Belgium

Belgium is a foodie's paradise. Eating is virtually a national obsession - you don't have to go into one of the country's Michelin-starred restaurants to enjoy delicious, imaginatively prepared food. You'll also find an incredible variety of local specialities - as well as internationally inspired cuisine - everywhere you go. Your diet will also depend on when you go - asparagus season kicks off around April to May, the herring ('maatjes' - eaten raw with onion) turn up around June and the mussels take over after that until September.

Brussels - the standard of food in Brussels is high and is said to rival that of Paris, with excellent service, a high standard of presentation and plenty of fresh produce, although portions are usually a lot bigger. There are plenty of eateries to choose from ranging from Belgian fare to a variety of international and ethnic places. Vegetarians are not so well catered for, although if you eat fish, you will find the seafood excellent, but the ethnic restaurants provide a variety of vegetarian dishes and the traditional Belgian dish of stoemp, made of mashed potatoes and root vegetables, is always a safe bet.

France

French cuisine is still considered by many to be the best in the world offering refined and elegant styles of cooking. Its extreme diversity has meant that it has had a profound influence on most western cuisine.

As you travel across France you will find some dishes are a speciality of a particular region; however in many instances chefs will present dishes that make the most of local, seasonal produce.

Alsace - due to the constant changing of nationalities between German and French, the regions specialities are a unique and sumptuous mixture of hearty cuisine with a little French ‘Je ne sais quoi’.

Burgundy - well known for its hearty and sumptuous local specialities accompanied by superb choices of fine wines. Speciality dishes of the region include Boeuf Bourgouignon and Coq au Vin.

Honfleur - there is a wealth of seafood restaurants in Honfleur, unsurprisingly, and the catch of the day is always a reliable choice.

Loire Valley - known as the ‘Garden of France’ the Loire’s restaurants are overflowing with gastronomic delights. As a region of ‘hunting and foraging’ the forests provide the locals with an abundance of truffles, mushrooms and game, its farmers the most superb asparagus, strawberries and vegetables and its rivers an unbelievable selection of fish.

Paris - you could spend a year eating in Paris without going to the same restaurant twice, and the experience is as often as enriching when you follow your instincts as when you head for somewhere on recommendation. The majority of our hotels do not have restaurants, as there is so much to choose from outside of the hotel.

Reims - though the Champagne region does not have its own trademark dishes, you can find almost all types of French cuisine in its restaurants, and as the region borders onto Belgium, you’ll find plenty of Flemish dishes on the menu too.