L'Intangible

This 19C family château, sitting pretty in the middle of its hundred-year-old oak grove, looks out over the Montagne Noire. The restaurant, run by a couple previously at Alain Ducasse, occupies a series of small lounges. Here, the pastry chef and her chef partner concoct a single set menu inspired by the local terroir and fused with influences from further afield – many items are cooked on the Japanese barbecue. Examples include kebab-style grilled aubergine with pita bread, red tuna with vegetables from the garden, barbecued poultry spiced up with harissa and preserved lemon. The pastry chef then steps in with her light and not-too-sweet fruity desserts, such as "Balade dans le verger d'Emma" ("Stroll in Emma's Orchard"). Five beautiful guestrooms are conducive to a bucolic stay.