Le Buron de Chaudefour

This buron is located in one of the most beautiful, yet less traveled valleys of Auvergne, the Vallee de Chaudefourd. The free-standing house in the woods has a large terrace and the dining room inside is very charming and authentic. One advantage of this restaurant over other burons is that it offers a very extensive menu. Everything we tried was great and home-made (only the ice cream is store-bought) but they also have home-made dessert, such as fruit tarte and crème brulee. A special note to say that they serve the BEST Confit de Canard EVER (all home-made by Madame from scratch), served with truffade to-die-for (very good fries are optional for a "lighter" alternative). The entrecote is in itself worth the trip - well grilled to remain juicy and tender. All portions are very generous, and we found prices to be very reasonable for the quantity and quality. A good selection of local wines is available but other regions are well-represented for those who think - like me - that Auvergne is not best know for its wines.We went for dinner the first night for a group of 9 people, and returned 3 days later for another great dinner. Madame is in the kitchen, Monsieur works the dining room: a winning combination worth a very scenic detour!

Visiting friends who live locally we were invited to lunch here after hiking the adjacent mountain trails. The setting is unbelievably beautiful and the decor of the restaurant a bit quirky and charming. There is a wide range from which to choose and we each took a different menu. I was told that is is only a husband and wife who run this place, and it was seamless. Each of us had a wonderful meal. One item which was especially nice was the truffade, a local specialty. The foie gras was served with pain d'epices ice cream which sounds strange but was evidently a wonderful compliment. The service was on the mark, yet unobtrusive and the entire experience was both delicious and relaxing. My menu was the Randonee which had a simple salad, a slice of the local jambon d'Auvergne and an incredible egg dish. Although a simple meal, it was beautifully prepared and very tasty. For dessert I had a crepe myrtille which was also very, very good. All in all a lovely way to spend the afternoon in company with great friends and over a wonderful meal.

We had passed this restaurant, built in a traditional chalet style, several times on our way to do walks, and decided to have lunch there one day. We were very pleased that we did! The decor is very charming and the atmosphere cosy. We chose the basic fixed price menu, which was both copious and excellent. Really traditional Auvergne food, and excellent quality. The service was very friendly and efficient. You can also get snacks here like a dessert or pancakes with coffee or mulled wine. The restaurant is situated in the beautiful Chaudefour Valley, a spectacular U-shaped valley that runs straight down from the Puy de Sancy, and views of the valley and the Sancy massif are stunning. The restaurant is at the official start/end of the circular walk of the Chaudefour Valley, but it would be worth starting the walk from another location so you could have lunch here half-way round! We decided to visit again for dinner on the last night of our holiday, as it is the nicest restaurant we have found in the area. Highly recommended.