Ferme de la Besse

The story

Ferme de la Besse: A Michelin-Recommended Farm Inn in Thueyts, Ardèche

Welcome to the Farm

From mid-March to mid-December, Mathieu Méjean and his team open the doors of Ferme de la Besse, a working farm turned restaurant in Usclades-et-Rieutord, just a stone’s throw from Mont Gerbier de Jonc in the Ardèche. The setting is rural and unhurried, a place where the landscape and the table feel connected.

A Chef Rooted in the Land

Mathieu Méjean is part of the “Toqués d’Ardèche,” a brotherhood of local chefs who champion the region’s produce. The restaurant’s website describes it as “une cuisine authentique dans un lieu chargé d’histoire” – authentic cooking in a place steeped in history. There are no elaborate menus here, simply a carte that changes with the seasons, drawing on the farm’s own products and those of neighbouring producers.

Recognition from Michelin

The restaurant’s commitment to honest, terroir-driven cooking has earned it a place in the Michelin guide, recommended for the 2026 edition. The award reflects what the team has been doing for years: letting the Ardèche’s landscape – from the volcanic soils to the chestnut groves – speak through the plate.

An Immersive Experience

A short film on the restaurant’s website invites you to “plongez-vous dans l’environnement et l’univers de la ferme de la Besse.” The same spirit carries through to the dining room and the outdoor terrace, where meals are unhurried and the view stretches toward the Gerbier de Jonc. Reservations are taken by phone, and the restaurant is open from 15 March to 15 December.