It is in a preserved natural setting on the banks of the river Erdre, that the Manoir de la Régate, a wonderful starred restaurant in Nantes, is hidden.
Much more than a meal, it is a true culinary experience, where the beautiful competes with the succulent, that the young chef, Mathieu Pérou and his sister Anne-Charlotte who officiates in the dining room invite you to.
Back in photos on this beautiful moment and our opinion on this magical restaurant.
This review is completely independent, we ate anonymously and paid our bill in full.
Why eat at Manoir de la Regate
Is Manoir de la Regate worth it? Our review
There is no shortage of good restaurants in downtown Nantes, and we were reluctant to make the 25-minute drive to the Manoir de la Régate. Today, we can assure you that it would be a big mistake not to taste the cuisine of the Peru family:
- For theculinary experience. Much more than an excellent meal, it is a moment out of time that you will live. The finest products of the Loire are magnified by a cuisine that blends ancestral techniques and innovations. For 2 hours, you will be heart and soul with your plate.
- For the atmosphere. Going out of Nantes, it is inevitable to be in the middle of nature. You will take place, not far from the beautiful river Erdre, in an authentic 19th century manor house . The children have taken over from the father, and preserve the family character of this beautiful table. We even left with a doggy bag of sweet treats, having stalled at coffee time! Unique in a starred restaurant!
- For discovery. This is one of the meals where we learned the most, whether it is on the cooking techniques (stewed in clay), or on the spices and herbs that will magnify your meat and fish, on the techniques of slaughtering fish ... By the way, did you know that prawns were raised in the Loire?
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What you will eat there
Your only choice of the evening will be between a 6 or 8 course meal. Then let yourself be carried away by the chef and your palate... For once, we can't resist giving you a complete and detailed account of our dinner, as it was so exceptional.
A little history to whet your appetite, with a beet welcome bread. It was invented by the great chef from Nantes, Edouard Nignon, who worked at the table of the last Tsar of Russia and opened the first bakery in Moscow in 1905.
The appetizer around the carp, will be accompanied by wild flowers patiently collected on the banks of the Erdre. We discover in passing the subtle flavors of Japanese basil, shiso.
The first starter will be based on celery remoulade, deliciously accompanied by hazelnuts harvested near Nantes. After our discoveries last summer in the lot, we can assure you that even if France remains a "small" hazelnut producing country, we have quality!
The second starter will be doubly surprising: the famous gambas raised near Nantes, in Saint Herblain, spiced up with a Korean spice, the ssamjang. The prawn farm project started in an aquarium in 2017 and as of 2022, more than 250 kg of prawns are taken out of the water every week! The objective is to create a local European production chain that respects the environment. And moreover, they are delicious...
For the dish, we continue to go up the Loire with a zander just incredible. To obtain a melting fish, and a uniform cooking, the pikeperch is cooked in a clay crust which is presented to you before cooking. A very respectful fishing method and a Japanese slaughtering technique (ikejime) will be applied to avoid any stress to the pike-perch and guarantee its quality.
To ensure a smooth transition between savory and sweet, no traditional and rustic trou normand (apple/calavados sorbet), but a delicate vegetable broth flavored with ambrosia, a plant known in mythology to give immortality to those who taste it... We are waiting to see!
For the predessert, we start with a bottereau nantais with kiwi and mint. This greedy family doughnut is traditionally made at mid-Lent to accompany Mardi Gras and carnivals.
The dessert will be a slightly crazy variation on quince and cider, with caramel, pickles and other feuillantine.
And to accompany your coffee, a huge cart of delicacies is offered, mixing chocolate, cookies and other sweet treats ...
Plan your trip to Nantes!
- 15 best things to do in Nantes
- 5 thematic itineraries to visit Nantes in 1 day
- Our advice to visit Nantes in 2 days, or in 3 days
- 12 best hotels to stay in Nantes
- 15 best restaurants to eat in Nantes
- 8 best museums to do in Nantes
- Our tips for the elephant and the machines
- Visit the castle of Nantes
- All about the village of Trentemoult
- How to rent a car at Nantes airport
What you will drink
The wine list naturally leaves a very large place to the Loire and even to the Nantes vineyard with a dozen muscadets.
The menu highlights wines from winemakers who have allowed themselves a step aside from the appellations, but also more confidential AOPs that may surprise you if you let the sommelier guide you.
The other French wine regions are not forgotten, but always with the same attachment to wines of character, without pretension, in fairly young vintages and very accessible financially.
In the end, a very coherent and surprising wine list, just like the restaurant!
The atmosphere of the restaurant
You pass the ring road and after being a little lost in the small streets, you find yourself on the banks of the river Erdre.
A small 19th century manor house emerges from the night in an almost supernatural atmosphere on this full moon evening.
The advantage of the hypercenter is that the volumes are increasing and the tables are spaced out.
The decoration is resolutely contemporary and the lighting atmosphere is well cared for. The fireplace, a vestige of the past, is surrounded by a green wall that blends with the ultra-present wood in the restaurant. A large sideboard allows you to watch the final stages of the preparation of the dishes (we were right in front of it), making the meal a real spectacle.
Even if we are in a starred restaurant, the atmosphere remains relaxed and urban, with a young and quality team in the dining room.
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Why is Manoir de la Regate famous?
The Manoir de la Régate is above all a family story, that of the Peruvians.
