Ira,

If you can give yourself a few more days, I would recommend going via Domodossola and Switzerland to Chamonix and then follow the road closest to the Italian border. That's what we did eons ago, all the way to the Côte d'Azur. We stayed in Briançon, in a cheap hotel with roses in the wall paper, roses in the curtains, roses on the bed cover, none of them matching.

Hi M,

>If you can give yourself a few more days....<

Thanks for the tip, but I can't.

Interesting rose garden there in Briancon.

Ira, please post a review on Trip Advisor or post something about Cadron Solaire on fodors when you return. We don't go until July. thanks so much for the restaurant info -- I hadn't gotten that far yet, but great to know. It sounds like a lovely place and I did corresond with a Brit on TA who stayed there recently and had only good things to say. Very quiet and well located.
have a great trip -- and please post a trip report so I (and others) can benefit from your experience.

alison - I think your trip is prior to Ira's trip - he is going in the Autum.

My Michelin guide says that the rooms are "cosy", which I usually translate to "small". And you'll be there for 5 nights, I believe. None of my many guide books even mentions the town of Graveson. We've driven through it a couple of times, and found no reason to stop. If someone wants to stay in a village with lots of shops, cafes, restaurants, a market etc - they usually prefer St Remy or Uzes.

Stu Dudley

Hi Al,

>Ira, please post a review on Trip Advisor or post something about Cadron Solaire on fodors when you return. We don't go until July.<

I will be pleased to read your trip report. We don't go until Sept.
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Hi Stu,

Thank you for the warnings.

I'll let you know in Oct if I should have heeded them.

Ira - we choose hotels the same way you do - affordable, so we can spend the $$$$$ on dinner.

Stu Dudley

I lurk a lot here but rarely post. Just found this while searching for info on Sisteron (thanks Stu for the heads up). My boyfriend and I are wrapping up the tail end of several months skiing in Briancon and can highly recommend it. We stayed at La Chaussee last September while on an apartment hunting trip. Somehow we ended up with one of the as-yet unrenovated rooms, but can recommend the hotel. It has a very French, family-run feel to it. It's right in the mix of things in town, and parking is nearby on the street or in lots, not a problem.

As for food in Briancon:
The restaurant at La Chausse is very good and is one of the five participants in the "Menus Vauban", which are menus from the time of Vauban in the 17th century. We haven't tried these but they are heavily promoted by the tourist office here.

We 110% concur with Stu's recommendation for Le Peche Gourmand. It's our absolute favorite here and great value for money.

Le Passe Simple in Old Town (La Cite Vauban) is also excellent, and has a variety of menus ranging from alpine specialties up to more gourmet levels, very artfully presented and with excellent service. Also a Menu Vauban participant. This restaurant is part of the Hotel de la Paix, which might be a more atmospheric place to stay for your one night - I believe their rates are similar.

Finally, Le Passage in Old Town has excellent food and a wonderfully friendly proprietress.

P.S. The Fodors forums have been invaluable in our trip planning. Starting mid-April through mid-June, we'll be traveling through Languedoc, Lot/Dordogne, Brittany, Paris, Normandy, Loire, Provence, Corsica, Sardinia, Cinque Terre, and Nice/Cote d'Azur.

P.P.S. I drooled over your Dordogne trip report, Ira. Given the length of our trip, ours is going to be a bit more modest! Enjoy Briancon.

Thank you very much for your post, Mich.
Le Passe Simple might be just what we are looking for.
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Hi DA,
We have taken your advice and will be staying at the Edelweiss.