Hostellerie de Levernois

Do not let the five-star address intimidate you: the Bistrot du Bord de l’Eau is the relaxed, generous face of the Hostellerie de Levernois. It occupies the former kitchens of the house, dating from 1750, where exposed stone and a double-hearth fireplace make winter lunches dangerously easy to prolong. In fine weather, the terrace settles beside the Bouzaise as it crosses the seven-hectare park. Chef Alexis Valton works with market produce and vegetables from the estate’s own garden, giving Burgundian comfort a lighter, fresher rhythm. Escargots arrive in a mild garlic broth; eggs meurette are interpreted with Chardonnay; confit lamb shoulder comes with pommes grenaille and kale. Desserts by Lucas Chambfort bring exactly the indulgence a bistrot promises. This is not the starred Table de Levernois next door, and that is precisely the pleasure: beautiful ingredients, excellent sommellerie and the polish of a great hotel, without the ceremony. A country lunch here can turn an afternoon near Beaune into a small holiday.