L'Esplanade (Domme) vs. Hotel du Chateau (Beynac)
 

We (2 couples) are spending 4 nights in the Dordogne in late October. L'Esplanade is over twice as expensive as Hotel du Chateau. Are you mostly paying for the view? Any strong opinions? We would prefer not to split our stay between 2 hotels but if we stay at L'Esplanade all 4 nights it will be our "splurge" on a 2-week trip and we want to know that it will be worth it!

Friends of mine stayed at the Esplanade last October after a quick exit from La Coulverine in Sarlat where they encountered bedbugs. They loved the Esplanade but that could be affected by their experience the night before. The main thing about the Esplanade for me is the restaurant - I had lunch on the terrace quite a few years ago and the food and the view were both fabulous. I was staying at the Hotel Bonnet in Beynac, which is a nice budget hotel and I preferred being in Beynac to Domme. They are not far from each other anyway and you will be in Domme by car in about 10 minutes if you want to see the view. The views from Beynac castle and from Castenaud are also spectacular, the thing with Domme is that you can see those castles from Domme. Personally, I liked the freedom to wander by the Dordogne River that flows through Beynac, to catch the touristy boat there and to walk around to La Roque Gageac which is between Beynac and Domme. I would therefore stay in Beynac and have lunch at the Esplanade, rather than dinner, to enjoy the food and the view from another position. The whole area is just beautiful.

As Sarlat, Beynac, Roque Gageac and Domme are all very close I would rather stay (and I have) at Sarlat. There's more to do and you can reach any of the other places in just a few minutes. If you held me down and made me choose between Beynac and Domme it would have to be Roque Gageac.

Have a great time.
Larry J

Hi,
We stayed at the L'Esplanade for 5 days last summer. It was well located for the various sites we visited. The restaurant food was fantastic, and so was the view. We ate there for dinner multiple times. Our room was "OK". It was their biggest, but the view was limited by one very small window, and the garret roof limited its use. There were other rooms with larger windows. In all, the location and the food outweighed the smallish room.

Enjoy your trip.
Walkteach

We just returned from Dordogne and staying at the Esplanade. We had a room overlooking the Dordogne river at €110 a night. The hotel is lovely - old, antique furnishings, high ceilings, etc. The view is spectacular - high above a river valley, hot air ballooning rising in front of your eyes, birds, etc. However If you have found a hotel that is as serviceable in the area for €50 per couple per night, I would say go for it... and report back to the rest of us cause that is a bargain.
Domme is a pain to get in and out of - one way streets filled with walking tourists, walled city with one entrance/exit, and parking is problematic.
Contrary to others, I would not eat there again.
The food is excellent but not as exciting and imaginative and as "worth it" as many other places in the area. A local chef told us that the chef there is resting on his laurels from a time when he had a star (lost several years ago.) That is only my observation and I am sure others will disagree. If the reason for the meal is the view, reserve a table at the Bistro next door or enjoy a pique nique in the park beside the hotel.

hausfrau - Here is one view from our window at L'Esplanade and seven views of our meal at L'Esplanade (have I ever got my priorities all screwed up).
http://tinyurl.com/pgfyt

Hi H,

For 1/2 the price, I would go with the du Chateau and visit the Esplanade for lunch.

You might also want to consider the Hotel Bonnet.

See http://tinyurl.com/k4erl for some pix taken from our room. Nos. 30, 31, 36 and 37.

Have a nice visit.

((I))

Hi Rob,

I think that your priorities are quite in order.

Hi Rob. Hope you did manage to get to some better restaurants - the Esplanade is good, but not the best in the area, we agree. Also agree that the view from the cafe next door is as good (or better) and worth doing when in Domme. We love the view, but only go in the off season - in July and August I dont know how people get in and out (or even move around in the town, with so many people.)

Hi Ira and Carlux - not to highjack hausfrau's thread but I think that the answer to her question is clear.
We especially enjoyed a meal we had at Le Relais des Cinq Chateaux in Vitrac. The meal was one third the cost but many times more exciting than L'Esplanade. It lacked the pretention. I had venison there which was exquisite. The fruity sauce was perfect. I hope to have my French food pictures and reviews up next week.
The chef at Le Relais was formerly at L'Esplanade before he began this place.
Others have mentioned little problems at L'Esplanade like having to retrieve their own wine or being ignored.

