In this 17C Basque watermill nestling deep in a picturesque vale, a new conservatory extension commands a fantastic view of the countryside and lush green garden. In summertime, your nostrils will be titillated by freshly cut herbs served as appetisers. This mill is emblematic of the ecological, humanist and gastronomic ethos of chef Fabrice Idiart. The chef’s signature menu, “Ital”, features an exemplary harmony between plant and animal ingredients, in which ineluctable vegetables are underscored by plant and spicy sauces that characterise Fabrice’s distinctive, unorthodox approach. For example, the chef, also a reggae fan, crafts dishes ranging from a medley of sweet potato and cockles or delicately cooked hake à la plancha, jazzed up with a pil-pil sauce and scattered with aromatic herbs from the garden to wagyu beef reared in Navarre, a marvellous cut of marbled meat, enhanced by a Romanesco cabbage and broccoli.