Ville d’Avray: Les Etangs de Corot

I’ve always loved outings to Les Etangs de Corot, the charming hotel just outside of Paris in Ville d’Avray, overlooking ponds that were a favorite subject of the early 19th-century painter Jean-Baptiste Camille Corot. Through the years, there have been some very good chefs at Le Corot, the hotel’s restaurant gastronomique, but I don’t think any were as talented as Rémi Chambard, who recently took over the kitchen.

On a beautiful summer night, I had a nearly perfect meal: The starter of precisely poached green asparagus with an intriguing vinaigrette made with grape-seed oil, sherry vinegar, shallots and finely minced Spanish ham was served with a side dish of Parmesan-rich polenta. Main course sweetbreads—some of the best I’ve ever had—were crisply fried but still creamy, accompanied by morels and a seasonal vegetable macédoine brightened by preserved lemon. Victoria pineapple, roasted with lemon and vanilla, was exactly right for dessert. The decor could use some freshening, and the service is hyper-formatted, but I’m looking forward to discovering Chambard’s fall menu.

53 rue de Versailles, Ville d’Avray, 01.41.15.37.00. €75; wine starting at €25.

Prices are approximate, per person without wine.

Originally published in the September 2012 issue of France Today.