My first post! I've done my homework by reading many threads, but now I'll get specific. We are traveling the first week of Oct in Provence and the Cote d'Azur. Our towns are as follows: Roussillon, L'isle-sur-la-Sorgue, Aix, Bormes-les-Mimosas, and one night in Nice to catch the train to Venice. Sounds like every restaurant in Nice is shut on Sunday except for the Bar Socca: fun but not relaxing. By that time I will be cooked, and any suggestions for a modest friendly bistro/brasserie in the old town would be appreciated. IF they are open Sunday evening. We would like to eat mostly at cafes and bistros, with a few splurges thrown in. I prefer fresh ingredients without a lot of pretense or architectural construction. A great steak frites can make me happy or a plate of beautiful vegetables or a perfectly grilled trout just pulled from the river. I'm fussy, but I don't like fussy food, if you know what I mean. I would like bourride and bouillabaisse, but I'm not going to dine chez Bacon; the Brangelina crowd and the prices are not in this life (or the next) for me. Roussillon: anyone eaten at Brasserie L'ocrier or Le Bistro de Roussillon? What about side trips (lunch) in nearby towns? Cucuron, Gordes, Goult? I've heard raves about Cafe de la Fontaine in Lourmarin. The town of Cucuron is calling to me; I know it's very small. Ideas there? L'isle-sur-la-Sorgue: L'oustau de L'isle sounds appealing for a splurge dinner. Le Jardin du Quai? Any other ideas? Also we will take a day to see the Pont du Gard, and Pope's Palace in Avignon. Any suggestions for lunch near those two famous sites? Two places suggested near the aqueduct are La Begude Poulon in Vers Pont du Gard and Amphitryon in Castillon du Gard, both of course not in Avignon. Anyone know those? Or a nice bistrot near the Popes Palace? Aix: Just our luck: the weekend we are there is the International Rugby Quarterfinals. My daughter plays rugby at college and would be thrilled, but I am not. Many teams have filled up the hotels and I am guessing the Cours Mirabeau will be full of either depressed or ectstatic young celebrants, doing what you would expect all evening long. Chez Feraud sounds very appealing and is off the beaten track a bit--anyone love that? I've also heard good things about La Chimere Cafe, La Madeleine (good for bouillabaise?), Le Verdun, Cote Coeur (one blogger swooned over their black chocolate mousse, which is just up my mother's alley.) Any thoughts? Le Clos de la Violette is on everyone's list, but sounds pricier than the rest; ma mere et mon mari will balk. We will be staying on the Mirabeau (many affordable hotels were already booked.) I'm told a good alternative to the Deux Garcons is the Bastide du Cours if we want a brasserie in the middle of the action, of the brasserie of the hotel Saint Christophe. Cote d'Azur. Some bloggers on various sites have raved about La Bonaparte in Cassis for true Bouillabaisse sans the glitz, but I haven't seen it mentioned in any of the soupe posts on this site. Just curious. We will spend the night after Aix in Bormes-les-Mimosas. Any suggestions there? At that point I would probably be ecstatic if I had a lovely bowl of super-fresh moules on the beach. Any ideas for that town? Then there's that Sunday night in Nice, when all the chefs are eating chez grandmere. Thanks in advance for all suggestions. KM