Dining in Provence

[John Talbott]

thank you so much John! Now, I did search for Aix, but nothing came up (which did surprise me..) how is that possible?

←

The Search Engine we use doesn't like words containing three or fewer letters, thus Aix or Aux or Les etc are rejected. When I was compiling the Compendium I searched using Provence and Avignon and not Aix but still uncovered four Aix threads. However Cote and Azur do work. Hope this is helpful for the future.

[Chufi]

Le Carillon on rue Portalis is very traditional in feel and cuisine and won't break the bank.  You'll see a lot of locals and not too many tourists here; it's better suited to lunch than to dinner IMO.

←

Well, I passed on all recommendations to my husband and his friend. They printed out the names of the restaurants, went to the Cezanne exhibit, and on leaving the museum showed the list to the girls at the information desk. Carillon was the only one (apparantly) that they knew the location of so that's where they went! Dennis reports that they had a good, cheap lunch there. I got the impression that they had expected something a bit more fancy (or had hoped for that), but they were happy with it, and also commented on the friendlyness of the staff.

They came home exhausted after their 24-hour trip. But he did bring me calissons!

[Eilen]

Well Chufi, I'm glad the meal was at least serviceable if not exactly what they were hoping for! I hope next time that you are able to go with your husband and seek out something fantastic.

Oh, the calissons! Lucky you!

[Jean Blanchard]

I will be staying in a home I rented in Gordes the end of August into September. We have a car and would like to spend our days exploring nearby towns, going to their outdoor markets and seeing the sights. Although we'll probably do some cooking at home in the evening (got to do something with all of those market purchases), we will be eating lunch out and maybe one or two dinners. Any thoughts on where that should be?

Jean

[John Talbott]

I assume you've checked out our compendium of existing threads.

[JudyB]

We have stayed near Avignon several times and I know that Gordes is reasonable for lunch from there, so I would suggest that anywhere in or near Avignon should be within a reasonable distance for you for lunch, as should places like Les Baux and any of the restaurants near Gigondas.

Unfortunately, although we have eaten some nice lunches in Gordes in the past, I'm afraid that I can't remember any specifics.

As John has suggested you should find several good suggestions in the threads listed in the "compendium".

Edited June 18, 2007 by JudyB (log)

[doctorandchef]

i was in Gordes 2 weeks ago. there's this patisserie in town forgot the name it's on the downward sloping street closest to the edge where there's a nice panorama (haha, that's my best description).... and they had this pear tart with walnut pastry... the best piece of pastry during my 2 week trip.

there's also a nice wine shop attached to the fancy hotel offering free tastings of good quality local wine.

Edited June 22, 2007 by doctorandchef (log)

[Busboy]

If you are a wine drinker, the three wine towns of Vacqueyras, Gigondas, Beaumes de Venice are within about 8 kilometers of one another, about (if I recall correctly) an hour's drive from Gordes. There are a series cooperatives in the area -- one being in "downtown" Gigondas, which also has a very helpful tourism office that can guide you to the others. There's also a delightful restaurant just outside the town called Les Florets, if you are interested in making a day of it.

You may find this site and its listing of market days helpful.

[grace3]

A good spot is La Ferme de la Huppe..It is on the D156 rte to Goult.........

[SDyson]

My list of suggestions is biased towards the Ventoux area because that’s where we stay. I’ve culled it to just our absolute favourites which hasn’t been easy and I suspect I’ve gone slightly over the recommended limit for a post (my apologies).

La Fourchette (Avignon) - walk past here just before service and you’ll probably see the chef and waiting staff sitting down to lunch - a good sign. This is our favourite restaurant in Avignon by a country mile. Most of its customers are locals and it’s wise to book. Some of the menu seems to stay constant, including non-tourist versions of dishes such as herb caillettes, pieds et paquets, and daube of beef. There’s always foie gras served with grilled endives, which is a great combination, and a wonderful rhum baba served with Rhum Vieux-Clément. There are plenty of seasonal variations too.

Le Grand Pre (Roaix) - one of the best meals we’ve had in Provence. The ingredients and the cooking are impeccable, and there's no unnecessary adornment. We went in autumn and our dishes included a rich entrée of cèpes with a peppery rocket salad, a very simple dish of jamon de Bigorre, beautifully cut and arranged around a small bowl of house-made fig preserve, roast lamb shared for two, and served with the roasting juices, a piece of ossau iraty, with a thin slice of rich house made bread and preserves, all cut and plated at the table, and a beautiful dessert of poached figs. It’s a very seasonal menu. Owners Raoul and Flora Reichrath also run an informal bistro called Bistro du’O in Vaison la Romaine and he’s written a recipe book about cooking with figs.

