A refuge between land and sea

Philippe Toinard | 6/19/25, 1:45 PM

There are places that make you never want to go home again once you've pushed open the door. Solène and Nicolas Conraux's La Butte is one of them.

just outside Plouider, heading north towards La Manche, the aptly named Rue de la Mer has been home since 1952 to what was once an inn before becoming one of Finistère's most elegant and gourmet hotel-restaurants. It all began with Jeanne-Yvonne, who, to get away from her daily life as a peasant farmer, decided to open an inn to welcome and feed people passing through. Over the decades, the house, perched on this hillock, grew and developed under the guidance of Solène, Jeanne-Yvonne's granddaughter, and Nicolas Conraux, her husband.

In the distance, the small village of Goulven, the beaches of Kerguélen and Le Menhir. The sea sometimes rages here, but within the walls of La Butte, everyone feels protected from the elements, especially at the bar, where you can sample homemade kombuchas and Breton teas. just a stone's throw away, Nicolas and Solène's bakery welcomes locals in search of natural sourdough bread, buttery pastries and seasonal pastries. seasonal pastries and wheat-flour crêpes that hotel guests will be able to enjoy for breakfast tomorrow.

Before that, they'll have enjoyed a night in one of La Butte's 32 rooms, all with sea views and all committed to a more responsible environment. Here, no cotton beds, but linen; no mini-bar, but natural drinks; no liquid and industrial cosmetics, but solid products thought for the well-being of the planet. This concept of hospitality is not a gimmick, but rather Solène and Nicolas' desire to contribute to a better world, one that is more respectful of well-being, more caring and more committed to offering those who travel through Brittany an experience that calls out to them. The Conraux couple's idea is not to give lessons, but to ensure that everyone makes their place their own and respects it, so that they can eventually reproduce these small gestures at home to help improve the environment. However, some elements will be missing, such as the peacefulness of the place, the wind that sometimes blows through the streets of Plouider, the sunshine of course, the gentle way of life, serenity and relaxation.

A restaurant that defends local produce

Relaxed guests will enjoy this paradise between land and sea, where they can savour the cuisine of Nicolas Conraux, some of whose ingredients come from his own garden.ingredients come from the garden he calls "le nourricier", even if the chef is aware that he will never be self-sufficient. Whether in the bistro or the gourmet restaurant, the dishes defend the Breton terroir, local producers of cauliflower, oysters, cheese, seaweed, small-boat fishermen, breeders, market gardeners and cheese-makers. In the bistronomic setting, this translates into a seasonal velouté, as Jeanne-Yvonne would have proposed in her day, a mackerel served with potato saladat the gastronomic restaurant, oysters are served with cauliflower, tomatoes with wild garlic and beef with garden mustard. Tasty creations that make you want to stay longer.

Where? 12, rue de la Mer, 29260. Tel. 0298254054
Price: Room from €128. Menus from €98 to €180.
www.labutte.fr

