Favorite Restaurants in Provence?
 

Next month, we'll be staying at a home near St. Remy. It's our first trip to Provence, and we'll be taking the usual day trips one takes for a week in the area. We'll probably eat at home most evenings, but I'd love to hear your favorite restaurants for lunch within a day's trip of our base (all price ranges).

Mas de Cure Bourse, just outside l'Isle-sur-la-Sorgue
Mas Tourteron, in tiny village of Les Imberts, near Gordes
And for a scenic day trip, Restaurant des Santons in Moustiers Ste. Marie

Have a wonderful time!

Our hotel hosts recommended Christian Etienne - a two star Michelin restaurant in Avignon. We tried getting reservations too late!

We liked the Bistro du Paradou--reserve a few days in advance for that one. Only set menus available, but there are choices within the courses and the cost includes wine. When we were there last lunch was about 30 Euros for 5 courses.

In the Luberon, La Ferme de La Huppe, just down one of the roads near Gordes, has excellent food for moderate prices. I can't give you the exact amount, but we were surprised by how relatively low the bill was.

In Fontvielle, the Auberge de Régalido has a nice garden setting and 1* food. Right next door, however, is a restaurant with a name related to cats; the menus looked quite good, and friends who tried the restaurant liked it a lot.

In Villeneuve-lès-Avignon, Le Prieuré has 1* cuisine, and the setting is very pleasant.

Here's a second vote for La Ferme de la Huppe.

Nitajan, Patricia Wells just wrote a rave review of Christian Etienne, apparently a real star in the area.

Here are some details of our meals in Provence in March:
La Serre (St Remy)-
Duo of Foie Gras-one warm roasted with salt, the other cold roasted with red wine, served with red wine reduction and pistachio toasts
Froisse de Saint Jacque- Scallops with the roe wrapped in filo dough with carrots and herb sauce
Saint Pierre wrapped around haricot verte & julienne carrot with black olive sauce
Tourte with beef oxtail (boneless) braised in red wine with carrots, potatoes mashed with raw onions
Millefeuille of dried pineapple with an unsweetened pineapple ice
3 warm chocolate cakes-one plain, one flavored with rosemary, one flavored with thyme

Mas de Cure Bourse (Isle-sur-la-Sorgue)-we went for lunch after the market on Sunday
Amusee bouche of homard soup with cream
Salad of quail with tomatoes and black olives
Crumble of dried tomatoes with parmesan with goat cheese sauce
Pigeon with Jerusalem artichoke dauphoise
Pancetta of lamb with jus & pinenuts with timbale of green cabbage
Cheeses
Fondue of milk chocolate with apples, poached pears, pain d'epice, nut bread and a kugelhopf
Cream brulee with passion fruit, apples and blood orange

Clos de la Violette (Aix-en-Provence)-we went with friends for their 25th anniversary, we were amazed when they brought the check without being asked, the men were expecting and ordered after dinner drinks
Also they gave us the English translation menu- takes all the fun out of ordering
Salad of Crab and artichoke hearts
Pasta filled with Petit Gris Snails, walnuts and Fresh Goat Cheese
Green Asparagus with Socca and Muslin of Nut's Oil
Heart of Purple Artichoke, Italian Pasta Stuffed with Basil and Fresh Goat Cheese

Roast Rack of Lamb coated with spices, socca, stewed carrot and chick peas
Roasted Spring Veal Chop with fresh pasta and wild mushrooms
Roasted Duckling of l'Huppe, crusty skin with sweet spicy sauce

Molten Chocolate Cake
Caramelize Upside Down Apple Tart with quince sorbet

La Verger de Chateauneuf-du-Pape It was off the ruins on the top of the hill with a spectacular view. We only stopped for a quick lunch before tasting wines at Chateau Beaucastel
I had an omelet with ratatouille and black olives and my husband had a lamb steak with ratatouille, sauteed onions, eggplant with tomatoes and these potato puffs. Nice place to sit in the sun and drink wine.

Le Jardin de Frederic-(St Remy) We went with friends after the tasting in Chateauneuf-du-Pape.

Foie Gras with Fruit Chutney
Home Smoked Salmon
Salad with Foie Gras and Veggies (very thinly sliced foie gras-very yummy)

Duck Breast with some sort of fruit sauce-very good
Seabass with artichokes-roasted fish, another entry in my quest for artichokes
Filet with Chateauneuf-du-Pape Sauce-I think two of our party had that. My husband was very happy with it.

Desserts-
Assortment of Sorbet (my husband is complaining now because he can't get sorbets like those-except when I make them)
Pain Perdu-kind of like a dessert french toast
Chocolate Mousse-much darker chocolate than they use here and very smooth-yum
Tart de Pomme-nice thin crispy crust

Suggestions from the hotel in St Remy that we didn't get to were La Gousse D'Ail; Alain Assaud; La Source. I am sorry we didn't try the pizza place on the same block from La Gousse D'Ail-wood fire and looked interesting.

