Saint-James hotel in Bordeaux has a dedicated cooking school to let you in on the secrets of French cuisine. There are also courses for making canales, the iconic cylinder-shaped cakes that have soft vanilla-flavoured dough and a lusciously caramelised crust, and other French specialities. Courses can be great value for money and you’ll be learning directly from local experts.

• Eat at your golf course. Golf club menus offer great value for money and they are usually based on local spacialties and use local produce.
• Book a meal at a chateau: Who better to match food and wine than a winemaker? More and more wine estates are opening restaurants or cafes to provide the complete gastronomic experience. We can reserve these meals for you, and also arrange picnics in the vineyards.
• Go direct to the source. Visiting local producers is a great way to understand food and find out how it makes it to your table. For example, just west of Bordeaux in the bay of Arcachon is one of France’s only caviar farms. Read more about it here.

Did you know?

When you join Greens & Grapes for a holiday, you benefit from our local knowledge and experience. We know every accommodation owner, and we have inspected every hotel and apartment. And with the current sanitary context, we’ve made sure that the accommodation we select for you is very respectful of the measures required to protect you with strict cleaning protocols and distancing measures during your stay.

We offer our guests the most competitive prices – negotiated locally with our partners – and all our packages include breakfast.