You’ve seen the Eiffel Tower, Sacre Coeur, and the Seine, and now you’re ready to venture out and see what lies beyond la périphérique. So, what is there to do and see out there? Plenty! From vegetarian B&Bs to Europe’s largest Buddhist temple, there’s something for everyone. Take a seat on a regional train (or a high-speed TGV) and make a day trip to one of these fun, food-oriented destinations, most of which are within three hours of Paris.
French telephone numbers are 8 digits, prefixed with:
01 Île de France (Paris and surrounding area)
02 North West
03 North East
04 South East
05 South West
06, 07 Mobile numbers
When dialling from abroad drop the 0 and use the country code 33.
When in France dialling from a landline, just dial the last 8 digits if you’re in that area.
Île-de-France Region
Casa Poblano Vegetarian restaurant |
1 |
15 Rue Lavoisier, 93100 Montreuill (Seine-St-Denis)
Cross street: rue Émile Zola
Métro: Robespierre
M, W-Th-F 10.00-15.00
Tu, Sa 15.00-23.30
This under-the-radar cultural center and collective hosts music and theater events, art expos, and weekly dining events including the popular bio gastronomique nights (gourmet organic) that just happen to be vegetarian (with a vegan option). The multi-course, pay-what-you-want meals include such tempting dishes as Gaspacho de betterave au vinaigre balsamique truffé (beet gazpacho with truffled balsamic vinegar).
Tajine de légumes (black rice served with a mélange of vegetables in a coconut sauce) and chocoloate-pear-banana tart for dessert.
Organic wine (€2.50), beer (€2.30-5), fairtrade tea €1.50) and coffee (€1.30) are available at the bar.
Fo Guang Shan Temple Vegetarian restaurant in temple |
2 |
3 allée Madame de Montespan, 77600 Bussy Saint Georges (Seine-et-Marne)
01 60 21 36 36
RER Bussy Saint Georges (two stops before Euro Disney)
Tu-Su 10.00-17.00
Europe’s largest Buddhist temple sits just 25 miles east of Paris (and a 30-minute train ride on the RER A from Gare de Lyon) in Bussy Saint George, and every Sunday morning after the 10 am prayer service, pious guests are invited to partake in a Taiwanese vegan meal with their fellow worshippers. The price varies from week to week, depending on the menu. An on-site vegetarian restaurant is slated to open in 2014.
Alsace
Maison Ganesh Vegetarian holistic retreat center |
1 |
14 rue du Sperberbaecher, 67140 Le Hohwald (Bas-Rhin)
03 88 08 34 57
www.terredecristal.com
Come for one of the themed weekend retreats with a holistic health focus, or just for a relaxing getaway in a woodsy wonderland in eastern France. Look for organic vegetarian meals, nature walks, and friendly hosts. No TV!
Burgundy
Les Battées Vegetarian bed & breakfast |
2 |
Val and Roy Patchett, Les Battées, 71510 Dennevy (Saône et Loire)
03 85 45 47 09
www.lesbattees.com
lesbatees@wanadoo.fr
Three hours and a world away from Paris sits this vegetarian B&B on a former winegrowing estate. Pleasant gardens, evening meals on request (vegan if requested), and homemade jam made from fruit grown on the premises. Vegans and those allergic to bee stings should be aware that the hosts keep bees and serve their honey at mealtimes.
Normandy
La Maison du Vert Vegetarian hotel & restaurant |
1 |
61120 Ticheville, Vimoutiers (Orne)
02 33 36 95 84
www.maisonduvert.com
Bicycle rides, walks in the garden, and just sitting around relaxing are the top activities at this home-away-from-home in northwestern France. Vegan meals on request, organic wines, and within easy reach (an hour’s drive) of tourist sites like Mont Saint Michel, D-Day beaches, and Honfleur.
Loire Valley
La Cucina di Terresa Loire Valley Wine Tours |
2 |
www.lacucinaditerresa.com
lacucinaditerresa@gmail.com
Besides cooking classes, market tours, and private table d’hôtes dinners, Terresa Murphy of La Cucina di Terresa (pg.34, 44, 144) offers one-of-a-kind natural wine tours in the Loire Valley, just an hour and a half from Paris. Prices and dates vary; contact for details.
Sivananda Yoga Center Vegetarian yoga center |
3 |
26 Impasse du Bignon, 45170 Neuville aux Bois (Loiret)
02 38 91 88 82
If you’ve always wanted to try a yoga retreat but didn’t know where to start, this peaceful retreat in the heart of the Loire Valley is a great place to begin. Meals are ayurvedic vegetarian, and cigarettes, alcohol, and non-veg food are verboten. Choose to stay in a tent (€48-300 for 7 nights) or a single private room (€100 per night or €630 for 7 nights) and a variety of choices in between.
Also yoga and cookery in Paris. (pg. 35, 44)
Languedoc-Roussillon
Le Mas Perdu Vegetarian accommodation |
1 |
Boujac, 30380 Saint-Christol les Alès (Gard)
04 66 60 76 80
Relax on an organic farm in the beautiful Cevennes mountains, surrounded by lakes, rivers, fruit trees, and pleasant breezes. Meals are always vegetarian (with a vegan option), and special programs with a wellness focus are available year-round.
