Over the last year, I’ve used my vacations to try and write more thematic articles about travel and tourism, but unfortunately, this one stayed safely in my drafts, waiting to be published. Because the ‘good deal’ philosophy shouldn’t just apply to the city where we live; the concept works just as well for our vacation spots, weekend getaways, and road trips. So, today I’m taking you on a quick tour of the Ain (a department in the Rhône-Alpes region located next to Lyon). A little tourist stopover with ideas for outings and great addresses in Bourg-en-Bresse.
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Where to eat in Bourg-en-Bresse? Restaurant Place Bernard in Bourg-en-Bresse
If you want a taste of the Georges Blanc touch without breaking the bank by going to the gourmet restaurant in Vonnas, I recommend checking out his restaurant in Bourg-en-Bresse: Place Bernard. This very pretty brasserie in the city center is located right next to the charming Place Bernard and near the Notre-Dame church. I suggest enjoying the establishment’s beautiful glass roof, which overlooks the square’s fountain (a little bonus: you stay warm in winter and cool in summer).
As for the food, the quality is definitely there, and the ingredients are well prepared. The weekday lunch menu at €21 (starter/main or main/dessert of the day + 1 glass of wine, 1/2 mineral water, draft beer, or fruit juice + a coffee) is a real bargain and offers great value for money. Another big plus: the service is impeccable, and the welcome is truly very friendly, I’d even go so far as to say convivial.
Place Bernard 01000 Bourg-en-Bresse open every day
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Visiting the Royal Monastery of Brou
This 16th-century masterpiece was commissioned by Margaret of Austria to perpetuate the love she bore for her late husband, Philibert the Fair, Duke of Savoy. This magnificent site is certainly an essential stop during your stay if you are near Bourg-en-Bresse. It is very pleasant to stroll on sunny days through the building’s three interior cloisters (the last of which is in the Bressan style) and admire the pictorial works and sculptures kept in the building.
The good deal: free admission on the first Sunday of the month from January to May and from November to December, but also at all times for those under 18, 18-25 year olds (EU nationals and regular non-EU residents in France), people with disabilities and their companions, job seekers (with proof under 6 months old), and Culture Card holders.
Royal Monastery of Brou National Monuments Centre 63 boulevard de Brou - 01000 Bourg-en-Bresse
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Restaurant Le Thou, Bouligneux
Okay, you might feel like we only do is eat in the Ain, but you have to admit that the local cuisine makes up an important part of the charm of this region. So, I’m sharing another one of my good addresses in the department: the Le Thou restaurant in Bouligneux. This gourmet restaurant offers typical products and dishes from the Dombes region for lovers of frogs, Bresse poultry, and local cheeses. Several good points about this address that I recommend: the food is delicious, the welcome is absolutely charming, and the venue has real character. The little extra: the restaurant benefits from a very beautiful shaded terrace in the backyard, which makes you want to stay for hours when the weather is nice.
However, all of this has a price, obviously, knowing that the first menu at the restaurant is €28. The photos below are from the €38 menu, Cérémonie Dombiste. The must-haves on the special Dombe menu: the frogs, of course, prepared with garlic butter and parsley (avoid for a romantic date, because it’s really not glamorous to eat, take my word for it), Bresse poultry, the fish that abound in the surrounding ponds, and cheeses from local producers.
An address to remember if you want to treat yourself and have a good time while enjoying regional products prepared with love. The restaurant is also recommended by the 2013 Michelin guide. I sincerely hope I’ve made you want to come take a tour of the Ain?! I personally go there very often, but hey, I can’t take any credit for that—it’s where my parents live… In any case, this might lead to other articles about the department, as I wander through it.
Photo credits: Mademoiselle Bon Plan Photos are not royalty-free, photographer's authorization required before any use
