lbrawer

Well- we returned from an incredible 10 days in Provence/Riviera on Sunday. I am still too depressed and slightly jet-lagged to write a full blown trip report, but I will. I did have some comments that I wanted to put down right away.
First- thank you ALL so much for your incredible tips, hints and help. So much of what I learned here helped to make our trip what it was and helped us hone our itinerary (much of which went undone unfortunately despite our best efforts.
Secondly- Provence is simply the most special place on earth! The weather was picture perfect, setting magnificent- just amazing.
Third- to some specifics. Our stay at Les Ateliers de L'Image in St. Remy was beyond belief. For you easterners, think Delano hotel times 1,000 in coolness, hipness and atmosphere, MINUS attitude. Just fabulous rooms, incredible facilities, great people and right smack in the center of St. Remy. My new favorite hotel. Wonderful meal at Chez Bru on our first night.
We were fortunate to both have dinner as well as stay at Les Jardins des Sens in Montpellier. Incredible food (THREE dessert courses, not including petit fours and very wonderful hotel. (to be continued)...

cigalechanta

Welcome back Ibrawer, So glad you loved the hotel, Les Ateliers de..and Chez Bru. (It's a lovely couple that run that and the petite Bru around the corner._

ggnga

I thought PB said Les Ateliers de L'Image was being sold and would no longer be a hotel. Just curious as I checked it out as a possible for my next trips and then marked it off because I thought it was being sold.

Ibrawer, I am so happy you enjoyed your trip and am looking forward to the rest of it.

lbrawer

To continue with the culinary highlights of the trip (not forgetting that sitting on the banks of La Sorgue eating market-purchased cheese and cherries was a major highlight) some of the meals we LOVED included lunch at La Clos de La Violette ( I took photos of almost every dish)- their lobster poached in butter was amazing- La Terrasse at Hotel Juana in Juan Les Pins (although it took almost 2 hours to drive there from Nice) and a last minute reservation change from Chevre D'Or to Hostellerie Jerome in La Turbie on the advice of our concierge.Pizza at Chez Serge in Carpentras ( a P. Wells recommendation.) After Chez Bru which was a delightful and surprising meal- dinner at the much more formal Ousteau de Beaumaniere was a slight letdown although the setting was gorgeous. Le Regalido felt a little tired as compared with my last visit there.
While the sun didnt set until almost 9:30 every night- it seemed like there were just not enough hours in a day. I guess I foolishly thought I'd be in and out of some of the market towns (like Carpentras, Aix en Provence (BIG MISTAKE-- I COULDNT LEAVE THAT CITY!) and Antibes after the markets and then spend afternoons driving through some of the smaller towns. It just didnt happen as it was too difficult to really leave without feeling as if they would be unexplored. Absolutely loved Rousillon, St. Paul, Vence, Tourettes sur Loup- I think I could have skipped Gourdon although the vistas were incredible. St. Remy is indeed the perfect town- as others here have noted. We met Joel Durand in his shop and proceeded to eat our way through his "alphabet" both in St. Remy and St. Paul!
There is so much to say-- loved the Cote D'Azur but was very sad to leave Provence proper- We stayed at La Voile D'Or which was a much more traditional hotel- and a drastic change from Les Ateliers de L'Image- but a spectacular setting on the harbor and very nice room. The swimming pool literally puts you face to face with the harbor and we forced ourselves to stay put for one long afternoon in the sun. Just to jump back to St. Remy for a moment- the spectacular pool at Les Ateliers is in a huge and tranquil garden complete with manmade streams and a family of ducks- the pictures on their website simply do not do it justice. It would be very sad to see that hotel close as I'd like to become a permanent resident! The complimentary breakfast buffet was incredible and could be served either in the room or in yet another beautiful building/garden that was also their bar/movie theater at night. Sorry to be jumping back and forth-- the memories are flooding me as I write this.
Underhill- I should have listened to you and stopped on the way from the Nice airport in Antibes to buy a cell phone. We actually could not find what we needed in either St. Remy or some of the smaller towns we visited until Day 3 when we were in Aix. Bought a prepaid Philips phone at Boyagues(?) chain and then added a $50 SIM card. I would be happy to sell the phone to anyone here who can use it. Contact me at [email protected] .
To briefly continue for fear of boring you- we loved Nice- which wasn't even in our original plan. Actually spent almost 2 days there wandering around. Places we never made it to regretfully included Uzes, Lourmarin, Le Lavendou, Bonnieux and Gordes (we almost made it there until we had the "stuck behind a bus on a very winding road" incident- another long story<g&gt. To be continued....

cigalechanta

PB said "Les Antiques was sold. Sorry to hear Rigalido has slipped. I preferred Ousteau over Violette, it seemed more relaxed.

Underhill

How has La Régalido slipped? Hotel, food? Can't be the peculiar parking! Whatever, it's too bad--such a pretty (but small) garden. It's always been a rather old-fashioned sort of operation, at any rate.

Too bad about the cell phone!

Tell us more about why you couldn't leave Aix.

lbrawer

Having admittedly been on a huge whirlwind of fabulous restaurants with the most attentive service imaginable- the Regalido seemeddisappointingprimarily because of service- no offer of apertif, lots of waiting for food, dessert, check- seemed apparant that they were understaffed (maybe it was just the evening) and the food sort of fell short of what I had experienced in past visits. Lovely garden, beautiful hotel- just sort of a disappointment overall. On the other hand- La Terrasse, which upon arrival (almost in tears after getting lost, HUGE traffic tie up from Nice- a full 2 hour trip) seemed stuffy and staid, was SO friendly and by far the single best dish of my trip. It was a side served with my duck with rhubarb-- a small polenta cake filled with those amazing Provence cherries. I have to say I was swooning. Also- one of the desserts- a millefeuille of marscapone and tiny pan-fried cherries was just beyond words.
I loved Aix because- and this could just be the New Yorker in me-- in addition to the fabulous flower market, lunch at Le Clos de la Violette, coming upon one of apparently several weddings conducted throughout the day at the City Hall- it felt like the perfect combo. of small/big city with the added bonus of amazing shopping. I am in the planning process of a move to a new apt here in Manhattan - the first one I've owned (despite my advanced age<g&gt - and every store I passed was what seemed to be chock full of the provencal "chic" that I am hoping to somehow get a hint of here. Subsequently- I spent s long time in and out of shops- particularly one on the Rue Rifle-Rafle, where I bought some amazing stuff (not the farm table I had originally hoped for- but some stuff I could easily fit in the extra suitcase!). Just a fabulous day. I just returned from my sister's where we went thru slide show of pictures-- I relived the whole trip and want more. Those of you who spend alot of time there a SO lucky!

Underhill

I remember that when we were last at La Régalido the service was slow, but the marc sorbet served as a palate-cleanser made my husband swoon. He had it all 3 nights that we stayed and ate there. Is the same chef-owner still in charge?

Somehow the in-town Relais et Châteaux hotels don't quite seem to match those out in the countryside. Wonder why.

lbrawer

yes- we assumed it was family owned and run. In fact the waitresses were two young identical twins that we assumed were neices or daughters.

cigalechanta

Yes, underhill, still the same chef/owner. His daughter has the boutique there.