Origines

The village of Broc in the central French region of Auvergne is the setting for Origines, an unusual small hotel and a Michelin-starred restaurant by chef Adrien Descouls, an Auvergne native. It occupies a distinctive modern building, made even more so by the contrast with the 14th-century castle whose walls it adjoins. And the view from the dining room and the public spaces is an unusual one, taking in a panorama of the volcanoes that are Auvergne’s most memorable natural feature.

As is typically the case in France’s high-end restaurant-hotels, Origines is small in size — a mere twelve rooms and suites. They’re unapologetically modern in style, decorated in warm neutrals and soothingly minimalist in their décor. Natural materials like raw oak predominate, and some of them make use of the local volcanic stone. They’re full of luxe details, and the top-end suite features a freestanding whirlpool bath by the foot of the bed.

And as you might expect from a chef-driven hospitality experience, Origines features an impressive breakfast — a “peasant”-style spread made up of the very finest local ingredients, served in the dining room or en suite. The restaurant proper, meanwhile, is a destination unto itself, and a tribute to the culinary traditions of Auvergne.