Chez Serge (Carpentras). Friday morning market in Carpentras followed by lunch at Chez Serge is a classic Provence experience. Again, it’s a good idea to book, but we’ve seen people arrive without a booking around 1:30pm and get a table. There are some great local wines available by the glass, which is good if you’re driving. Some, like Domaine de Cascavel, are hard to find elsewhere. We’ve had dishes such as braised chicken with potatoes, caillettes with a properly-dressed salad (well balanced and no balsamic vinegar in sight - that’s reason enough to eat here!), fish on white beans, and octopus in an earthy braise, served with rice from the Carmague. They also make good wood-fired pizza. Tip: If you want to look like a local at lunch, keep your knife and fork to one side when they come to collect your entrée (first course) plate – as often happens at informal places in Provence, they don’t replace the cutlery between the savoury courses.

Bistrot de France (Apt) - The epitome of why you come to France. This bistro could not be anywhere else - but it’s not just atmosphere, the food is delicious and totally dependant on good quality ingredients. Examples include a classic first course of half a Cavaillon melon filled with chilled Muscat de Beaume de Venise and fish grilled over fennel.

La Loube (Buoux) - Renowned, justly, for its enormous Provencal platter, some 15 or so tastes from memory, and for its shaded terrace, La Loube is in one of the wilder corners of the otherwise manicured Luberon. Don’t make the mistake we did and order a main course as well. Take the option of platter, cheese and dessert. This is lots of fun and it’s a great drive.

La Beaugraviere (Mondragon) - It’s renowned for its truffle menu, which is obviously best enjoyed in winter (this restaurant is justification for at least one winter trip to this part of France), and also for the extent of its wine list, especially its Rhones. We were here in winter and the truffle and potato salad is one of the best things I’ve ever eaten. The other customers who mostly seemed to be local wine makers and truffle sellers, presumably fresh from their sales at the Richerenches truffle market, only added to the atmosphere. We were amused to see how quickly the price of a truffle omelette increases the further you get from Richerenches, where we’d been at the local truffle market that morning. It was 17 euro in the local village hall (and that included an aperitif, salad, cheese, dessert and wine) but 30 minutes away at La Beaugraviere, it’s already reached 40 euro; what price in Paris? I’m sure La Beaugraviere would be good at other times of the year as well - there were plenty of other good things on the menu and Guy Julien is a wonderful chef.

L'Atelier de Jean-Luc Rabanel (Arles) Jean Luc Rabanel was chef at La Chassagnette, the Carmague restaurant that overlooks a beautiful kitchen garden. He now has his own restaurant in the centre of Arles. He creates a single degustation menu each day, using produce from his own farm, and based on a cuisine that’s uniquely his own. This is modern, inventive cooking that pays due respect its ingredients but is definitely not bound by its location or by tradition. There’s an element of risk in this. With a chef who’s always pushing his own boundaries some individual dishes may not come off but it’s a risk well worth taking. If you request it, the sommelier will match wines by the glass to the day’s menu.

Les Florets (Gigondas) Everyone falls in love with Les Florets' terrace, and with good reason. Looking across to a forest on the other side of a narrow valley, it's beguiling and lunch here is is a really enjoyable. The presentation of some dishes is a little over the top for us - a few too many squiggles of sauce and a bit much dusting of the plate - but if you can get beyond that, the food is delicious and there is a great cheese selection.

Some other restaurants in the area we’ve also enjoyed:

Les Abeilles (Sablet)

Le Jardin du Quai (L'Isle sur la Sorgue)

We’ve also had wonderful dinners at the restaurants at Hostellerie Crillon le Brave and Auberge la Fontaine (Venasque) for dinner but you may prefer places that are closer to Gordes at night.

And a couple of ferme auberges. If you eat at either of these, you’ll leave convinced you’re never going to eat again! The meals are enormous and these two are both excellent. A meal typically costs about 25 euro and will include a house-made aperitif, a bowl of olives, an entrée that might be salad or slice of tart, a main course, cheese (usually local goat cheese), dessert and plenty of Côtes du Ventoux wines, typically rosé followed by a red.

- L’Houmet (Monteux) - At L’Houmet they cook the selected meat of the day (often lamb) over a wood fire. The dining room is quite large and the day we were there earlier this year it was packed with locals, many of whom moved to the carpark for a game of boules after lunch, making it an interesting logistical exercise extricating ourselves without damaging the game. The lamb, served with a stew of chick peas and another of Swiss chard stems, was sensational.

- Lou Mangan - Ferme Auberge Josette et Robert Morard (Caromb). Lou Mangan is much smaller - you really do feel as if the family is sharing its meal with you. We’ve had a memorable onion tart served with salad and an enormous gratin of pork and white beans, which apparently is a specialty of Caromb - the Caromb equivalent of cassoulet. Friends we’ve subsequently sent here enjoyed the meal so much they went back a second time the next week, always a good sign.

These are other places that are high on our list of places to try soon:

La Maison Jaune (St Remy de Provence)

Le Bistro d'Eygalieres - "Chez Bru" (Eygalieres)

Le Pantagruel (Cavaillon)

Whatever you do, make sure you pay at least one visit to the 6pm farmers market at Velleron. It’s on every night except Sunday at that time of year.

