3 Best Restaurants in Side Trips from Paris, France

With a roaring fire in winter and an outdoor terrace in summer, this quaint, country-style restaurant specializes in the fruits of the sea. Traditional dishes—like brioche-enrobed escargot with Roquefort sauce, plump seafood sausage, a hearty soupe de poisson (fish soup), and a heaping seafood platter—are served in a wood-beamed dining room.

For total van Gogh immersion, have lunch—or dinner on Friday and Saturday—in the restaurant he patronized regularly more than 100 years ago, in the building where he actually died. A three-course prix-fixe menu is available, and saddle of lamb and homemade terrine are among Loran Gattuso's specialties. What makes eating here special, though, is the genius loci, complete with glasswork, lace curtains, and wall blandishments carefully modeled on the original designs. Table No. 5, the "table des habitués," is where van Gogh used to sit. A magnificently illustrated book, Van Gogh's Table, by culinary historian Alexandra Leaf and art historian Fred Leeman, recalls Vincent's stay at the auberge and describes in loving detail the dishes served here at the time.

The marvelous dishes served at this chic little bistro, tucked away on a picturesque side street a five-minute walk from the palace, center around the eatery's wood-fire oven. Whether an artisanal charcuterie plate, roast chicken, miso-baked salmon, or slow-cooked pork, all the dishes are fresh, delicious, and generously sized. This is an excellent choice for lunch or dinner and the charming outdoor terrace is a big plus in spring and summer.