St-Tropez and surroundings: Any recommendations?

[FilmPainter]

We will be spending a week in St-Tropez in early September before heading to Italy for a 3-week tour of the Riviera and Piemonte. Any suggestions for tasty but reasonably priced restaurants in town or within driving distance? Will be staying at the Hotel du Levant. I have booked lunch at the Moulin de Mougins for my BIG 5-0 birthday, but I will have to do some averaging out $ !!!!

Thanks in advance!

[Nikolaus]

Reasonably priced has quite a different significance in that area, I am afraid... Years ago, there used to be a nice place right off Place de Lices (Main square), called La Maison de Marie, in a cosy garden. That could be a hint. 'La Table du Marché' is nice too. The same chef has also 'Les Moulins' within minutes driving, in the direction of the beaches. But I think there prices raised dramatically during the last three years. A last tip could be Le Girelier on the port, and La Cave on the road leaving behind the fishmarket. Both not really inexpensive, but less touristic and more a kind of bargain in a touristically spoiled and overwhelmed area.

[menton1]

St Tropez is the absolute stereotype of Tourist Trap. Very poor value in any of the restaurants around there. If you have a car, escape and head for the Haut Var, lots of charming little villages there, or, go to Hyeres, a city full of character where they first brought the Palm trees to the Riviera in the early 1800s-- take a short ferry to Porquerolles, a breathtaking gorgeous island with few cars, and some great restaurants and natural beauty.

P.S. Mougins is an awfully long trip from St Tropez, about 2 hours--

[Jonathan Day]

Peter Mayle writes at some length about L'Auberge de la Mole, in La Mole, west of St Tropez: supposedly it offers good value and very generous servings. I have not tried it.

In Lorgues, some 50 km from St Tropez, you will find Chez Bruno, home of Clément Bruno, the "king of truffles". It is no longer the simple out-of-the-way place it once was, and I have heard mixed reports recently. I have not been for some years; back then Bruno would simply waddle out of the kitchen and tell you what there was to eat that day...and it was generally good. Now it has one Michelin star, there is a long menu, and Bruno is something of a (self proclaimed) celebrity, with another restaurant in Nice. Nonetheless, this one is probably worth a visit.

Mougins actually isn't that far from St Tropez -- it's only 75 km. The problem is getting into and out of St Tropez because of the horrible traffic. In low season, you can do Mougins-St Trop in a bit over an hour. In high season and even in September it will take longer.

I would, however, avoid the Moulin de Mougins. It has been in decline for some years, following a spat between Roger Vergé and the village authorities. Our dinner there two years ago was stunningly expensive and, apart from the signature stuffed courgette flower, undistinguished. The service was also poor. Since then, there is a new chef and Vergé has regained one of his lost stars, so he is back to two. My impression is that the Mouginois tend to avoid the place, and I frequently see coaches bringing parties from Cannes to the Moulin: always a bad sign. Also, the Moulin is not in the old village, but at the bottom of a hill, near a motorway. It is no longer the peaceful Provençal retreat it once was. You won't hear the motorway noise, but that is thanks to double glazing and air conditioning.

Because of Vergé, Mougins has something like 40 restaurants, many of them very good. A better though far simpler and less expensive place than the Moulin is Le Bistro de Mougins, for very traditional local food, nicely prepared. Or La Terrasse, also good, more upscale, with lovely views over the Med. Avoid L'Amandier, perhaps the most beautiful restaurant in the village. It once belonged to Vergé, but he sold it last year; it was bad when he owned it, and now it is horrid.

If you want a two-star experience in the area, I would recommend Jacques Chibois's place in Grasse, Bastide St-Antoine. The approach looks just a bit grim, but once you are inside the property it is lovely, and the restaurant has a relaxed elegance that's hard to forget. We have always enjoyed our meals there; Chibois has a deep commitment to the products of the area but he is also creative and adventurous. Grasse is about the same distance from St Tropez as Mougins...same traffic problems in St Trop, though.

Restaurants do change, so if you stick with your lunch reservation at the Moulin de Mougins do post and let us know how it is doing.

[Nikolaus]

I absolutely do not share this all-too-common opinion on Vergé's decline, and this for several reasons. Maybe this is an issue that deserves an own forum topic?

[mikeycook]

My wife and I spent a week of our honeymoon in Aiguebelle 3 years ago and went to Les Santons in Grimaud, which, at the time, was a one star (think it still is). It was one of the best dining experiences we have had, so much so that we made plans to return that same week and were equally impressed. They made a lobster risotto that is still one of the best things I have ever eaten. I wouldn't say it is "cheap", but it was not overly expensive, particularly for a one-star. It is 10 km from St.-Tropez so I would highly recommend it (if I was going to be in St.-Tropez, I would go there several times.)

[gruyere]

My wife and I were at le Bistro de Mougins about 5 weeks ago. We went there as a result of a post by Jonathon Day. We had a delightful meal and I would further support his post above (regarding Bistro de Mougins as I do not have the extensive knowledge to comment on many of the others).

Edited August 11, 2003 by gruyere (log)