French foodie tour

Paris

If it's true that you eat with your eyes first, then you could feast on the opulent surroundings at the Train Bleu at the Gare de Lyon in Paris.

But if this exclusive joint seems to be a bit too exclusively priced (for me 10,50 euros for a cup of tea is too much), and you would rather have a different take on Parisian food, it's worth walking the 400 meters round the corner to Ground Control

From the Gare de Lyon, we can travel, unsurprisingly, to Lyon which was coined the gastro capital of the world in 1935 and has been keen to keep it's top spot ever since.

Lyon

One of France's most famous chefs of modern times has given his name to the market, Les Halles de Lyon Paul Bocuse where you can inspect the fresh produce and join the locals at one of the dozen cafes/restaurants.

But what do the experts think? Here is a list of Lyon's 10 best restaurants.

Carpentras

This is home of the connoisseur's favourite fungi, the black truffle. The price set at the professional market in town (November to March) is used as a national benchmark - a FTSE for the fungi.

and while here, why not go truffle hunting (November to March for the 'black diamond')? Les Frères Jaumard is a local farm that offers truffle experiences. 

And for a (year round) restaurant experience, Chez Serge has been a local institution for decades.

The local appellation has become a go to destination for wine buffs, you can try some of the 35 ecologically driven estates at Espace Terroir where you can also find out how to tour the vineyards.

But if you're coming in spring or summer then it's strawberry time all over town. They even get sent to the Elysée Palace. 

Nîmes

If you have some spare truffle crumbs from your time in Carpentras, you might want to pop over to Nîmes and try them with one of this ancient city's most famous products, Brandade de morue.

This smooth purée, made from salt cod poached in milk and then beaten with olive oil, was one of two Nîmes-themed recipes from Charles Durand's hit cookery book, Le Cuisinier Durand in 1830.

The other was Petit Pâté - little pork pies for which now each producer has their own own recipe. You can try them out for yourself at in Les Halles.

Sète

After all the pork pies and preserved cod, maybe it's time to get some fresh seafood straight from the boat. In which case, why not head down to Sète?

And if you are looking for something portable, why not grab a 'tielle', a spicy octopus pie, while watching the water jousting?

Bordeaux

If you like a drop of claret, the La Cité du Vin is where you can put some serious effort into wine tasting and find out about the perfect marriage of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot.

If you want to try some wine at source you could hire a bike and take this 9km route which includes visits to two urban vineyards 

La Rochelle (optional Île de Ré)

After sorting out your wine cellar, maybe it's time to think about how to start and finish meals well and that means aperitifs and brandy. A trip to La Rochelle should sort that out. The not so well known local aperitif, Pineau des Charentes made from fortified grape must, is a pretty good prelude to any meal and world-famous Cognac is a perfect end. 

La Rochelle is brimming with foodie possibilities, from Michelin starred restaurants to quayside converted boats and stalls selling seafood. It also has a couple of great food markets including the 19th century covered market (Marché Central). However, if you want to do some oyster tasting, why not pop over to the nearby Île de Ré?