Fodor's Expert Review Le Saint Estève

A short drive from Aix over scenic Route Cézanne, this elegant restaurant on the grounds of Les Lodges hotel has an inspired menu—and who wouldn't be inspired with these breathtaking views of Cézanne's beloved mountain? Michelin-starred chef Julien Le Goff doesn't have far to look for the locally sourced products such as wild trompette de la mort mushrooms for a luscious dish of langoustines, mussels, and lemon-infused bouillon or line-caught turbot with French caviar, crispy potatoes, and a Champagne emulsion. Heads turn as virtuosic dishes, one more beautiful than the next, are flourished at the table. Finish with an ethereally light pavlova of Granny Smith apples with a cloud of meringue flecked with gold and paired with a sweet local wine. There is a shady outdoor terrace overlooking olive groves, woods, and the mountain.