A Michelin-Starred Tour of Southwest France: The Ultimate Gastronomic Triple Crown
- Martin Hesp
- 1 day ago
- 7 min read
For some of us the act of eating and tasting food or drink can be as interesting and profound as, say, listening to a piece of music or examining a painting.
There are those who would disagree, but I know it to be true, simply because of the number of people who are willing to spend large sums on eating at award-winning restaurants. And across the wide and fertile acres of our near neighbour, France, the percentage of food-loving citizens increases dramatically.
I was thinking this one evening last week just after I had popped a humble cockle into my mouth. A small shellfish I’ve enjoyed all my life, but this cockle was different. It was a super-cockle. It was as if the most cockly cockle in the world had been produced especially for this moment of personal enjoyment. It tasted of the essence of ocean. It’s velvety texture was salty, sweet and creamy all at the same time. It was so sublime, a little tear in my eye represented the kind of ecstasy I was feeling in that brief moment.
A Collaboration of Culinary Masters
Over-the-top about this one cockle? I’d argue not… Why? Because my wife and I were at a special celebratory dinner in a well-known restaurant in southwest France being staged to celebrate the chef’s 40 years of holding a Michelin star. To mark the occasion Gilles Dudognon had invited another Michelin starred chef, Mathieu Guibert (chef-owner of the renowned Anne de Bretagne, located in La Plaine-sur-Mer - two stars in his case), from Brittany to help him prepare this very special banquet. It was Mathieu who’d brought these fresh live cockles from his local estuary - and here’s the thing…
This particular course (there were many) was taking its time and the waitress explained that chef had insisted each and every little cockle should not be opened until just seconds before it was required. He’d declared no one could possibly enjoy the explosive freshness of the shellfish if it was opened even minutes before serving, let alone hours. And he was right. These were by far the best cockles I have ever eaten.
The Relais & Châteaux "Triple Crown"
So what was an Exmoor peasant like me doing in such a place, attending such a special dinner? For that I have to thank a friend who is a top travel PR - the same chap who took Hesp Out West on a tour of the Dordogne last autumn, the results of which were reported in these pages. Because I’d shown massive enthusiasm for the food, he invited me back to sample three glorious hotels with Michelin-starred restaurants, all within a triangle that required no more than a couple of hours driving.
It was at Gilles Dudognon’s La Chapelle Saint Martin, just outside Limoges that we enjoyed the feast which so warmed the cockles of my heart. The other two establishments were Le Vieux Logis, in the pretty village of Tremolat in the River Dordogne, and Château de la Treyne, perched high above the same gorgeous waterway but some 50 miles upstream.
Together they represent some of the best of their kind in all of France.
I am backed in that assertion by the fact that all three are members of Relais & Châteaux - an organisation built on the “five Cs”… Character, Courtesy, Calm, Charm, and Cuisine. Unlike large international luxury chains where a room in Paris looks identical to one in New York, this association mandates that every property be a unique reflection of its local terroir. So the member hotels are not corporate-run entities - they are often family-owned estates where guests are treated like friends of the family.
Whether it is the riverside drama of Château de la Treyne, the garden intimacy of Le Vieux Logis, or the parkland elegance of La Chapelle Saint Martin, the common thread is an obsession with the “Art of Living”.
And the association has a deep commitment to culinary preservation. By staying at these properties, you are not just getting a Michelin-starred meal, you are supporting a system that champions local farmers and traditional French techniques, ensuring unique flavours in places like the Dordogne or the Limousin remain for the next generation of travellers.
I was so impressed, I’m doing two articles about the trip - this one concentrating on all that glorious Michelin food - and next week looking at the three hotels from the perspective of their locales. Why go to such trouble? Because this year more people are booking either staycation holidays or trips to nearby places, for obvious reasons - and the places I am mentioning are no more than a day’s drive from Roscoff at the other end of the Plymouth ferry. I flew because, as usual, I was in a journalist’s hurry - but I’d definitely take the car next time.
First Stop: Le Vieux Logis, Trémolat
We began at Le Vieux Logis, a charming hotel in the picturesque village of Tremolat, close to where the Dordogne and Vézère rivers meet. The 16th-century priory is now a luxurious four-star hotel renowned for its gastronomic restaurant, led by Michelin-starred chef Vincent Arnould, serving refined, modern cuisine rooted in classic French technique and local specialties like truffle and foie gras.