Hi Rob,

>Le Relais des Cinq Chateaux in Vitrac..<

Isn't that in Vezac, or is this a different one?

((I))

ira - thanks for the correction. It is indeed in Vezac. I think part of my brain is still jetlagged.

Thanks for everyone's replies and robjame and ira, thanks for the photos! I'll have to run all this by my travelmates and see what we decide on. Given that we will be going in late October I'm not really concerned about Domme being too crowded. We would prefer to stay in a smaller town than Sarlat - just our preference. La Roque Gageac is a good suggestion too - I have only paddled past it. Obviously a meal at l'Esplanade is in order at the very least (though I appreciate the comments about it being good but not necessarily the best).

If we find cheaper hotels at our other stops (Rhone Valley, Massif Central), which I suspect we may, then we may go ahead with l'Esplanade. (Speaking of which, if anyone has hotel and/or restaurant suggestions for those areas I would be most appreciative!)

FYI, my parents have stayed at Hotel Bonnet and I have eaten there...granted it was a long time ago, but we both had not-so-great experiences. My meal was downright terrible.

Hi H,

>...we both had not-so-great experiences [at the Bonnet]. My meal was downright terrible.<

Sorry to hear that.

In 2005, we found it to be quite good for what it was - a 2*, with a good kitchen, in a small town.

However, I note that it is no longer listed with the Logis de France, which is not a good sign.

((I))

We had a lovely stay there in 2003, but the best meal we had in the region was in Roque Gageac -- L'hotel L'etoile, I think. We may stop there on our way to Spain in September.

Here are my favorite restaurants in the Roque Gageac area - From my wife's diaries:

L’Espanade in Domme 05 53 28 31 41
This is a Michelin 1 star restaurant. (lost star in ’02)
We had a great table by a window overlooking the Dordogne. Though a 1 star restaurant, the service was most pleasant We had a great dinner, Daddy & I each had the “turban of eggplant caviar”. The turban was a slice of marinated eggplant wrapped around caviar. This was followed by lotte (monkfish) en casserole. Daddy started with lobster bisque, then followed with filleted sole with cepes. Stu had the menu a 380FF. He started with a pan seared foie gras, then lobster ragout with a potato millefeuille. Then, he had lamb with truffle slices with a vegetable flan and a “package” of other vegetables. We had a cheese course & selections from the dessert chariot. The dessert chariot was the restaurant serving piece equivalent of an architecture “folly”. The chariot incorporated all sorts of swiveling trays, shelves, and lids – accommodating all the gateaux (with a heavy leaning toward chocolate), the bowls of fruit based sweets, and a number of sauce boats with the “de rigeur” selection of sauces appropriate to each dessert selection. Chocolate mint cake landed on Stu’s & my plate, & daddy went for the Black Forest cake.

Sept ‘05
We did not dine at l’Esplanade when we visited the Dordogne in ’03. We had heard a few rumblings that it had slipped a bit. We returned in ’05, and thought it was as good (if not better) than ever.

We had an attractive plate of Amuse Bouche items – a small cup of vichyssoise, saumon marine on toast, prosciutto wrapped around melon, a slice of pate en croute. Stu had the menu a 50E. Cepes presse (terrine) in pastry topped with several large meaty sautéed fresh cepes with a light veal stock sauce. Then he had a demi-pigeon roti (a point) served with an exquisite deep, dark colored game sauce. It was accompanied by strips of roasted carrots & parsnips & a cube of crisp polenta speared with a cherry tomato. I had the menu a 42E. Thin “sheets”/slices of Sandre marine, served with marinated vegetables layered with crispy light pastry. Then I had Pintade stuffed with herbs under the skin – cooked to perfection – velvety, buttery texture with a light butter game sauce. We both had dessert selections from the dessert chariot - and what an awesome set of choices!! Pineapple tart/orange tart, cups of berries, fruit napoleons – but Stu had the chocolate/caramel “dome” with crème anglaise, and I had the chocolate ganache (maximum, strength chocolate) with red berry coulis.