It is first of all the father Loïc, and his brother Pascal, pure Breton (originating from the beautiful commune of Tinténiac), who open the restaurant in 1995 and make the tour of the companies to make it known. This is the beginning of a beautiful entrepreneurial adventure in the service of French cuisine.
After traveling the world for a few years to discover new flavors, the son, Matthieu returned from Australia in 2017 to take over the restaurant.
Anne Charlotte, the sister, who has worked at some fine addresses (Cyril Lignac in Paris and Anne-Sophie Pic in Lausanne), will be joining her brother in 2019 to take care of the dining room.
Since then, at less than 30 years of age, they have received numerous awards, both for the quality of the table, the service and the welcome, but also for the attention paid to the ecological impact of the restaurant.
As Pierre Corneille said, "To a well-born soul, value does not wait for the number of years".
Practical information - Manoir de la Regate, restaurant in Nantes
Type of restaurant:
Starred
Schedules
Tuesday to Saturday for lunch and dinner
Where Manoir de la Regate is located
- Driving time from Nantes: 20min
- Driving time from Tours: 2h
- Driving time from Angers: 55min
- Driving time from Blois: 2h35
- Driving time from Orléans: 3h10
Need to rent a car?
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How to get there
To get to Nantes, you will be spoiled for choice, as the city has an international airport and a TGV station (18 return trips per day with Paris, for an average journey time of 2.5 hours).
- See all the lines that serve Nantes airport
- Book your private transportation from Nantes airport.
- See all trains now.
To get to the Manoir de la Régate from downtown Nantes, you have 3 options:
- By car, it will take you 20 to 30 minutes depending on traffic. Parking is easy
- By public transportation, aiming for the Gachet bus stop located 200 meters from the restaurant. Allow 45 minutes to 1 hour from downtown.
- By bike, a walk of about forty minutes along a large part of the route along the Erdre.
By opting for a city pass, you will have unlimited access to the city's well-developed public transport network and to 50 free services (museums, visits, cruises, etc.). We strongly recommend that you buy it in advance to avoid wasting time on site and waiting in line. See the conditions and book your City pass.
Parking
Parking near the Manoir de la Regate is easy and free, which is quite rare in Nantes.
You can either opt for one of the places in front of the Manor, or go down the road a little to access the parking lot reserved for walkers who wish to enjoy the nearby Erdre.
There is even a bike and electric scooter parking right in front of the restaurant.
The menus
As mentioned, your only choice will be the number of dishes. At lunchtime you can be satisfied with 3 courses (but it would be a real pity), but sincerely take the time for a 6 or 8 courses to discover the whole culinary palette of the chef and his teams.
Is the Manoir de la Régate family friendly
Even if the relaxed atmosphere in the restaurant does not make it inappropriate for children to be present, the level of culinary demands seems a bit high for our children.
But once they have trained their palate a bit, this is a wonderful experience to offer them!
The bill
For the quality of the meal, the beauty of the place and the conviviality of the moment, really nothing exorbitant, even if we are on the classic budget of a starred gastronomic restaurant.
The 3-course meal is 40€ at lunchtime for an initiation, the 6-course meal is 80€ and the 8-course meal is 120€. The wine list is very reasonable, with a core list of around 45€ per bottle.
Our top 3 things to do in Nantes
The elephant and the Machines de l'Ile
Over the years, the elephant and the machines on the island have become the cultural and tourist signature of Nantes. They combine incredible technical know-how with a phantasmagorical universe largely inspired by the Nantes author Jules Vernes. You can only succumb to these funny animals made of wood and metal.
The castle of Nantes (Dukes of Brittany)
The impressive castle of Nantes is a real architectural puzzle, the result of a tormented history, which it is pleasant to reconstitute. You will meet the Dukes of Brittany, the famous Anne of Brittany, wife of 2 successive kings of France, but also Louis XIV! The castle houses the surprising and very well designed museum of the history of Nantes.
- Discover all our advices and photos to not miss anything of the castle of Nantes (Dukes of Brittany).
The Pommeraye passage
An immersive experience in the bourgeois and wealthy universe of the 19th century, with this unique shopping mall in Europe. The play of light, the ironwork on the staircase, the sculptures... everything contributes to making this passageway a timeless place dedicated to the pleasure of window shopping.
And to learn more:
our complete selection of 15 things to do in Nantes
Our top 3 places to stay in Nantes
Sozo Hotel
Just a stone's throw from Nantes' magnificent Jardin des Plantes, sleep in an authentic 19th century church converted into a 4-star hotel. Sleeping under the stone vaults, but in a resolutely design decoration, this is what we liked at the Sozo hotel!
- Return in photos on our night at the Sozo hotel
- Check availability and prices of the Sozo Hotel
Radisson Blu Hotel
Walking through the "salle des pas perdus" and having breakfast in the former courtroom is the experience offered by the Radisson Blu Hotel, located in an impressive neoclassical building that used to house the courthouse.
- Back in photos on our night at the Blu Radisson Nantes
- See availability and prices of the Blu Radisson Nantes
Maison du Monde Hotel & Suites
When a great name in French interior design gets passionate about the hotel business, it gives a hotel with a warm and subdued atmosphere. In addition, it is ideally located, between Place Graslin and the Passage Pommeraye!
- Back to our night at the Maisons du Monde hotel in pictures
- See the availability and prices of the Maisons du Monde hotel
And to learn more:
our complete selection of 12 hotels where to sleep in Nantes
