| Here is the Second Part of our personal (and highly | | | | them in the lovely flowered courtyard, tant mieux! A |
| subjective) guide to some of the best restaurants in | | | | lovely restaurant in a lovely little village. Charming |
| Provence. | | | | welcome. Good local wines. |
| You know, the more often I eat Provencal food, | | | | La Petite France |
| either at home or in the places described here, the | | | | Avenue de la Vallée-des-Baux |
| more convinced I become that the cooking of | | | | Paradou |
| Provence is the lightest, tastiest, most colourful, | | | | 13520 Maussane-les-Alpilles |
| most elegant and above all healthiest food in the | | | | Bouches-du-Rhone |
| world. I've eaten in other parts of France - mostly in | | | | Tel: 04 90 54 41 91 |
| Paris, of course, and also in the Burgundy and | | | | Just outside Maussane on the road to Fontvielle, this |
| Beaujolais regions - and in comparison with Provencal | | | | converted bakery was once a very tasteful, rather |
| cooking the cuisine of those regions often seems too | | | | formal restaurant with one Michelin star. Now it has |
| heavy, too rich, too complicated for my taste. | | | | completely changed its style (although still under the |
| But, then again, maybe I'm just a little biased! | | | | same owner-chef) and is now providing a much |
| Please try one or more of these wonderful | | | | cheaper, bistro-style food concentrating on fresh, |
| restaurants if you happen to be lucky enough to find | | | | local ingredients. |
| yourself in Provence. I know that you won't be | | | | MONTE CARLO: |
| disappointed. And I know that I'll be there again very | | | | Le Louis XV |
| soon! | | | | Place du Casino |
| LOURMARIN: | | | | 98000 Monte Carlo |
| Auberge La Feniere | | | | Monaco |
| Route de Cadenet | | | | Tel: 377 92 16 29 76 |
| 84160 Lourmarin | | | | URL: |
| Vaucluse | | | | Is Monaco really part of Provence? Opinion differs. |
| Tel: 04 90 6811 79 | | | | And who cares? This is one of the world's great |
| Reine Sammut is recognized as one of the best | | | | restaurants and we just couldn't leave it out. Created |
| women chefs in the whole of France. On a hill | | | | by master chef Alain Ducasse, this temple of |
| between the Durance and the Luberon she evokes all | | | | gastronomy has 3 Michelin stars and a score of 19/20 |
| the color and sunshine of Provence in her wonderfully | | | | in GaultMillau. It is the epitome of elegance and luxury |
| inventive cuisine, which could be described as a | | | | - and the food is truly unforgettable. Take out a |
| combination of local Provencal and modern | | | | second mortgage, and treat yourself! There is a |
| international. One Michelin star, and a loyal local (and | | | | (relatively) reasonably-priced lunch menu, including |
| international) following. There's also a cheaper and | | | | wine and coffee. (Note: Gentlemen are expected to |
| more informal Bistro just down the road. | | | | wear a jacket and tie, even in the height of |
| MARSEILLE: | | | | summer!) |
| L'Epuisette | | | | ST-REMY-DE-PROVENCE: |
| Vallon des Auffes | | | | Alain Assaud |
| 13007 Marseille | | | | Boulevard Marceau |
| Bouches-du-Rhone | | | | 13210 St-Rémy-de-Provence |
| Tel: 04 91 52 17 82 | | | | Bouches-du-Rhone |
| URL: | | | | Tel: 04 90 92 37 11 |
| Jutting out into the Med, and looking more like a New | | | | Alain Assaud has worked with some of the great |
| England lobster shack than a French gourmet | | | | names of modern French cuisine: Chapel, Troisgros, |
| restaurant, Guillaume Sourrieu's L'Epuisette is probably | | | | Vergé. He produces simple, unadorned, even |
| the place in Marseille these days to sample a good, | | | | austere, dishes based on good, fresh local produce. A |
| genuine, well-prepared and truly tasty bouillabaisse. All | | | | lovely little place in a lovely little town! |
| the other great fish and seafood classics are | | | | La Maison Jaune |
| featured too, of course. A lovely place in a lovely | | | | 15 Rue Carnot |
| spot. | | | | 13210 St-Remy-de-Provence |
| Une Table, au Sud | | | | Bouches-du-Rhone |
| Quai du Port | | | | Tel: 04 90 92 56 14 |
| 13000 Marseille | | | | For years Francois Perraud has been working |
| Bouches-du-Rhone | | | | diligently away in his charming little restaurant in an |
| Tel: 04 91 90 63 53 | | | | 18th century former merchant's house tucked away |
| URL: | | | | in one of the little backstreets of St-Remy. His hard |
| Marseille is full of restaurants - good, bad and | | | | work has now been rewarded (not before time) with |
| indifferent - and this relative newcomer on a corner | | | | a Michelin star. Fresh, bright, unfussy cuisine with |
| of the Vieux Port is definitely one of the better ones. | | | | some nice contemporary touches. Grab a seat on the |
| Young chef Lionel Levy trained with Alain Ducasse - | | | | terrace and look out over the rooftops .... |
| so what more can one say? Meat, fish and seafood | | | | VAISON-LA-ROMAINE: |
| are of exemplary quality, the desserts are out of this | | | | Le Moulin à Huile |
| world, and prices for both food and wine are | | | | Quai du Mal-Foch |
| extremely reasonable. And that's even without the | | | | 84110 Vaison-la-Romaine |
| incredible view! Highly recommended. | | | | Vaucluse |
| MAUSSANE LES ALPILLES: | | | | Tel: 04 90 36 20 67 |
| Ou Ravi Provençau | | | | URL: |
| Avenue de la Vallée-des-Baux | | | | A converted olive mill on the banks of the river |
| 13520 Maussane-les-Alpilles | | | | l'Ouvèze provides a suitably elegant setting |
| Bouches-du-Rhone | | | | for Robert Bardot's inventive, imaginative Provencal |
| Tel: 04 90 54 31 11 | | | | cuisine, with just an added touch of Oriental spice |
| This is the place to come for Provençal | | | | here and there. Irreproachable food, wine and service. |
| specialities, and if the weather allows you to eat | | | | |