These news might interest you

Hotels & Bed & Breakfast

There are villages that you can only reach by slowing down. Listed, yes, but above all, they've remained intact, clinging to the hillside, curled up in a river bend or set at the end of a path that nobody takes by chance. You often arrive at the end of the day, when the light is catching on the tiles, the shutters are slamming gently and the smell of wet wood is wafting up from the alleyways. And there, behind a wrought-iron gate or a monumental portal, is a hotel. Sometimes it's a three-bedroom attic hotel, sometimes it's a five-star hotel in a lovingly restored former maison de maître. Marble has replaced cob, swimming pools have taken the place of former orchards, but the soul has remained. You'll sleep in the folds of the landscape, between centuries-old stone and precise service, in a rare luxury that doesn't seek to outshine the place. Les Bories & Spa in Gordes Here, ancient bories still dot the fields, as if the shepherds had just left. Some have been discreetly integrated into Les Bories & Spa, without breaking the line of the dry stonework. The farmhouse extends over eight hectares of olive and cypress trees, and under the roof tiles are 34 light-filled rooms, some of them in an old farmhouse. Luxury is discreet: plant-covered terraces, an enveloping spa and a glazed pool overlooking the Luberon. A peaceful address, just a few bends from the ochre silhouettes of Gordes and Roussillon. Price: €342 per night Where? 9 Route de Senanque, 84220 Gordes. Tel. 04 90 72 00 51See Gault&Millau's review of Les Bories & Spa Le Bailliage in Salers at the entrance to Salers, a listed village with gray lava houses and sculpted balconies, Le Bailliage has been perpetuating a sincere art of living for three generations. Since 2020, Antoine and Marion Bancarel, heirs to the house, have taken over the reins with discreet elegance. In this 23-room hotel, everything has been thoughtfully redesigned: intimate spa, homemade cuisine, no-frills welcome. The meat comes from the family's own farm, the rooms overlook the old gardens, and the air, at an altitude of a thousand metres, has that taste of meadows that you never forget. A warm and welcoming address, in the image of the village. Price: €124 per night 31 Rue Notre Dame, 15140 Salers. Tel : 04 71 40 71 95See Gault&Millau's review of Les Baillages La Capitelle in Mirmande Behind the light-colored walls of a house once inhabited by painter André Lhote, La Capitelle watches over the rooftops of this Drôme village with its Provencal palette. Eight sober, peaceful rooms, with views of the Ardèche mountains or the Rhône valley, extend the discreet charm of the sloping streets. Just eleven simple, bright rooms, a restaurant with slates that change according to the season, and the quiet attention of Ludivine and Sylvain Croce, who run the house with constancy. Price: €102 per night 1 rue du Boulanger- 26270, Mirmande. Tel : 04 75 63 02 72See Gault&Millau's review of La Capitelle Coquillade Provence Resort & Spa in Bonnieux Set in the heart of a 30-hectare vineyard, this hamlet unfurls its 63 rooms and suites, with their sober, mineral lines, over the landscapes of the Luberon. The Tata Harper spa, 2,000 m² of calm and light, offers lavender and grape treatments in a plant-based atmosphere. In the kitchen, Pierre Marty, a Ducasse disciple with Monaco and Macao experience, orchestrates the Avelan gastronomic table: five-course menu, raw-marinated sea bream from Grau du Roi, poultry Pithiviers... Patisserie by Aurélien Trousse, medallist at the French Dessert Championships. Here, Provence is expressed with precision, right down to the plate. Price: €497 per night Route du Perrotet, 84400 Gargas. Tel. : 04 90 74 71 71 See Gault&Millau's review of Coquillade Provence Resort & Spa Château de Troplong Mondot in Saint-Émilion Restored in 2019, Troplong Mondot cultivates the art of entertaining as an extension of the land. The main building, with its sober, warm lines, houses a communal lounge where the fire crackles on winter evenings. Here you can read, chat or simply watch the day fall over the rows of vines. In summer, the private terrace of each house opens onto the paths lined with low walls, typical of the local landscape. The rooms, divided between several of the estate's buildings, combine blond wood, deep fabrics and unobstructed views as far as the Saint-Émilion bell tower. In the morning, chef David Charrier serves a generous breakfast of seasonal fruit, homemade jams and warm pastries. Nothing ostentatious, but attention to every gesture, in a place that invites you to retreat. Price: €250 per night Château Troplong, Mondot - 33330 Saint-Laurent-des-Combes. Tel : 05 57 55 32 05See Gault&Millau's review of Château de Troplong Mondot Château Lafaurie-Peyraguey in Sauternes Château Lafaurie-Peyraguey watches over the vines like a peaceful old soul. The estate, a famous premier grand cru classé, is now home to a hotel signed Lalique, thirteen rooms and suites subtly laid out in a 17thᵉ century château. Walls in reds and pinks evoking wine, antique beams and chiseled crystal faucets: every detail is a delicate nuance. Settle into the small lounge to enjoy a drink before joining, under the luminous glass roof, chef Jérôme Schilling's gastronomic table. A rare place of discreet elegance. Price: €504 per night 1707 Route des Gourgues, Lieu-dit Peyraguey- 33210 Bommes. Tel : 05 24 22 80 11See Gault&Millau's review of Château Lafaurie-Peyraguey Les Sources de Cheverny in Cheverny Les Sources de Cheverny is a gentle hamlet designed for sharing, in the wine-growing lands of the Loire Valley. at reception, the lacquered green box recalls the forest rangers' kiosks. The 49 rooms and suites, designed by Alice Tourbier and studio be-pôles, feature antiques, a bohemian atmosphere and lush natural views. The Caudalie spa, with its sober lines and recycled materials, has slipped into the old building, like a contemporary echo of the neighboring château's beams. On the terrace, sip a wine from the estate, the prelude to a Michelin-starred dinner in the Favori dining room. An elegant address, anchored in this Sologne village with its rich Loire heritage. Price: €279 per night 23 route de Fougère- 41700 Cheverny. Tel : 02 54 44 20 20See Gault&Millau's review of Les Sources de Cheverny Royal Champagne Hôtel & Spa in Champillon Behind the walls of a former coaching inn lies another world: a vast 10,000 m² contemporary hotel, designed by architect Giovanni Pace, where champagne flows more often than coffee. The 49 rooms, suspended between vineyards and classified forest, offer the luxury of not rushing into anything. at the table, Christophe Raoux, Meilleur Ouvrier de France, orchestrates gourmet cuisine served on a terrace bordered by rose bushes and a very real kitchen garden. The spa, immense and hushed, is as much for guests as for curious neighbors. And if you listen carefully, you can still hear Dom Pérignon whispering from the bell tower of Hautvillers. Price: €1,041 per night 9 rue de la République- 51160 Champillon. Tel : 03 26 52 87 11See Gault&Millau's review of Royal Champagne Hôtel & Spa

