Pau-native Christophe Marque has certainly made his mark on this old lockhouse along the Canal des Deux-Mers, which was done up in 2014 (waxed hardwood floors, big windows, a massive terrace) when chef Christian Constant initially took it over. The day we went for lunch, the former chef of Le Bibent in Toulouse delivered a flawless €23 menu: voluptuous vitello tonnato with a coco de Paimpol bean hummus, pickled red onion, sorrel and capers; irreproachable pan-fried wrasse fillet, perked up with a bouillabaisse-style broth with mussels, onions, new potatoes, zucchini and peppers; before an outstanding Mirabelle plum clafoutis served with marigold ice cream. Otherwise, served à la carte there’s meagre, oyster, salmon and ginger tartare; spit-roasted chicken with mashed potatoes and an herb butter; chocolate tart, etc. // P.L.
FEELING THIRSTY? Mostly conventional wines: a Mediterranean white from Jean-Luc Colombo (€6 a glass), a Côtes-de-Provence rosé from Saint Sidoine (€32 a bottle), an Aude red from the Domaine de Cazaban (€36)…
PRICE: Menus €20-25 (weekday lunch), menu-carte €45, tasting menu €60.
