Fodor's Expert Review Le Saint Estève

A short drive from Aix over scenic Route Cézanne, this elegant restaurant on the grounds of Les Lodges hotel has a spiffed-up menu showing new inspiration—and who wouldn't be inspired with these breathtaking views of Cézanne's beloved mountain? Michelin-starred chef Julien Le Goff doesn't have far to look for the locally sourced products he favors, such as wild trompette de la mort mushrooms for a luscious dish of langoustines, mussels, and lemon-infused bouillon or line-caught bar with French caviar, crispy potatoes, and a Champagne emulsion. Heads turn as virtuosic dishes, one more beautiful than the next, are flourished at the table. Finish with an ethereally light pavlova of Granny Smith apples with a cloud of meringue flecked with gold and paired with a sweet local wine. There is a shady outdoor terrace overlooking olive groves, woods, and the mountain.