News & Events

Qatar Airways et Yannick Alléno : une alliance gastronomique au sommet

La compagnie aérienne Qatar Airways s’associe à Yannick Alléno pour une collaboration d’exception. Ensemble, ils redéfinissent l’expérience culinaire des passagers First et Business Class, tant dans les airs que dans les salons VIP.

Chef

Yannick Alléno

Restaurant

Le 1947 à Cheval Blanc 73120 COURCHEVEL

News & Events

Ce restaurant 3 toques propose le paiement en 3 fois sans frais

Le chef Alain Llorca, à la tête d’un restaurant 3 toques à La Colle-sur-Loup, propose désormais à ses clients de régler leur repas en trois fois sans frais. Une initiative inédite dans le secteur de la gastronomie haut de gamme, pensée pour concilier excellence culinaire et réalités économiques.

Chef

Alain Llorca

Restaurant

Alain Llorca 06480 LA COLLE-SUR-LOUP

Tables & Chefs

Where to eat seafood in Brittany? 7 places to enjoy it

Oyster platters, seafood platters and crab platters... Here are seven Breton addresses where seafood is king!

News & Events

jfjei fdujezio ej jez ikà rer d

jfjei fdujezio ej jez ikà rer djfjei fdujezio ej jez ikà rer djfjei fdujezio ej jez ikà rer djfjei fdujezio ej jez ikà rer djfjei fdujezio ej jez ikà rer djfjei fdujezio ej jez ikà rer djfjei fdujezio ej jez ikà rer djfjei fdujezio ej jez ikà rer d jfjei fdujezio ej jez ikà rer d jfjei fdujezio ej jez ikà rer djfjei fdujezio ej jez ikà rer djfjei fdujezio ej jez ikà rer dbdjbcdjockdpd

News & Events

Hugo Souchet, Gault&Millau d'Or 2025 de la Nouvelle-Aquitaine: a loyal relay

Crowned Gault&Millau d'Or 2025 Nouvelle-Aquitaine on June 16 at Château Lafitte d'Yvrac, Hugo Souchet, chef at Prés d'Eugénie in Eugénie-les-Bains, perpetuates the Michel Guérard spirit while imposing his own élan.

Chef

Hugo Souchet

Restaurant

Les Prés d'Eugénie - Michel Guérard 40320 EUGÉNIE-LES-BAINS