Hello,

I'm looking for a great restaurant for my birthday dinner in the Vacluse this spring.

I do have some criteria for a "great" restaurant which may or may not be the same as your criteria, but if you have any suggestions I'd be very appreciative!

Criteria:
Experience: quaint (not overly formal), meal to remember, prix fixe, traditionally french.

Price: 50- 70E prix fixe per person max.

Location: Near Bedoin...willing to drive farther but means my husband can't enjoy (much) nice wine with me.

Misc: Michelin stars not necessary(maybe not possible with price range..?), something unique (chef's choice, in interesting location)

Hostellerie Crillon Le Brave!

There is a place in the Michelin guide that appears to be in or near Bédoin. The guide gives it two crossed forks and says "A chapel on the Ventoux road is the origin of this venerable building with a terrace at the front offering a panoramic view. Elegant salmon-coloured dining room, regional food." Meals are €35 to €50.

I can't vouch for it, but it might be worth a bit of research.

Anselm

I'll be celebrating my 60th birthday in Bedoin on June 6. We've dined at many of the restaurants in the area - except Crillon le Brave (too expensive - 75E - but boy!! - what a setting). Also in the "too expensive" range is the Michelin 1 star Le Moulin a Huile in Vaison (75/100E). We've dined there (someone else paid)

The one Anselme mentioned has a lovely outdoor terrace with fantastic views of the countryside & Mt Ventoux. Don't know if I'de call it "quaint" and perhaps not a "meal to remember". We've only dined outside there - not inside. You should eat there anyway, even if it's not for your birthday. Take a hat with you if you don't want a lof of sun exposure.

For my birthday, I'm trying to decide between l'Oustalet (27/55E) in Gigondas (www.restaurant-oustalet.fr), which we've dined at twice, and Le Grand Pre (46/95E) in Roaix near Vaison. The latter is a newly anointed ('06) Michelin 1 star. We have not dined there. Both are Patricia Wells favorites. You can read about them on her site.

Oustalet has both outdoor & indoor dining. The outdoor is set up in the main small square in Gigondas under the plane trees - very pretty setting. The interior dining room is very nice & "quaint". Service is excellent & the food was the best we tried in that region of the Vaucluse (we've stayed there for 4 weeks). However, I don't think anyplace we've dined at in Provence would be a "meal to remember" (in thre 50-90E category). We dine at about 40 restaurants in France each year, and the food (not the setting) at just about every restaurant we tried in Beaujolais & Burgundy this past Sept was better than any in Provence. Of course, this is a matter of personal taste. If you want to see my top 3 in Burgundy, click on my name & find my Burgundy restaurant post.

Stu Dudley

Several years ago we ate at a very nice restaurant in Seguret, where we could see Mt. Ventoux, as I remember it. Anyone know the name of this place?

Was it Le Mesclun?

hit the reply too soon.
The other with a view is
La Table du Comtat but sometimes when they don't trim the trees, the view is not as clear.

I knew you'd know, Mimi! La Table du Comtat! Merci.

Thanks for the suggestions. We'll look into these options to start.

Jen