Restaurant: stop off in Montluçon

The highway and the culture of urgency have rarefied, if not outdated, the once greedy stages. What a pity. If you go through Montluçon, prove us wrong by putting your luggage at the “Château Saint-Jean”, a former Templar commandery transformed into a luxury hotel by Jean-Claude and Nicole Delion. The couple was at the origin of “La Pinède”, in Saint-Tropez, which became “Cheval Blanc” after its takeover by LVMH in 2016. This establishment on the Côte d’Azur had won three Michelin stars in 2013, with in the kitchen a certain Arnaud Donckele… who has kept them since and conquered three others (all at once) last week at “Cheval Blanc Paris”!

But back to the Delions. After selling “La Pinède”, they reinvested by acquiring “La Réserve”, a mythical hotel in Beaulieu-sur-Mer (which we told you about here). And as they met in Montluçon, they got involved in another project: to rehabilitate the ruined castle of the Allier sub-prefecture. They called on the architect duo Patrick Jouin-Sanjit Manku to renovate it, and the result is spectacular.

The magic of blue broth

In its deconsecrated Romanesque chapel, “Saint-Jean” houses a gastronomic table orchestrated by Olivier Valade, who has just reopened its doors. The place is breathtaking: stone walls, warheads, glass roof with a view of the park (during the day), sumptuous lighting (in the evening)…

The tasting menu draws on the region’s rare resources, such as Cézallier trout (from Puy-de-Dôme). The chef serves it half-cooked, with a broth that turns blue when poured onto your plate. Magical. The menu continues with seared scallops on a velouté of green lentils (from Puy, of course), a red mullet, a back of squab cooked to perfection, and well seasoned with a sweet potato ketchup and excellent hay juice. Cheese platter and inventive desserts come to conclude a modern meal, like this place yet steeped in history.

“La Chapelle” at Château Saint-Jean: avenue Henri de la Tourfondue, Parc Saint-Jean, 03100 Montluçon. Phone. : 04 70 03 26 57. 4-course menu at €155, or 5-course menu at €195. Open Friday and Saturday evenings, and Saturday and Sunday lunchtimes.

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