We were lucky to discover this lovely gem of a restaurant located in Lamballe during one of our first trips to the area as it was recommended by some friends, we have since returned many times. The restaurant itself is contemporary and sleek yet is still has a cosy charm. The service is very friendly and some of the staff speaking good english.

Le Prieure, given its name as it used to be an old Priory is located next to a flowing stream and is a great place to visit especially on a sunny day. It is particularly child friendly given its beautiful enclosed outside playarea which is directly connected to the outdoor eating terrace. The real bonus is that the gardens are safe and walled in and so you can sit outside enjoying your aperitif, whilst the children run around enjoying the gardens, swings and slide. There is also plenty of seating outside at the front of the restaurant surrounded by colourful flower bed, for a more peaceful experience or alternatively the inside restaurants are also a real delight with the modern interior and tasteful decor.

I would highly recommend the Menu de Jour, ‘meal of the day’ which is great value starting at just €10.50 for 3 courses.  The menu really caters to all tastes from Pizza & Pasta to Salads, Meat and Fish. The seafood and Oysters are also very good and there is an excellent selection of wines. The house wine which comes as part of the menu de jour is lovely and you have the choice of red, white or rose. They make a real effort for the children’s meals and the sweetie necklaces are always a winner!

Lamballe itself is also a lovely place to visit, with its many shops, cafes, restaurants and historic buildings including a museum with a wonderful collection of Mathurin’s work.  For horse lovers there is the Haras National de Lamballe with Lamballe being the birthplace of the famous Breton Draw Horse back in 1825.  The guided tours are excellent and its a great place to spend time even if you aren’t the horsey type. There is also a golf club called the Golf Club Criniere.

For more information on Lamballe check out the tourism website.