Jardin d’Epicure - outside of St Cyprien, on the north side of D703 before the turnoff to St Cyprien & Castels. 05 53 30 40 95

Since the evening was somewhat warm, we opted to sit on the terrace for dinner at Jardin d’Epicure outside of St Cyprien. The dinner started with 3 pastry type amuse bouches, & one (probably gesiers) en brochette. This was followed by small cup of chilled cantaloupe puree. I had the menu a 170FF, starting with smoked salmon in a chive crème fraiche sauce, followed by daurade with tomato basil fondant. I had a cheese course (and, as always the case one helping of house made fromage fraiche). All followed by a chocolate mousse cake. Stu had the menu a 295FF (toujours le gourmand!). He started with a salad with vegetables and pan seared foie gras, with a sour type dressing, then bar (fish) with awesome (I tasted) eggplant caviar, then “lasagna” of riz de veau (sweetbreads) which was only a lasagna in that 2 feather light sheets of pasta were placed above & below the sauced entrée. His cheese course was truffled goat cheese with walnut oil and dessert was a chocolate gateau with an almost liquid center served with strawberry compote & candied orange rind. The owner/chef/waiter came out several times to chat & genuinely seemed to enjoy our praise (which was well earned). He said he had been up since 4AM, personally buying the restaurant food and, since his wife was home with their new month-old baby, he was doing many jobs at the restaurant. He was looking forward to tomorrow when the restaurant would be closed so he could get some sleep.

We ate here a second time. This time we ate inside and, as before, had a great dinner. Daddy & I each had the menu a 170FF. We both started with foie gras mi-cuit with rhubarb compote. I then had daurade (as did Daddy) with tomato coulis followed by a cheese course & sumptuous chocolate dessert. Stu had the menu a 260FF, starting with escargots with onion, fava beans, & rosemary cream. He then had sole with cepes, followed by lamb medallions with olives & basil. The cheese course was a cabecou cheese with truffle slices, and dessert was an orange crème brulee.

Sept ’03
Stu had the Menu a 62E (big splurge) & I had the menu a 38E. The restaurant was just as we remembered it – the owners (now) 3 year old daughter was socializing with the dining room. We remembered in 2000 how exhausted the chef was – trying to perform all roles while his (new mother) wife was home with their newborn. We both started with an amuse bouche tomato sorbet with basil & a very dense, creamy froth on the top. We also had a small plate of savories including gesiers, smoked salmon, halved cherry tomatoes with a small mozerella ball on top served with a tooth pick. Stu’s first course was a “declinization” of 3 foie gras: mi cuit, poele, and a crème brulee style served with a fig quenelle & a small green salad. This was followed by a riz de veau ravioli with a creamy morrell sauce. Then Stu had bar (a fish) with polenta & a creamy veal stock sauce with black truffles. After the fish course, he had pigeon with preserved garlic & a basil spice sauce. Stu’s cheese course was slices of chevre with summer truffles with oil & fleur de sel, accompanied by toasts. His dessert was a grand Marnier soufflé (it rose about 4” above its ramekin) served with a timbale-sized glass of grand Marnier which he drizzled over it. I started with foie gras poele accompanied by a small pear tatin & served with an apple juice reduction. I then had the rouget with tomato & basil pesto. I had the selections from the cheese chariot, followed by a “minestrone” of red fruits. We remembered that on our previous trip, this was perhaps our favorite restaurant. If anything, it is better now.

Sept ’05
We started with aperitifs: a kir for me and a “house” specialty for Stu consisting of Champagne & fruit liqueur. Our amuse Bouche was a cold green vichyssoise sprinkled with chives & served in wonderful squarish glasses. Stu had the menu a 46E. Foie Gras served with figs (compote) and grapes. He then had Daurade royal with “mashed potatoes” – mixed with olive oil – very rich and tapenade and ratatouille. He then had Magret d’Oie served with a red wine reduction with grilled tomatoes. His cheese course was a warm cheese en tart with salad dressed in a balsamic vinaigrette, followed by a chocolate quenelle with chocolate wafers/croustillant and caramel ice cream. I had the menu a 38E. Salmon marine served on little pancakes (blini) with strips of horseradish & beet puree. My main course was a filet de Maigre, served over a bed of Mediterranean flavored risotto. I had the same cheese course as Stu. Forgot to document my dessert.
We were both somewhat disappointed with the Jardin d’Epicure. This was our anniversary dinner, and the creativity of the menu selections was not as remarkable as on past visits. The Vichyssoise was somewhat tasteless, and the cheese course was nothing special at all. I’ll leave it in the “top 6” for now.