We enjoyed the springtime menu which included the area’s first green asparagus, served simply as a salad with fresh goat cheese and wild garlic. This was followed by a fillet of brill served with stuffed morels, broad beans. The main savoury dish was a “declination” of lamb, which translates as a slice of roasted leg and a cutlet served with Sarladaise potatoes and spring turnips. The spuds are named after the medieval town of Sarlat-la-Canéda, and are considered the ‘King of Potatoes’ in France.
Obviously there were the usual amuse bouche as well as sweet courses and cheese as part of the Springtime Stroll Menu (“Balade Printanière”). I’m loathe to talk about anything as vulgar as money, but just to give an idea - this costs 130 euros a head with the sommelier’s wine selection at 25 euros. That is £135 for a truly memorable meal, in an exquisite restaurant with top notch wine. I’ll leave the reader to make UK comparisons.
Riverside Grandeur: Château de la Treyne
The next day we journeyed alongside the river, upstream to Chateau de la Treyne, which is where my jaw dropped. I mean dropped with awe. It is one of the loveliest hotels I have visited in over 40 years of travel writing - another reason I’ll be writing more about it next week.
After entering the fabulous old chateau, perched on a cliff edge 100 feet above the river, I did manage to get my job working again - to work its way through the following menu prepared by chef Stephane Andrieux who has worked at the chateau for 28 years and who’s held a Michelin star for the past 25.
Not mentioning the amuse bouche etc, I had a starter of pan-roasted foie gras, served with local white asparagus and crisped couscous pearls. My wife enjoyed blue lobster braised with organic baby carrots, ginger, lemon thyme, and a coconut-lemongrass bisque. For a mains, I went for the Quercy lamb rack, interestingly larded with smoked trout from the nearby Blagour abyss (an underground spring), served with spinach and spring vegetables. Rather surprisingly for her, Sue had the Label Rouge veal from Aveyron, served with a “garden” of peas and carrots. For pudding it was the Caribbean coffee-chocolate delice with tonka bean and cacao nibs for me, and the strawberry sablé infused with meadowsweet for Sue.
I won’t bang on about how superb all this was, because you can take it on auto-pilot that it really was. I will say that the elegant dining room’s window table offered the kind of set-up I imagine you find in heaven once you’ve gone upstairs having led and absolutely saintly and blameless life. I will never forget that evening, eating the most delicious food imaginable watching the swallows darting over the waters of the Dordogne River 100 feet below.
Parkland Elegance: La Chapelle Saint-Martin
As mentioned, we also had a very memorable dinner at La Chapelle Saint-Martin, a hotel restaurant set in its own parkland just minutes away from Limoges airport.
As that meal was a one-off celebration, I’ll describe the normal run of fare… For example, there are starters such as seared langoustines served with local black bacon, early peas, poultry jus and a light shell foam, or mushroom ravioli, served with Comté cream and raw mushrooms. Main courses include Limousin rack of veal served with a ragout of its own juices and a deep truffle jus; or pollack served with a beurre blanc enriched with Neuvic caviar and a fresh artichoke tartare; or the magnificent Hare à la Royale - a classic for those seeking the pinnacle of traditional French game cookery.
God knows how many pounds I put on last week, and I do not regret a single ounce. Magnificent. The perfect gastronomic holiday. Next week I’ll explain why this area is so idyllic and lovely I was half tempted to move there full-time.
Fact File: The Southwest French "Triple Crown”
Le Vieux Logis Set in a beautifully restored former tobacco-drying barn and priory, this hotel is the epitome of Périgord charm, complete with mill leat and French gardens.
Location: 24510 Trémolat, France.
Chef: Vincent Arnould.
Key Feature: Intimate, garden-focused luxury in a quiet Dordogne village.
Website: vieux-logis.com
Château de la Treyne Dramatic 14th-century fortress perched on a limestone cliff directly overlooking the Dordogne river. Often cited as one of the most beautiful "castle hotels" in France.
Location: 46200 Lacave, France.
Chef: Stéphane Andrieux.
Key Feature: The "Grand Terrace" over the river and 120 acres of private forest and parkland.
Website: chateaudelatreyne.com
La Chapelle Saint Martin A 19th-century manor house set within a 40-acre park. It serves as the perfect gateway to the region due to its proximity to Limoges.
Location: 87510 Nieul (near Limoges), France.
Chef: Gilles Dudognon (celebrating 40 years of Michelin stars in 2026).
Key Feature: A celebration of Limousin heritage and parkland elegance.
Website: chapellesaintmartin.com
Travel Information
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