La Grand Cerf, Villers-Allerand, France

We wended our way back towards Paris after a week in Alsace, and this part of the Champagne region is much more charming than staying in Reims proper. I had wanted to stay there, to see the famous church that Monet painted, but did not need to go back, and this restaurant was spectacular, well worth finding if you are in the neighborhood. Here is what they have to say on the Michelin web site: At the foot of the Montagne de Reims and on the road to Épernay, this imposing inn unabashedly brandishes its opulent style. Come evening, the elegant dining space done out in pale wood takes on a romantic air – the perfect setting for fine classic French cuisine delivered by chefs Dominique Giraudeau (who shone for many years in the kitchens of Gérard Boyer at Les Crayères) and his associate, Pascal Champion. On the menu, top-notch produce, from John Dory to free-range milk-fed veal, as well as game, lobster and truffles. We opted for the mid-sized menu--not the plat du jour, but one step up from that, and it was really lovely. The table ware was particularly nice, not fussy but quite pretty.