Provence
Maison de Josephine Vegetarian bed & breakfast |
2 |
Hameau de l’Eglise, 05600 Risoul (Hautes-Alpes)
04 92 45 28 01
www.maisonjosephine.com
maisonjosephine@yahoo.fr
Sauna, swimming pool, and great views of the Alps await at this kid-friendly, vegetarian B&B. Nearby you’ll find ski resorts, excellent hiking trails, and adorable villages. A spacious communal room is available for yoga, group classes, and other events.
Rhône-Alpes
Yoga with Altitude
Vegetarian yoga retreat
|
3 |
summer: Mournet, 07190 Albon d’Ardèche (Ardèche) |
4 |
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Charlotte Saint Jean leads yoga retreats in the foothills of the Alps, teaches monthly classes in Paris, and offers getaways that meld vegetarian ayurvedic cooking with yoga throughout the year. English speaking instruction and different levels welcome.
Aquitaine
Auberge de Bouyssour Vegan bed & breakfast |
1 |
Lieu-dit Bouyssour, 24750 Marseneix (Dordogne)
05 53 46 67 32 landline
06 88 59 51 47 mobile
www.auberge-de-bouyssour.com
info@auberge-de-bouyssour.com
This vegan B&B in the beautiful Dordogne Valley offers a true escape from it all. Expect to disconnect (no TV or wifi), and to be surrounded by peaceful gardens in an area brimming with castles, rivers, and rolling green countryside. Proprietor Reija Feldmann is also the chef, and vegan cooking is one of her many passions. B&B for two €80. Packed lunches, dinner on request.
Eco Gîte de Payan Vegetarian self-catering |
2 |
40630 Luglon (Landes)
05 58 08 32 23
Open mid March to end November
A peaceful vegetarian gîte tucked in a forest south of Bordeaux, ideal for group retreats. Kitchen facilities, beautiful gardens, and a vegetarian dining policy, plus yoga and massage on request.
Midi-Pyrénées
Le Piot Vegetarian guest house and restaurant plus omnivorous gite |
3 |
Chemin de Piot, 32500 Fleurance (Gers)
05 81 67 03 17
Facebook Le Piot, Fleurance
lepiot@outlook.com
British couple Danny Wright and Kerry Maloney-Wright have renovated this stately 1914 home, transforming it into a vegetarian maison d’hôtes featuring four comfy guest rooms. In summer, the swimming pool provides cooling respite, and bicycle rentals can be arranged for local excursions.
Meals have a Mediterranean flavor inspired by food writer du jour Yotam Ottolenghi, and focus on in-season, local ingredients. A vegan menu might begin with grilled vegetable soup or roast red pepper salad, followed by chickpeas and spinach in a spicy tomato sauce served with brown rice, or a vegetable paella. Desserts celebrate seasonal fruit, and could include a pear crumble or apples baked in Armagnac.
A night’s stay will set two of you back €65-€95, depending on the room, including breakfast. For €20 more, you get a three-course dinner with wine and coffee.
Le Jardin de Cabrerets 90% vegetarian restaurant, tea room & apartments |
4 |
Le Bourg, 46300 Cabrerets (Lot)
05 65 22 90 75
Easter-end Sept 2014 M-Su 11.00-23.00
www.lejardindecabrerets.com
info@lejardindecabrerets.com
While not 100-percent veg, this pet-friendly inn and restaurant run by a pair of longtime herbivores offers vegan- and vegetarian-exclusive holidays with a variety of boarding options, including B&B (€199 per person per week), half-board (from €285), and full-board (from €370) which includes three meals a day.
Vegan menu items include rice balls and vegetables in Thai coconut sauce; roasted red pepper, tomato, and basil soup; and mushroom pâté on toasted fig bread with chutney. Oh, yes: And crêpes with homemade dairy-free Nutella.
Ten percent of the proceeds from your stay support the non-profit organization started by owners Louise and James, which raises money for local animal organizations.
Tomlin’s Vegetarian guest house & cookery school |
5 |
23 Rue Du Fief Gourmand, 17290 Chambon (Charente-Maritime)
05 46 35 65 42
Learn how to whip up mouth-watering meals like mushroom and smoked tofu kebabs with peanut butter sauce and Spring onion blinis with sweet pepper ragout at this lovely B&B/culinary academy in the sunny southwest. A three-hour train ride gets you into the bucolic countryside where a six nights stay with classes included will set you back €945. Short-term stays and day-rate classes available, too.
Le Logis des Quatre Puits Vegetarian bed & breakfast |
6 |
17270 Neuvicq (Charente-Maritime)
05 46 04 32 69
www.lesquatrepuits.com
lesquatrepuits@me.com
North of Bordeaux and a short drive to the gorgeous Dordogne Valley, this vegetarian B&B offers a variety of accommodation, including self-catering gîtes. A party-ready yurt, salt-water swimming pool, game room, and optional evening meals are some of the fun and relaxing possibilities. Pet-friendly, and vegan meal options available by request.