In an Instagram-perfect picture of the French countryside outside Bernay, we fell head over heels with this imposing country house smothered in Virginia Creeper and its waterside terrace shaded by birch trees, without forgetting the historic mill, whose cogwheels are still intact. This idyllic venue is even more so by the fireside in wintertime, providing the perfect foil to chef Cédric Auger’s culinary ethos: first-rate fresh ingredients, consummate craftsmanship and cooking and polished table arts. The regularly changing seasonal menus pay tribute to the chef’s homeland, Normandy. Cosy guestrooms to make the most of this rural paradise.