La Plume d’Oie in Roque Gageac 05 53 29 57 05

This restaurant is right on the road bordering the Dordogne. We both started with the house aperitif (couldn’t quite put our finger on the contents, but it may have had some peach liqueur). I had the menu a 195 FF, starting with what was called a “bisque”, but actually was 2 lobster ravioli (perfect pasta with melt in your mouth stuffing), with a fabulous lobster sauce. Then I had the “declinaition” of fish. Although I had my dictionary, I could not find this word defined in a food context (the related verb was “to reject”), but decided for “go for it” anyway & it was a good decision. It was 3 different fish fillets beautifully sautéed & sauced. No cheese course for me, but the desert was incredible chocolate mania !!! – a small cup of coffee with ice cream & chocolate drops which were partially melted, with a round of what was basically chocolate truffle filling topped with hard chocolate and (yes there was more !) a ball of chocolate sorbet. I figured that with the coffee & chocolate, the caffeine would keep me going for a week. Stu had the menu a 295FF starting with the foie gras in aspic – but unfortunately, we forgot to write down his remaining courses.

Sept ’03
We were the first people there; we remembered the hostess/co-owner from our prior visit: quite a character. Stu debated between the 24 and 35E menus, ultimately deciding on the 24E menu with langoustines & scallops as an a la carte addition. We had two wonderful Amuse Bouche courses: pastry cups filled with buttery sautéed cepes and a thin, fried crispy “tortilla” square topped with fromage blanc and then topped with a walnut. THEN, we had a small cup of cold potato vichyssoise soup garnished with chopped chives! Stu then had 3 langoustines and 3 scallops in a buttery saffron sauce, while I had a langoustine ravioli with a buttery crustacean sauce – so rich a sauce spoon was provided. We both had the cannette next (it was served on this menu for two only). This included the breast in a red wine reduction and a confit of the leg in a pilaf with vegetables. There was also a tian/quenelle made with a grain (described as ble, wheat on the menu). For dessert, Stu had an assortment of three chocolate decadences. I had a creation with meringue wafers alternating with layers of peach fondant, all with a peach coulis.

Sept ’05
The hostess was just as we remembered her from prior visits – quite a character. We discussed various topics of interest before and after the meal. We found out that she and her husband (the chef) had owned the restaurant for 25 years. We started with a plate of savories - pickled salmon on a toasted pastry, a luscious little tartlet filled with wild mushrooms, and a crème de foie gras on toast. We then had an amuse bouche of cream of leek soup with chives. We both had the 45E menu. Stu started with a presse (terrine) of chicken and foie gras, confit de pruneau, and a small side of frisee. His main course was grilled rascasse with saffron butter sauce, with broccoli & creamed root vegetables, garnished with chives. Cheese selections from the chariot. For dessert he had “all around chocolate” – chocolate sorbet, raspberry sorbet (granted – not chocolate, but a nice contrast), chocolate truffle in a small cup with a walnut half, a layered bittersweet chocolate hard “wafer” alternating with chocolate & caramel mousse. My choices were langoustine raviolis with crustacean sauce & julienned leeks & green onions. Breast of cannette with a vinegar reduction sauce & cubes of crispy-on-the-outside-&-creamy-on-the-inside potatoes (or perhaps polenta). Selections from the cheese cart, and then the same chocolate dessert as Stu.

