In a country with UNESCO-listed cuisine, Northern France stands out for the passion and excellence of its chefs and its Michelin-starred restaurants. The title of European Region of Gastronomy has actually been awarded to Hauts-de-France for 2023.
With 15 Michelin-starred chefs and many restaurants listed in the influential Gault et Millau guides, Hauts-de-France region is a paradise for foodie couples, who can enjoy both traditional and innovative cuisine while exploring the region’s sights. These include Deux-Caps, the Bay of Somme (among the world’s loveliest bays), the Château de Chantilly with its antique painting collection second only to that of the Louvre in Paris, the Musée du Louvre-Lens, and the city of Lille. And luxurious places to stay are close at hand too.
Chantilly - Walk in the Castle park © Hauts-de-France Tourisme - Vincent Colin
Hauts-de-France is blessed with many Michelin starred chefs. At the helm of Auberge de la Grenouillère in La Madelaine-sous-Montreuil, Alexandre Gauthier shot to fame when he served local Licques chicken to heads of state including Barack Obama at Paris’ COP21 conference. Chef at the Hôtel Le Château de Busnes, Christophe Dufossé likes cooking local produces and shares is passion with gourmet cookery courses, available in English.
Other Michelin-starred names to look out for are Sébastien Tantot, chef at the Auberge la Bonne idée in Saint Jean aux Bois near Compiègne, Benjamin Delpierre at la Liégoise in wimereux on the Opal Coast, Florent Ladeyn at the Auberge du Vert-Mont in Boeschepe.
Then there are other huge talents such as Steven Ramon at Rouge Barre in Lille and Pierre-Alain Delaby at Le Mathurin in Saint-Valery-sur-Somme, known for his seafood.
Saint-Valery-sur-Somme - rue du Courgain with flowers © Somme tourisme, Loïc Lagarde
Chefs in Hauts-de-France love to get out and about, selecting ingredients from market stalls, market gardeners and producers and seafood in the Somme Bay.
Mussels and beer at les 2 caps © Hauts-de-France Tourisme Anne-Sophie Flament
These chefs insist on using high-quality seasonal produce. Some incorporate rare ingredients such as saffron grown in the Somme Bay, as championed by Porquet and Ludovic Colpart at the Auberge du Pont de Rethondes.
Many local products you’ll sample are also available to buy and bring home, including Philippe Olivier cheeses, served in the best restaurants but also available in his fromageries in Boulogne-sur-Mer, Lille, Lens and elsewhere. The same goes for champagne (10% of French output comes from Hauts-de-France) and fine wines.
French art de vivre is demonstrated not only in what you’re served but how you’re served it – at beautifully set tables with properly placed cutlery and glasses. Here again, let yourself be inspired to take home hand-made local accessories for your own dining table, from shops including the Orfèvrerie d’Ercuis, Cristallerie d’Arc in Arques, Au Bleu d’Arras and Maison Porcelaine in Chantilly.
Bon Voyage!
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By France.fr
The magazine of the destination unravels an unexpected France that revisits tradition and cultivates creativity. A France far beyond what you can imagine…
