Eat at Le Petit Léon

One of the most incredible experiences you can have when staying at Le Mas & Le Mazet is to go and eat at Le Petit Léon in Saint-Léon-sur-Vézère. The food is delicious and unexpected, the service wonderful and the setting in the garden is glorious.

The restaurant is run by chef Nick Honeyman and his wife Sina, who is the sommelier. The perfect partnership! Nick is from New Zealand and also has his own restaurant, Paris Butter, in Auckland.

You must book if you want to eat there, and check their website for menus and when they’re open. Usually they open from May to October each year, and for both lunch and dinner they have a tasting menu of about 5 or 7 courses. Just tell them if you have any dietary requirements and leave the rest to them.

They also have a wine pairing to go with the tasting menu with wines which you probably won’t have tried before. There’s also a non-alcoholic pairing if you prefer that.

You always sit in the enclosed garden, unless the weather is inclement and then you’ll sit inside. You won’t be rushed at either lunch or dinner, so just take your time!

When you drive there from Le Mas & Le Mazet, about 5km from Saint-Léon-sur-Vézère, take a right to go past the Roque St. Christophe. It’s the most amazing cliff and waterfall which is worth driving through (literally through!).

When you get to Saint-Léon-sur-Vézère, which is one of the Plus Beaux Villages de France, make sure you have time to wander about and admire the village and the river. Follow the signs for the village car park, which is in a big field.