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As usual at this time of year we witness a lot of hoohah with the launch of the latest edition of the most revered guide to French Hotels and Restaurants Michelin Guide France 2007: Hotels and Restaurants (Michelin Guides)
This year is no different, with the spotlight on a female chef who has joined tradtionally very male ranks of the annointed - Anne-Sophie Pic’s seafood restaurant in Valence (26 Drôme, Rhône-Alpes - in the northern Rhone) - The restaurant is called Pic - stylish website at www.pic-valence.com. However, not everyone wants to pay £70+ for a meal - although I suspect it would be a really memorable experience.Pic also has a bistro (le Sept) and rooms if you wanted to make a really good stopover.
But back to the Michelin Guide - you would be wrong to think of the famous red Guide as merely a guide for well-heeled gastronomes seeking only the finest French food and luxurious accommodation. We have used it as an invaluable guide to great value hotels and restaurants throughout France - and have never found it to be less than reliable. Each entry provides price indications, opening times (or more importantly closed days) and contact details and can help you select both good value food (Bib Gourmande and menu economique) and good value hotels (Bib Hotel) from £30 or less per night. The guide also includes street maps of most moderate sized towns and all cities - something we found invaluable before SatNav came along.
There are however other ways of accessing much of the Michelin information - the website at www.viamichelin.co.uk can provide you with access to some excellent mapping, route planning and details of hotels, restaurants, tourist sights etc. 
The English print ersion of the 2007 Guide will not be available until early April - Michelin Guide France 2007: Hotels and Restaurants (Michelin Guides)
The French print version is available at the end of February -Guide Michelin France 2007