Le Presidial in Sarlat 05 53 28 92 47
Sept ‘05
We had reserved for dinner at the Presidial in Sarlat, but went to town early for a beer/wine before dinner. The evening was very warm and the townspeople/tourists who remained at 7PM were strolling without great purpose through the streets of town. We stopped at a café on the main square. Sarlat was simply magical at that time of evening. As we looked around the square and down the adjacent streets, it was rather awesome to think that the town is essentially as it was hundreds of years ago: stone buildings, some with half-timbering, some times awkwardly placed, one adjacent to another; imposing “public type” buildings next to smaller ones with their inconsistent, wildly sloping rooflines often set off by slate tiles glimmering in the last day sun rays. If straw were spread in the streets and the people changed into medieval garb, I hazard to say that you’d swear you had been catapulted several hundred years back in time.
Our dinner spot was absolutely captivating! I’m just speculating, but it seemed to have been a very upscale home at one time, made of golden stone with a black/charcoal slate roof with a small round corner tower and a dome/minaret shaped belvedere-type ornament perched in the middle of the roof. Since the evening was very warm & still, the dining was set up in the beautiful garden/courtyard. All this essentially in the middle of the center of Sarlat! I can’t imagine a more enchanting setting – I was truly in heaven. We had an amuse bouche plate of treats: smoked salmon slices with caviar on toast, puff npastry savories & cooked quail eggs with a creamy sauce.
Stu had the menu a 40E
-A coquille St Jacques salad – greens topped with several horizontally-sliced (but still joined) seard scallops, dressed with a lobster vinaigrette and topped with a small slice of foie gras poele, accompanied by tomato slices.
-Pigeoneau stuffed with cepes with a Perigord sauce, with pommes dauphinoise, & grilled eggplant.
-Cabecou on a bed of greens
-Tart tatin

I had the menu of 26E (still can’t believe the prices)
-Saumon marine: a boule of diced salmon “wrapped” in a thin salmon slice, served with a vinaigrette & herbs & capers
-Fillet of Daurade in a buttery fish stock sauce
-Cabecou
-Nougat Glacee, this time accompanied by a red berry sorbet.

It was still very warm as we strolled back to the car – such a wonderful evening

We dined here again with friends. This time we dined inside and the décor/ambience was lovely. It was just as enjoyable as dining outside.

La Meynardie near Salignac-Eyvigues 05 53 28 85 98
Sept ‘05
This restaurant is in a farmhouse way out in the country, down a small road, in a forest. The restaurant is definitely off the beaten path, although there are signs all along the way to make sure you don’t get lost and/or simply give up on ever finding it because it’s in such an unlikely location. We took winding roads taking us through small, fairly non-descript, but typical French towns and continued farther and farther into the countryside. Then voila, there is was, isolated in a fairly wooded setting. We really felt like we’d done the ‘over the meadow and through the woods’ in getting there. The setting couldn’t be more “idealistic” for someone seeking a restaurant in the middle of nowhere. The “farmhouse” consisted of several buildings – one being the restaurant and outdoor dining terrace. The restaurant had a lovely traditional interior, but, as it continues to be very warm, dinner was served outside. It was a very pleasant setting – a dense arbor of grapevines sheltering a patio surrounded by bright geraniums & a tidy gravel courtyard with wonderful old stone outbuildings.
We started with a plate of quail eggs & diced tomatoes, black sausage, & foie gras on toast. The Amuse Bouche was a cold green vegetable soup. We speculated that spinach was among the greens in the soup.
Stu had the menu a 50E
-Risotto au ecrevisse, topped with a truffle slice. Three large ecrevisse were tented on top of the risotto –they had been shelled already (tho served with the shells in place), so no hand-to-hand combat (or a bib) was required to enjoy the course
-Lotte served with nettle butter, topped with a sauteed wild (meaty) mushroom and diced tomatoes, also with a slice of truffle.
-Pigeoneau served with a mushroom duxelle & potato gallette
-An assortment of 3 local cheeses with perfectly dressed greens with a “sweet” walnut vinaigrette
-Symphonie of Desserts – an amazing course with an equally amazing presentation – 7 individual items in all – on a large white square plate were:
-a soufflé Grand Marnier – a hollowed egg shell in an egg cup
-crème brulee – in a very small crème brulee cup
-Ille Flotante in a wonderfully shaped small glass
-Sorbet with a croustillant perched on top.
-Fruit “cocktail” with liqueur in another imaginatively shaped glass
-Chocolate fondant praline
-a chewy brownie-type square

