Ferme aux Grives

In the extensive grounds of Michel Guerard’s property at Eugenie Les Bains is Ferme Aux Grives, a simple country restaurant offering more rustic fare than at the 3 star restaurant in the main building. The setting is charming, with a barn-like main room (a few tables are upstairs), the centrepiece being a large rotisserie on which a suckling pig was turning, giving off lovely appetite-inducing aromas as it was cooked. There was also a fine display of local vegetables near the rotisserie. The wine list has just a few basic French wines from Bordeaux, though based on our experience I would steer clear of the distinctly rough house red. 

Excellent home-made bread appears (17/20) along with saucisson and goat cheese and herbs on toast (14/20). A summer salad had very good ingredients (carrots, tomatoes, cauliflower etc) though I found the dressing rather too oily (14/20). Much better was a roast breast of Landes chicken; as the chicken was roasted they captured the cooking juices, flavoured these with figs, and served the result as a sauce with the chicken. The bird itself had superb flavour, and was beautifully tender (18/20). A dessert of strawberry charlotte was pleasant, and featured local strawberries which had excellent flavour (15/20).  

Further reviews: 25th May 2019 | 17th Sep 2017 | 23rd May 2015 | 14th Apr 2010