Restaurants at the water's edge

La Cabane aux cinq pineaux, Saint-Hilaire-de-Riez (85) - A gourmet beach shack

Run by Anna and Salomé, this little place tucked away in a pretty cove champions fresh products with daily changing blackboard specials put together according to the day's fresh fish and seafood catch, which the two friends glean straight from auctions. The perfect place to savour a plate of razor clams or Thai-style seared bluefin tuna, from May to September. We recommend opting for the terrace, which faces the Île d'Yeu and offers truly stunning moments at sunset.

Le Récif, Pornichet (44) - A confidential address facing the ocean

This den of insiders, placed on the sand of the discreet beach of Bonne Source, stands apart from the bubbling of the bay and the tourist catchers. He takes his guests to the open air, setting all his tables on a large wooden terrace. The menu, deliberately restricted, displays only original and well-kept compositions: octopus burger, pasta with cake, sea spaghetti with primavera, Limousin veal tartare with Caesar sauce, or banana roasted with rum- Grape and coconut.

Le Noé, Bouchemaine (49) - An open-air feel on the edge of the Maine river

If you're passing through Bouchemaine, the charming little Anjou town where the Maine and the Loire meet, stop off at Noé. Wedged by the water, the place serves a superb confit pig's cheek medallion and a delightful salmon with Côteaux-du-Layon sauce. The fried small fish from the Loire and the sautéed wild eel are two more must-tries, cooked up with the catch of local fishermen! Outside, big barrels and wooden tables host visitors who come to try the house tapas.

La Halte d’Entrammes, Entrammes (53) - Tapas by the Mayenne river!

Beside the little Reingeard port, La Halte d'Entrammes invites customers to savour Spanish-inspired cuisine for €15, lunch and dinner. Dominique, the charming owner, delights visitors with platters of Iberico charcuterie, mussel escabeche, chicken and quail and even wild king prawns grilled with garlic that the place is so well known for. Open from April to October, the restaurant also has a little reading corner for children.

Le Moulin des Quatre Saisons, La Flèche (72) - A prestigious restaurant on a private island!

You reach this enchanting place through an alleyway covered with arbours intertwined with wisteria. At the end of it is a little piece of land floating on the Loir, occupied by an old tannery converted into a gastronomic restaurant. The chef Camille Constantin has won a star for it in the Michelin Guide, but still provides an affordable €31 menu alongside her high-end menus, which offer langoustine tails with nuggets of foie gras or Angus beef with Asian-flavoured sauce, sweet potato and Kaffir lime.