I had the 31E menu, which was equally remarkable
-Foie Gras de canard prepared 2 ways
-Served layered with artichoke heart. I had presumed the foie would simply be set atop a heart, Nooo – far more sophisticated - it was if the choke heart had been pressed onto a small mold, then layered with a sweet apple slice, the layered with the luscious foie gras
-the second foie gras was served more classic “en terrine” – delicious – but here too the presentation was art: on a large frosted rectangular plate there was a grilled halved cherry tomato on a dollop of orange marmalade, apple slices with fig compote, the “en gelee’ wrapped in a slice of smoked magret, coarsely ground walnuts, a slice of truffle, fleur de sel, and walnut bread toasts
-Magret de Canard stuffed with cepes en croute. This was totally different from any magret I’ve ever had, in that it was not sliced thinly for serving, but was rather a half-breast with the mushroom duxelle in the center & then all wrapped in pastry. It was served with heavenly potatoes dauphinois, sautéed chanterelle mushrooms, and a deep reduction sauce!!!
-Astonishingly, I actually decided to decline the cabecou/salad cheese course
-Two slices of perhaps the best Nougat Glacee I’ve ever had – with crunchy, sugary bits of walnut contrasting with the smooth rice ice cream.

We dined here a second time with four internet friends

Le Velo Rouge in Le Bugue
Sept ’05
This evening we reserved at Le Velo Rouge (yes, red bicycle – they even had one just inside the front door). This restaurant was recommended by St Cirq on the Fodor’s travel board (she has a home very close to le Bugue). This is apparently a newer restaurant and the décor was very imaginative & plesent (very comfy wicker armchairs at the tables) tho in a style different (& a bit more contemporary) than what I call “traditional country French”. We weren’t that jazzed by the choices on the 36E fixed price menu, nor the items that could be substituted for a “supplement”. But there were a number of very enticing choices on the a la carte menu. At 15E for the first course, and 23E for the main a la Carte courses, it even made sense price-wise to order a la carte. Plus, it had an added “benefit” (depending on your point of view!) of bypassing dessert and cheese (both of which we’ve been regularly indulging in). Our Amuse Bouche “course” was a square bowl of pea soup with mint.
My choices were:
-Millefeulle St Jacques (scallops) – this was an absolutely awesome item. The plump sauteed scallops were between two layers of pastry, drizzled on top with a dark rich sauce – in such a way that it actually looked like a classic “Napoleon” dessert dish. It was accompanied with a rich wild mushroom fricassee, on a bed of lobster-based butter sauce
-St Pierre (fish – our favorite) served with sautéed diced vegetables & fava beans, topped with a piece of sautéed foie gras
Stu’s choices were:
-Boneless whole quail en croute, with foie gras layered under the crust, served with game sauce
-Turbot with morel mushrooms crème sauce served on a thin bed of sweet potatoes
We broke down and had a nougat glace dessert (with 2 spoons)

We dined here a second time with friends

Great Restaurants at a very reasonable price

Le Relais des Cinque Chateau, in Vezac 05 53 30 30 72
You really can see 5 castles from the restaurant. There was a wedding party in progress, but we sat in an enclosed garden area which, while simple, was quite lovely. Stu examined the “menu de degustation” & pronounced it even “too much” for him !!, so he settled on “Le menu Beynac” (198FF). I had “Le Menu Terroir” (155FF). Though I had a 3 course meal, my actual first course was a small cup of thick tomato puree cold “soup” which was served as an additional amuse bouche (we had already had one) to equalize the number of courses, since Stu had five. I started officially then with a slice of cold foie gras with toasts (the prescribed method) followed by magret de canard with a rich reduced sauce accompanied by cepes, thin green beans, roasted potatoes, and ratatouille !! The dessert was a walnut soufflé (we are in walnut country here) served cold almost like ice cream, with a sort of walnut liqueur drizzled over all. I almost forgot to mention that my foie gras course included a glass of sweet local wine called Monbazillac. Stu started with foie gras cooked in phyllo pastry with a reduced late harvest wine sauce. This was followed by sandre (white fish) rolled & stuffed & served with a chive cream sauce with mushroom duxelles. Then he had a veal loin with morel & chanterelle mushrooms in a reduced sauce with accompaniments like mine. He then had a cheese course (3 selections from a quite varied tray) and the duo of chocolate for dessert – white & dark chocolate layered mousse with a pistachio cream sauce. A very relaxing & excellent 3 hour French meal.