[hjshorter]

If you're going as far as St. Remy, we quite enjoyed Restaurant Xa at 24 Blvd. Mirabeau. I'd describe the food as idiosyncratic Provencal bistro - excellent grilled sardines and wonderful things with vegetables. It's in a quirkily decorated little house on the ring road around the center of St. Remy.

[Abra]

Wow, nice list, Sue. I hope to be able to eat my way through it sometime next year.

[Jean Blanchard]

Wow! I hadn't checked this for a few days. Great recommendations. I have reservations at Christian Etienne in Avignon for lunch. Anyone been there?

Jean

[cigalechanta]

Just outside of Gordes in Les emberts and there a restaurant that has a woman considered to be the best woman chef in Provence, Le Mas Tourteron.

http://www.mastourteron.com/

[JudyB]

Wow!  I hadn't checked this for a few days.  Great recommendations.  I have reservations at Christian Etienne in Avignon for lunch.  Anyone been there?   

Jean

←

Yes, we have been there a few times now and had the "Menu tomates" which is very good. Take a look here for a write up of a couple of our visits. The staff there mostly speak English, although some better than others, and will try hard to make sure that you know what you are about to eat.

Your original post said that you are going in August/September, so you should have the opportunity of eating on the (shaded) balcony which has a very nice view of the bottom of the square outside the Palais du Papes.

Have a nice time!

[Jean Blanchard]

Thanks to everyone for all of your wonderful feedback. So far, I have reservations on Sunday at Le Mas Tourteron, Monday at Les Floret, Tuesday at Christian Etienne and Thursday at Chez Serge. I hope that there will be markets for us to visit on those days in the vicinity. That still leaves me three days...so much to see and eat, so little time!

Jean

[cigalechanta]

Jan, it was quite awhile ago I sat on the terrace that faces the Pope's Palace. I read they are doing an all tomato menu these days. I also liked Hiely Luccalus

ans Le Bain Marie.(sp?)

I like all of Sue's recommendations. She's going to love Chz Bru. Alas they closed their less expensive, Petite bru.

[Laidback]

Jean, I must endorse Sue's comments on Le Grand Pré. we have eaten there 2 times and will again this Fall. Even though it is in the sticks and only been open a few yrs. Michelin did award it a star last year. Another place that I didn't notice mention of above is "La Feniere"in Lourmarin I celebrated my birthday there a few years back and the chef, Reine Sammut, did an outstanding job. At the time she was recognized(by Pudlo and others) as not only the best female chef in Provence but one of the top 3 in France. It has been a few years, but I can't imagine that someone of her talent level would disappear. Again I agree with Sue and Cigale that Chez Bru/Bistro d'Eygalieres is a very special treat.

[SDyson]

I agree that the terrace at Christian Etienne is beautiful and the wine list is good too. I’ve only been once and we had the “cochon artichauts” menu, seven small dishes based around pork and artichokes. We were very disappointed, both with the execution and, in the case of some dishes, the whole concept. Too many things were too overworked for too little purpose for us. There were some good bits though, especially a gratin of artichokes served with a bowl of dry sautéed pork. I thought it was interesting that the day we went (in late October last year) the restaurant was almost empty whereas La Fourchette, where we’ve eaten a few times and never had a disappointing dish, much less a disappointing meal, was packed. The locals seem to vote with their feet.

A few weeks ago John Talbott posted a topic about how much slack do you give a restaurant and listed some categories. I had high hopes for Christian Etienne but our meal has us veering towards his Category D “I’m not willing to go back to a place that served me one bad meal, despite rave reviews from everybody else on the planet.” It would be very interesting to hear back about what you think of it though - maybe we need to try one more time. I’d definitely follow the suggestions of others to have the tomato menu, which I’ve never seen anything but praise for.

[Jean Blanchard]

Hello Everyone,

You've been so helpful with planning my trip. I need to find a place for lunch in Arles on a Saturday. Any suggestions?

Jean Blanchard

[hjshorter]

Casual, or more upscale? We liked Le Criquet, a little place not too far from the amphitheatre. A little info. 21, Rue Porte de l'Aude. Tel : 04 90 96 80 51.

[Jean Blanchard]

We're willing to go a little more upscale but just a place with good food and a nice atmosphere is okay also.

[TarteTatin]

If your place falls through to stay, for some reason:

We had a lovely time at the

Mas De La Regalade, a B&B right on the edge of Gordes.

The couple used to work for Alain Ducasse in Monaco, and it's very high class.

[cigalechanta]

In Arles, L'Atelier*** or Affenag"*

[Jean Blanchard]

Has anyone visited the market in Ansouis on Sundays? I'd like to buy some Rose' from Jamie Ivey just for the fun of it but don't know anything about that area.