Restaurant Le Périgord Vert
Tucked into the ground floor of a stone townhouse on Nontron's main street, Le Périgord Vert is the kind of unhurried, white-tablecloth lunch spot that reminds you why you came to France in the first place. The fixed lunch menu — three courses for around €18 — changes weekly and is built almost entirely on produce from the Saturday market.
What to order
Start with the house terrine de canard, a coarse-cut duck pâté served with cornichons and sourdough toast that is made on the premises every other day. In autumn, the chef folds shaved Périgord black truffle through scrambled eggs for a starter that costs a fraction of what you would pay in Paris.
For the main, the magret de canard (duck breast) arrives scored and seared to a rose-pink centre, resting on a reduction of Bergerac wine and served with pommes sarladaises — potato gratin cooked in duck fat with garlic and parsley. It is a regional classic executed without shortcuts.
The room and the ritual
The dining room seats about 30 across bare stone walls and exposed timber beams, with a zinc bar at one end where the patron pours a complimentary glass of Monbazillac with dessert if he likes the look of you. Lunch here runs from 12:00 to 14:00 and the pace is deliberately slow — this is not a place to rush.
Book a table for Friday or Saturday when the market produce is freshest. A carafe of the house Bergerac rouge at €8 is perfectly matched to the food and honest value. Cash is preferred, though cards are accepted.
More of Nontron
Discover where to stay, what to do and the best deals for your trip.
Explore Nontron →