Sept ’03
Stu had wanted the “Grand Menu” at 49E, but it was required for the entire table & I simply couldn’t sign up for a 7 (!!) course meal. So Stu consoled himself with the menu a 35E. He started with grilled daurade served on a bed of salicorns. Following this was magret de canard with a red wine reduction, served with a wedge of potatoes dauphinois wrapped with a bacon slice, accompanied by sliced peaches and a green bean & julienned carrot melange topped with a herbed grilled tomato. The cheese chariot was his next course. All this was concluded with a “chocolate caramel temptation” layered chocolate & pastry, topped with a caramel layer. I choose the menu a 21.50E, starting with a crustacean terrine (mousse texture) which was wrapped in a rouget fillet (cold) accompanied by 3 dollops of flavored “mayonaise” sauces. Then I had the rascasse (fish) served with a lobster chive cream sauce. My cheese course was a small young cabecou (goat) cheese with a green salad. The cheese was very flavorful & the lemony dressing on the greens was a good accompaniment. My dessert was a walnut parfait (ice cream) drizzled with a walnut liqueur (a real winner).

Sept 05
It had been a beautiful & very warm day, do dinner was served outside (a very plesent ambience with the notable nearby chateaux providing the views).
The amuse bouche included olives, pickled vegetables, small pastry savories, & halved tomatoes with mozzarella cheese.
Stu had le menu a 36.50E Gourmande
-Assiette Perigordine with smoked magret, mach with walnut dressing topped with slices of summer truffles, foie gras 2 ways – mi-cuit with ground walnuts & sauteed with fleur du sel., accompanied by cherry compote, diced tomatoes, pink & white segments, a smoked maget & foie gras terrine, asparagus spear, & sprouts. Stu proclaimed this to be “the best yet”.
-Saint Jacques (scallops) & pineapple en brochette with a curry sauce served over salicorns, fava beans, root vegetables, & ratatouille.
-Surpreme de pintade with risotto & mushrooms with fried parsley/tomatoes.
-cheese course
-strawberries layered with croustillant and cream anglaise with strawberry coulis
I had the menu a 21.90E – it’s amazing that you can get an excellent dinner for this price.
-Gazpacho soup
-Rougets and leeks in a phyllo packet with a crustacean sauce served with salicorns, roasted tomatoes & rice
-to even things up with Stu’s additional course, I had another amuse bouche: a warm foie gras emulsion topped with a tomato puree, served in a tall glass.
-cheese course
-souflee glace with walnut dice & walnut liqueur – awesome!

This was truly an exceptional meal. The presentations were marvelous and the choices of menus and courses were fantastic. In fact, I made a last-minute change in menus – it was difficult to pick! Amazing value too: we both had kirs, 2 half-bottles of wine, Badoit, - 99E total.

We dined here a second time with friends who were visiting.

Belle Etoile, in Roque Gageac 05 53 29 51 44

We ate in their upstairs dining room looking out over the Dordogne. We had an amuse bouche of melon sorbet with Monbazillac (sweet) wine. Daddy & I each had the menu a 150FF. I had (my favorite) Rougets followed by a salad with goat cheese (cabecou) and, for dessert, a pastry “packet” with apples & walnuts with caramel sauce. Daddy had a fillet of beef, also with salad/chevre and a “chaud/froid” strawberry dessert with vanilla ice cream and Monbazillac sabayone. Stu had the menu a 195FF. He started with scallops sautéed on a bed of celery root puree with a “band” of carrots surrounding the scallops. He then had riz de veau (sweetbreads) & chevre salad.

Sept ’05
We dined in a different dining room on this visit. This one was east of the entrance, and a little more elegant than the other room.
Toasts with spiced avacado puree were on the table, and our Amuse Bouche was a pumpkin/chestnut veloute with whipped cream froth served in a tiny white soup tureen.
Stu had the menu a 37E:
-Fillet de Rouget in a bread crumb crust with a shellfish vinaigrette and tiny shellfish.
-Fillet of Boeuf with a Pecharmant (local red wine) sauce, a tart de pommes de terre and onion confit
-Warm cabecous salad
-Tart Tatin (like a miniature pie with a crinkled crust) with grand Marnier/Vanilla ice cream with a pool of crème anglaise on the side, drizzled with chocolate.
I had the menu a 23E
-Saumon marine – interesting presentation with the stripes of salmon wrapped around a bread stick (looking line a wand) accompanied by a herbed fromage blanc.
-Surpreme de Cannette with a green cabbage compote and potato gallette
Glazed strawberries with rosemary ice cream

Stu’s note – I almost never order beef in Europe because when I have, I’ve almost always been disappointed. The beef I ordered here was cooked perfectly, but the taste was not there. Prime beef in the US is much tastier. I have a very old video about “Dining in France” at the 3 star restaurants. On one of the tapes, Paul Bocuse said the same thing – the beef in the US is better than the beef in France.


