We're spending 2 weeks in SE France. We're renting a house for 1 week in Beaumes de Venise, staying at an inn in Aix for 3 nights, and staying at an inn in St. Paul de Vence for 4 nights. We like to take day trips from our base at the time, and we center a day around a restaurant. Please let me know your favorite restaurants in towns within a 45 minute drive from our three towns. Thank you.

Near Beaumes de Venice in Gigondas
Our favorite
l'Oustalet
www.restaurant-oustalet.fr
recommended by Patricia Wells

If you'll be in this area after July 8, get back to me & I'll let you know if we found any more good resaurants. We'll be near Beaumes de Venise for 4 weeks. We were there for 2 weeks in '05.

Near Aix
My best meal on our June ’03 trip was at Relais Ste-Victoire in Beaurecueil, just 10K east of Aix. The restaurant/hotel is in a lovely setting. My courses were:
1. Amuse Bouche of cold asparagus soup with truffle oil & a few mousses floating in the soup.
2. 6 Mediterranean appetizers, consisting of a plate with 6 small cups filled with:
a. Ecrevisse (crayfish) with rouille
b. Andouille sausage with ratatouille
c. Fried cod with brandade (cod & potato mixture) w/ sun dried tomatoes
d. Brandade with olive oil & truffle slivers
e. Lobster mousse with tomato coulis & a asparagus spear - yummie
f. fried chicken liver wrapped with salmon marine (marinated)
3. Loup (Sea Bass) with fleur de Sel & truffles
4. Rosemary sorbet w/ liqueur as a palate cleanser
5. Lamb with 3 sauces – Garlic, Banyuls, & mushroom sauces. With an eggplant gratin
6. Small cheese course
7. Ice cream gateau
8. a large serving bowl with meringues at the end of dinner
This menu was 60E, and my wife had a smaller menu for 46E

We've spent 4 weeks in a Gite near St Paul, and have yet to find any reasonable priced restaurants as memorable as the two above - even in Nice. There are a few Michelin 1 star restaurants in Cagnes, but we did not think they were anything special at all. There is, however, an excellent 1 star in Biot - which is about 45 mins away:
Les Terraillers.

Stu Dudley

I second L'Oustalet, we just ate there last September. It has the perfect setting. The best tables are outside facing the cozy Place in Gigondas. Nobody ate inside even though the interior is very rustic and charming. Food and service were superb with very reasonable prices.

Since you're staying a week in Beaume de Venise, here's another gem in Pernes les Fontaines:
Au Fil du Temps
one star Michelin restaurant, gourmet food without attitude and exorbitant prices. It's a small restaurant with a nice polished wood front. Food comes with a few amuse bouche (par for the Michelin star). Service is good though perhaps the team was a bit nervous/unsure when we were there. The only coplaint we have was it's all indoor dining, no terrace/garden dining.

Pernes les Fontaines itself is a fun town to explore topped with a fort in the center of town. There were so many cats when we were there; It was almost creepy as they came in big groups and they suddenly appeared from all corners, reminiscent of the movie The Birds.

Colombre D'Or in St Paul-de,
Closerie de Violette in Aix

A third vote for L'Oustalet in Gigondas (now you have to go!). We had a wonderful lunch there two weeks ago. As an added bonus, I suggest starting off with a pre-meal degustation at the Gigondas cooperative caveau, which offers pressure-free tasting of nearly every Gigondas wine.

Near Aix, try a short trip up to Lourmarin for a meal at L'Antiquaire for another excellent meal that's quite reasonbly priced for the quality.

djulkiana:

If you're a "one splurge" traveler as we are, I second Cigalechanta's pick of Colombe d'or, right smack in the center of St. Paul, especially for lunch on their charming terrace....are you staying at their inn?...and don't miss the exceptionally beautiful Maeght Museum and grounds!

If you're into superb bouilliabaisse, we liked outdoor dining at La Gravette, just inside the wall in Antibes...would suggest during the week rather than weekend...the town is usually mobbed.

stu T.

Another spot with a lovely terrace in Gigandas(love that wine!)
Les Florets.

Yes Colombe d'Or is supposed to be the place to dine in St Paul at least to see the donated paintings. We never got to eat there even though our friends who live in Monaco recommended it strongly, they said "Anybody who's anybody at all has to dine there". Both times we went there La Colombe d'Or was practically empty when other restaurants were full, so we ate somewhere else. I'm hoping that Cigalechanta can share a terrific dining experience to convince us to go there next time.

The terrace is so beautiful at night. The food is wonderful, they have this one main course that is like a tapas served in these little dishes. There's a huge Calder stabile by the pool and a Picasso mural. Many artists paid for their meal there by giving a work of art. Simone Signoret and Yves Montand married there and yves was playing alot in the boules court. The paintings and other mediums of art are everywhere including the bedrooms. In the village, in the post office, upstairs are alot of photos. I'm sure if you lunch or dine for dinner they'll let you look inside but not if you only want to look. The staff is very friendly. I wish I could aford to stay ther every year, There's wonderful book you can buy here The Colombre D'Or, A Taste of Provence. You'll see all the stars in their younger days like Romy Schnider, Alain Delon, picasso, and so many others lounging or dining.

we loved the Colombe D'or pretty terrace and good food