If you can still dine outside that will make the Mas Touteron experience even more rewarding.

La Maison, the restaurant at the Mas de Bournissac, near St. Remy, is wonderful. Ditto outside experience recommended but inside OK as well.

Gousse d'Ail is great. Service exceptional. Jazz night, last Thursday of the month, is worthwhile. Say hello to Tjebbe and Nadine, proprietors, from Anthony and Carole.

La Source is good but outside dining a must.

Oustalet de Maillane in Maillane is excellent.

Anthony

Thank you everyone, it all sounds wonderful. I have another question (or two). Many have commented on the market on Sunday at L'Isle-sur-la-Sorgue, so I think we'll probably go. We'll be in Provence a week, and since it's our first time, we'll be seeing most of the regular important sight seeing places, but is there anything else, that takes place only on a certain day of the week, that you think we absolutely shouldn't miss? This might help me decide what day to head what direction. Hope that makes sense. Thanks again for helping in this trip. And, of course any other suggestions for the trip, shops, restaurants, (a friend suggested L'Oustau de Beaumeniere (sp?) but no one else mentioned it, just how expensive would that lunch be, and is it worth it?)would be so appreciated.

You might want to drop in at the huge Saturday market in Arles--absolutely amazing. You'll probably see guardiens up from the Camargue, and it's a great spot to people-watch.

The St. Remy market day is great. I think it's on Wednesday but double-check with local sources when you are there. Jardin de Frederic (mentioned elsewhere) was also terrific.

Our friends who live in Provence and know all about the restaurants treated us to Oustau de Beaumaniere. I have no idea how much it cost but it is an absolutely memorable time.

Another vote for
Le Jardin de Frederic (in St.Remy) which is moderately priced,
L"oustau de Beaumaniere (in Les Baux) expensive,
Clos de la Violette (in Aix) also expensive.
Happy eating.

Ousteau de Beaumaniere is fantastic but also very, very expensive! Try to go for lunch on a beautiful day so you can sit outside. It's a don't miss experience. We saw guests arriving by helicopter on the lawn while we were having lunch there a few years ago.

Just how expensive for lunch? I really want to go there, but not sure what you mena by expensive. I'm willing to splurge, but I not in the league of those who travel by helicopter!

I really don't know what the price would be currently. Do they have a web site you could try? You can just order by the course-you don't have to have the prix-fixe. Go & splurge!

Expensive, elegant,well-done: Mas de Tourteron, Bastide de Marie. Beautiful settings too.

In Gordes, simpler but very good: Clos de Gustave.

Our happiest surprise was our last night's dinner at La Ferme de la Huppe. (It was also the single place that we discovered without a personal recommendation...nice write-ups in Fodors and in Pudlo interested me.) A really pleasant poolside dinner with the best lamb I had in the fortnight in the region. But the distinguishing charm was the propietors: we have a handicapped son who can be EXTREMELY finicky...They mixed and matched from the lunch menu and sides to make him (and collaterally us) VERY happy.

I live in St. Remy most of the year. I love Mas du Capoun in Molleges, between St. Remy and Cavaillon. I love L'Atelier de Jean-Luc Rabanel, in Arles. (Rabanel cooks all organic and has two Michelin stars, I believe.) His food is creative, fresh, super flavorful and lovely to look at. Be careful though or you'll eat yourself into a coma! We had something like 18 courses (but some just one bite). In St. Remy, our local hangout is the Bar Tabac Brasserie des Alpilles (not to be confused with the Bistro des Alpilles). The food is good to very good, the prices low, the service extremely friendly. It's not fine dining, just a really good neighborhood bistro with a great convivial atmosphere. Try the daily special or the daube (beef stew). And they speak English. If you find yourself in the Luberon, check out Peter Mayle's restaurant recommendations on my website www.provencepost.com. Once you're on the site, scroll back to Tuesday, Oct 28 to find them. You might find interesting info on my site anyway so check it out. Bon Appetit and Bon Voyage!

PS: If you're staying home in St. Remy one night, pick up some pizzas at Pizzeria Glanum, kitty corner from the big church in St. Remy. Delicious! They don't deliver though. You can call ahead and then pick them up...or drop in and have a drink next store while you're waiting.

I have stayed and dined at Oustau de Baumaniere. Here is their website. You can check menues on it. http://www.maisonsdebaumaniere.com/index.php?id=oustau

I prefer La Riboto de Taven. I sty there for an area place. I told about it along with pictures on my recent trip. They are not open for lunch and dinner they accept outsiders after their own guests.

Some Prisian friends just sent me an email and had returned from a trip to Marseille and said they went to St. Remy and they had lunch in a place named Le Lezard that they highly recommended.

Enjoy the area..the Aliplles are very much a favorite of mine...

Joan