Michelin-starred restaurant for a high-end layover
“What I liked about Beaubleu was above all my meeting with Nicolas, the Designer. It was important for me to put a face to the world of this brand” explains Guillaume.
There's an immediate connection between Nicolas and Guillaume. They discuss their childhood in Charente and their shared passion for watchmaking, where every detail counts, just like in cooking! Guillaume Veyssière fell in love with the "Intrépide Bleue" watch from the Union collection, which never leaves his wrist, whether in the kitchen or when he sets out to travel the roads of Charente with his motorcycle and his rangers, or when he improvises a Supertramp piece on the guitar.
"Since I have been wearing my Beaubleu watch, I have the impression of taming time. This model appealed to me, and I find that its round hands have a reassuring side, in a profession where time is a permanent obsession Baudelaire said: “Every minute, we are crushed by the idea and the sensation of time. And there are only two ways to escape this nightmare: pleasure and work. Pleasure wears us down. Work strengthens us. Let's choose". I chose both because it's my balance!"
Guillaume Veyssière owes his first steps in cooking to special moments in his adolescence, during scout camps with his troop. He then wins his first prize: the badge for best scullion! The start of a great career as a chef is gradually taking shape for the young man.
Driven by the taste for sharing as a team, he realizes that cooking is for him an extraordinary way of communicating with others. He draws this gift from his infinite curiosity. With this passion, he holds positions in prestigious places: Jean Ramet in Bordeaux, Mas Candille in Mougins, Buneau in Brussels and many others…
Then military service caught up with him. He was assigned to the paratroopers in Toulouse. During this period, he distinguished himself by his talents in the kitchen and his superiors entrusted him with the keys to the officers' mess, where he impressed them with his culinary skills. Hesitating between a military career and his passion for cooking, he ultimately decided to become a chef and open his own restaurant.
Thanks to the support of his father, he settled in Muron, a charming village in Charente-Maritime, where he opened a small restaurant with his wife, welcoming customers for lunch and dinner. He remembers this first affair with emotion, he who was only 25 years old at the time!
Then it's back to basics. Guillaume returns to his hometown, Angoulême, to take over the restaurant La Ruelle. It quickly made it an essential address, well known to Charente gourmets. But he doesn't want to stop there... Like an artist looking for a new studio, he looks for another place, a new setting to give free rein to his imagination. “A beautiful landscape can inspire me with a new dish,” confides the chef. More than ever, his objective is to highlight the local products of this region that he loves so much.
In December 2019, he opened Les Sources de Fontbelle and in 2021 obtained the Michelin star he always dreamed of! His cuisine is mischievous and the chef takes pleasure in surprising his customers with sometimes very daring combinations! Nestled in a green setting, facing the splendid Vallée des Eaux Claires at the gates of Angoulême, the space offers a grandiose setting, combining futuristic architecture and spectacular volumes.
It is also possible to stay on site. Guillaume Veyssière has restored the architect's house located below the restaurant and offers elegant rooms where guests can be lulled by the surrounding springs and the song of the birds.
A recipe designed for Beaubleu
The ultimate freshness of an exceptional cocktail offering a subtle balance of bitterness and fruitiness. Named “Beaubleu” in homage to the brand, this delicious beverage is made from exclusively local products.
1
2cl of Gin with Yuzu Charentais
( YU GIN of the Spiritual House )
2
2cl of orange, cherry and chili liqueur
( Ybar G&C Raby )
3
4cl of Charentais tonic
(Archibald Distillations )
4
Lime and a sprig of juniper
Written by Pamela and Athénaïs de Montleau
Photo credits: David Marvier, Bastien Sauve, Pamela de Montleau
www.sourcesdefontbelle.com
1 bis Rue des Meules à grains
16000 Angoulême (Charente)
The restaurant is located 30 minutes from Bordeaux and 1 hour 43 minutes from Paris by train.