Fodor's Expert Review Hostellerie de l'Abbaye de La Celle

Superchef Alain Ducasse put this beautifully restored 18th-century bastide on the map when he opened a restaurant here in the early 2000s; other draws include guest rooms that mix Louis XVI and regional accents, private gardens, and vineyard views. The inn, once part of a convent where future queens of Provence were raised, still has a formidable kitchen headed up by Chef Nicolas Pierantoni, whose seemingly magical creations find a superb balance (and a Michelin star) between taste and texture: picture hake with sweet almond purée and gnocchi, or saddle of lamb with squash and fried chickpea panisse. As with the ingredients-driven food, the overall experience here betrays a genuine appreciation for the goodness of simple things.