Our local suppliers

Where possible we try to buy all our food from local farmers, sometimes even very local. In that way we support the local economy and we know all our suppliers. Often we get helpful information when to buy what during the season. So only the best products we serve at our table.

Stéphane du Manoir de Messeix

During nearly the whole year Stéphane grows his vegetables. All organic and he does his home garden by hand only. For example spinach in early springtime, lots of different salads and all usual vegetables in summer but with much more taste. The red and green tomatoes are really a delicatessen. During summertime we serve a gazpacho soup, and the smell already is amazing. But also courgette and egg-fruit are lovely to make ratatouille. In autumn even a little saffron is available. During the summer when we have not that many eggs from our own hens we buy from him, all 100% organic as well.

Patrick de Chèvre & Miel Chalameyroux

In our region they say: the Auvergne changes your life. Patrick and his family are originally from the Paris region but a few years ago they started a new life on the country side. With a lot of passion he makes his own goat cheeses. Some very young some more matured and with a stronger taste. The goats he has are from this region, called Chèvres du Massif-Central. Adapted to the climate and environment. During the season he makes cheeses as long as the goats give milk on a natural base. So in wintertime and early spring no milk available and no cheeses. Everything natural and organic.

Nicolas notre voisin!

Our neighbour is a young lad and he owns a local breed: the Ferrandaise cow. This breed was nearly extinct but nowadays it is still going on strong! They like the rough country side and can stay outside during winter if necessary. Every year we select a calf. And for about nine months it will only drink milk from his mother. The meat later is called, veau de lait, milk veal meat, very delicate and nice structure. Also organic for 100%. Our guest like the blanquette with a white wine sauce or the escalope’s with the first potatoes of the year and asparagus.

Emmanuelle and Maxime Bassot, lovely honey Cha le Rei

We have our own honey but only one beehive. So in order to have more honey for our guest we buy it from Emmanuelle and Maxime, a young couple living in the region. Maxime’s mother still lives in Savennes. Their honey is made from the flowers of the Acacia tree and all the flowers in the fields around Savennes just like our own honey. The colour is sometimes very yellow due to the dandelion flowers in springtime. This gives the honey extra taste and structure. Not only we serve the honey with breakfast but also when we are making a tarte tatin (turned around apple pie).

Fromagerie de l’Aire des Sully Monestier-Merlines

We are living in the Puy-de-Dome but 5 miles further there is the border with the Corrèze department. The borderline is a small river called Chavagnon. For locals it is well known as the gorges of the Chavagnon. At the other side there is a small village called Merlines. With the help of the Jacques Chirac Foundation, the former president of France, mentally and physically disabled people are working at a local cheese farm. All the cows are around the farm and they produce a natural cheese in several structures, from very young till a little matured.  With buying these cheeses we are also helping this farmer and his workers. And to be sure the cheeses are wonderful. Especially the Le Vervialle, we keep it away for a period and then serve it after the main course.

Vergnol Frères, cheeses made from the milk of the Montbéliarde cow

Nearby Messeix the river La Dordogne flows. Then a rather small river and further away near Bordeaux a huge river. At the other side of this river here, you’ll find a small hamlet called Chazelles. A tiny farm owned by the brothers Vergnol since 1909. They only have Montbéliarde cows, famous for the nice characters they have and a good quality of milk. In the Auvergne region only 10 farmers make their own blue cheese: bleu d’Auvergne. They are one of them. And when we are lucky we also can buy another local cheese with the name Fourme d’Ambert and sometimes even a two year old Salers. A very nice farm to buy cheeses for those who love it.

Ferme de Châteaubrun

North of Savennes you’ll find the hamlet called Voingt. Isabelle and Laurent just have a few cows to make a very tasteful cheese and some others as well but less interesting. We really appreciate the blue version called bleu de Châteaubrun. It is like a stronger Roquefort. Their production is small so not many cheeses are always available.

Cave Saint Verny

For long times the Auvergne region was not well known what about wines. For soldiers only they say most of the time. But during the last 15 years the winemakers improved the quality a lot. In the evening we serve a meal and our guests can choose Choix de Robert, every plate combined with another glass of wine to get the good match between wine and food. For a starter we enjoy a nice dry white wine, Les Poires made of Chardonnay grape or a pink wine made from the Gamay. But also with red meat or strong cheeses a lovely Pinot Noir will do. In our region there are a lot of small vineyard owners and the cooperative of Saint Verny is making a good wine of the grapes and they will make promotion as well as we do also.

Domaine de la Croix Arpin Pierre Goigoux

North of the city of Clermont-Ferrand on the first hills there is a small village called Châteaugay. Pierre Goigoux is a winemaker like his family is for decades. Always smiling and having good ideas to make great wines and to develop an artistic etiquette. But don’t forget on the most important wines. Great white ones made from the Chardonnay grape. The Perle de Lave, rosé from Gamay and Pinot Noir. This wine won a golden medal at the Concours Général d’Agriculture in Paris.

Restaurant L’Amuse Bouche La Bourboule

Jacques, the chef and his wife Lucie run a very nice restaurant in the centre of La Bourboule a small village near us. Jacques used to be a sous-chef of Alain Ducasse (***) in Paris. The advantage of having only a few courses on the menu is that is all fresh and very well prepared. Don’t forget the white wine Menetou-Salon, very reasonable priced and superb quality.

Restaurant Auberge de L’Empereur Ussel

This restaurant is a little hidden in the hills of the Ussel region. But more than worthwhile to find and discover. It used to be an inn but Nathalie and her husband Sebastien changed it into a classy modern restaurant. We like it a lot to have a Sunday lunch. Don’t forget a good local wine as well, des Milles et Une Pierres. Thousand and one stones. Only local food is served and homemade.