Welcome to a truly enchanting Vegan Haven in the Iton River Valley, Normandy

Meet Your Host

Deborah

Brosville, Normandy France · Joined August 2026

I pioneered in France vegan gastronomy and culinary education for nearly twenty years. In 2009, I founded Gentle Gourmet, which developed over the years as a vegan restaurant, catering business, culinary school and hospitality project. I created the Paris Vegan Day festivals - the first vegan festivals in continental Europe. My work has always been centerd on one idea: that vegan food can be generous, beautiful, sophisticated and deeply pleasurable — not a cuisine of restriction, but one of extraordinary possibilities. Today, I welcome guests at the Domaine de Brocfontaine in Normandy, where much of my culinary work is inspired by the surrounding countryside, the seasons, our gardens and the abundance of herbs, fruits, vegetables and edible plants that grow here. I have spent many years developing and teaching vegan cuisine and French-inspired pastry, including professional programs for chefs and future professionals, but I enjoy just as much sharing this knowledge informally around a table. Guests certainly do not need to be chefs — or even vegan — to enjoy staying here. Some may simply come to relax in the Normandy countryside, discover the region and enjoy good plant-based food. If you are curious about vegan cuisine, however, there is always plenty to talk about, taste and discover! Depending on the stay, there may be an opportunity to share a meal, explore ingredients from the garden, exchange culinary ideas or simply enjoy food prepared with the same care and attention that I bring to my teaching. Above all, I would like visitors to feel welcomed rather than simply accommodated. I love meeting people from different countries and backgrounds, sharing good food and conversation, and helping guests discover just how rich and exciting plant-based cuisine can be. My hope is that you leave Normandy rested, well fed, perhaps a little inspired — and with very happy memories of your stay.