La Metarie east of les Eyzies de Tayac, just below Beyssac Chateau on the D47 05 53 29 65 32
Sept ’05
It had an attractive, very welcoming, very French décor (stone walls, pastel tablecloths, wood rush-seat chairs, several large wooden antique-style cupboards & buffets).
We both had the 24.50E menu (Choices of 1 entrée/appetizer, 1 plat/main course, & 1 dessert from among many appealing choices)
We started with a little plate of savory pastries and then an Amuse Bouche of the traditional garlic soup (appeared to be streaked with egg white);
Stu’s Menu:
-Riz d’Agneau, braised, with a reduction-type creamy sauce, accompanied by a mounded green salad and asparagus tips, served on a rectangular plate.
-Quail breast in a pastry crust, with mushrooms, vegetables inside. The quail legs were sauteed & served outside the pastry. This was accompanied by a long, crisp, dressed lettuce leaves and a tall glass of light vegetable emulsion
-Delice aus Chocolate (excellent, Stu says)
My Menu
-Salmon marine with 7-grain toast. Here, I must elaborate! I really like salmon marine, so I order it frequently, so I can claim to be a bit of a “subject matter expert”. This presentation (in spite of its modest description on the menu) was amazing. The salmon marine was thinly layered on a fairly thin bread, with a thin layer of “something herbed” between them. Interestingly, a circle had been cut from the middle of the bread/salmon square and, in that opening was a tall cylindrical (small) glass with a green/vegetable froth – almost like a vegetable or herbed whipped cream. Coarsely ground walnuts & snipped chives were sprinkled around the plate along with a dollop of caviar on the side. A bread stick was in the cylindrical glass.
-Fillet du Cabillaud on a bed of cepes & pastry with cepe cream sauce, served with a fricassee of girroles, asparagus tips, and a “cylinder” or ratatouille.
-A “verre au chocolate” dessert. A glass tumbler, layered with coffee mousse, chocolate, topped with coffee whipped cream.

We were both dazzled by this restaurant, not only for the wonderful food, and value (2 menus, 2 kirs, 2 half-bottles of wine, ½ badoit, for 82E), but also by the presentations and the ambience.



Stu Dudley

Belle Etoile! That's it! We ate in the "elegant" dining room, but it was early May and during the week. Marvelous meal and such a beautiful town. it is calling, calling me back!

Wow, Stu, you really know how to make someone's mouth water. If only we were going next week...we still have to wait almost 5 months!!

I've added the Belle Etoile to our list of possible hotels and now I've got more restaurants than I know what to do with. Thanks all!

L'Esplanade has a great view, but I seem to remember we had a small room while friends had rooms behind the main hotel without a view. I wouldn't pay the high cost of staying there. You can get the view from walking around and having dinner early. I also seem to remember it was very foggy in the valley most of the time.

I suggest you stay at Hotel Bonnet in Vezac- one of the finest restaurants in the Dordogne (fully bi-lingual also, if that's helpful). This hotel is perfectly adequate as a base for local touring (including Domme). Lots of parking and the staff very helpful, knowledgeable and friendly. L'Esplanade is good only for eating and the view.

Enjoy the vacation

To stick with the two you mention...I personally don't feel the 2 are in the same league with each other and therefore the price difference. Sort of like comparing apples and oranges.

Besides some discussion on this board as to whether the Esplanade's food is as superior as it used to be, I can't think of a downside to it. Wonderful.

We have stayed at Hotel du Chateau and eaten at many of the restaurants mentioned on this thread, preferring to spend our money on cuisine than on room amenities. We wouldn't hesitate again to stay at this hotel, feeling it is good value, cost/service ratio. If you ask for rooms 1-4 you will have a 1st floor patio overlooking the Dordogne with your own private table/chairs. I would be glad to send photos of the room/patio from a Sept trip if you like; just email me at [email protected].

The only hitch might be their closing dates. I remember having a conversation with them about when they take their annual break and they said after the 3e Age (Senior citizen) Groups slack off--and I thought that was at the end of October.