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Maître de Maison and Grand Chef of the Petit Nice-Passédat My Avignon to Marseille tour
Why did the greatest artists come to Provence? For the light, of course! So it gives me the greatest pleasure to invite you to come with me on a route of ‘major sites’, where, under clear and crystalline skies that are the envy of the world, we shall visit the most symbolic towns and landscapes of Provence. Avignon, the Alpilles, Salon de Provence, Aix-en-Provence, Marseille, you must admit that there are worse journeys you could make!
When I think of this route, simple words and images comes to mind. Avignon and its immense, inescapable and indeed improbable Palais des Papes. Les Alpilles, a small mountain range with discreet little villages built into the folds in the limestone. Salon de Provence and the immense Nostradamus… Aix-en-Provence, that magnificent ‘chocolate box’, the ‘ideal’ city for art, education and countryside! Last of all, ‘egocentric’ Marseille, with its 2,600 years of History, a huge vibrant city and the cradle of Provence. I am sure that you, like me, for I never tire of it, will discover many wonderful things on this route through the ‘major sites’.
Relais & Châteaux proposes its Routes du Bonheur for your inspiration: they are suggestions of itineraries that you can adapt to your preferences and desired experiences. Our advisors are at your disposal to individualise your routes and help you make reservations at our properties. Example for a three-night stay from €799* * Minimum indicative rate per person, subject to availability, on the basis of a double room with double occupancy, including accommodation, breakfast and dinner (menu, without beverages) in the properties suggested for the itinerary. Activities on site and nearby must be reserved by you.
Authenticity, charm and delight a stone’s throw from the Palais des Papes
Le Prieuré, just across the river from Avignon, on the right bank of the Rhône, is a veritable ‘haven of peace’. This former 14th century convent has, over the centuries, now become a hideaway in the heart of this medieval city, which is as peaceful as the city of the Popes is busy. It offers rooms and suites in antique or contemporary style, Provençale cuisine, an amazing ‘curate’s garden’, a pool. There is no doubt that Le Prieuré provides a superb city break… in the countryside.
Close to the property...
The Carthusian Monastery in Villeneuve-les-Avignon
After you have explored Avignon, take a moment to visit the Val de Bénédiction Carthusian Monastery. It was built in the heart of Villeneuve in the 14th century by Pope Innocent VI, and takes you right back into an atmosphere of unimaginable tranquillity. The cloister of St John and the Cemetery cloister, the chapter house, church and refectory all bear witness to the former power of the Carthusian order. This Carthusian Monastery is larger than the Palais des Papes (!), and is a ‘nave’ that will delight all those who love tranquillity and religious architecture.
The road from Barbentane to Graveson - kilometer 14
This is only a short 9 km route, but it is little known and receives few tourists, so I recommend it but please do not spread the word! You leave the lovely village of Barbentane and its 18th century castle, and wind your way up the Departmental road through the pines above the plain of the Rhône, to the heart of the Montagnette hills. This typically Mediterranean ‘small mountain’, a foretaste of the Alpilles, is overlooked by Saint-Michel-de-Frigolet Abbey, where they produce a delicious liqueur…
Lunch at La Cabro d’Or, in Les Baux de Provence - kilometer 24
How pleasant to stop at this Provençal ivy-clad house, tucked away in a secret valley in Les Baux de Provence! Chef Michel Hulin, at this R&C hotel and restaurant, will treat you at lunchtime to a fresh and creative cuisine made from produce which is largely sourced from the hotel’s own organic kitchen garden. The food here, accompanied by a trickle of AOC Baux de Provence olive oil and AOC Alpilles wine, make this stage of our journey a veritable ode to Provence.
On your way from Alpilles to Salon, why not stop at Mouriès to visit one of its olive oil mills. In the 1960s, when I took charge of Le Petit Nice, I organised a tasting to choose the olive oil to use in our kitchens. Most people opted for the oil from Mouriès, as it was the fruitiest. I have used it ever since! What is its particular strength? The sun and the terroir give these olive oils a richness and fullness of flavour. In my mind, they are the best!
A magical, serene place, with views of a Provence rich in history
I find that this hotel in the middle of the garrigue surrounded by the countryside of Provence has an incomparable romantic charm. Like me, you cannot fail to fall in love with the way that this former convent has been converted, with its cosy rooms and huge terrace facing south towards Mount Sainte-Victoire. You can sample, in its gourmet restaurant, an inspired cuisine which is on a par with its lighter and more lively counterpart offered by La Passerelle, the attractive wine and tapas bar that the hotel has created under the stone vaults.
Close to the property...
Pedestrian footpaths and the Petit Sonnailler Estate
Abbaye de Sainte-Croix is right in the heart of the countryside and is the ideal setting-off point for a stroll through the Provence countryside with its fragrances of thyme and rosemary. There are two routes you can take from the hotel. The first takes you up to a small plateau of garrigue overlooking Salon de Provence. The second leads you up to the old ruined village of Vernègues and its stunning views of the Luberon. On your way, why not stop off for a wine-tasting at Château Petit Sonnailler, a top-quality wine-growing estate!
Salon de Provence is known worldwide for its Patrouille de France (the famous aerobatic demonstration team of the French Air Force) and also as the town that was host to the ‘seer’, Nostradamus. There is a museum dedicated to him which tells his life story with his enigmatic prophecies, which appeared in his famous Centuries. And when you are in the town centre, don’t forget to visit Château de l’Empéri. This former residence of the Archbishops of Arles is built on a rock overlooking the town and now houses a military museum.
When I was 20 years old, I studied singing at the Marseille conservatory and we rehearsed hymns in order to perform in Silvacane Abbey. On the day of the performance, it was midsummer, the concert was recorded for the radio and there was a big audience. I remember it as a quite captivating place, somewhere mysterious and almost mystical. The plain Cistercian architecture had something to do with it, I’m sure. I still retain a very powerful memory of that day.
Aix-en-Provence and Cézanne’s studio - kilometer 50
Aix-en-Provence, with its 17th and 18th century town houses, its maze of busy streets, its tiny squares with their fountains and the café terraces of its famous Cours Mirabeau, Aix-en-Provence is a perfect example of Provençal art de vivre. I am sure you will enjoy, as I do, the market on Place Richelme, the fitness treatments at Les Thermes, the calisson sweetmeats… Especially, you will be able to visit Cézanne’s studio; it was in that humble ‘shed’ that the painter created some of his best-known works.
In Marseille there is a magical, neo-Greek villa, perched on the edge of the Mediterranean, far from the hubbub of the town – Le Petit-Nice Passédat, which I had the honour of running. The cuisine of my son, Gérald, has received awards from the guides, and is indubitably of the South, with its wide range of fish and sea food. To relax, what better than to sip a drink on the terrace and gaze out to sea? The spacious rooms are entirely in keeping with the setting and you are rocked to sleep by the murmur of the Mediterranean…
Close to the property...
Vallon des Auffes
This remarkable little cove in Marseille epitomises the harbour area in Marseilles. It is a minuscule port, with small craft bobbing about or moored on the banks across from tiny fisherman’s shacks which have been converted into houses. The atmosphere is lively and good natured, and you are, at one and the same time, in the heart of the town yet far from it all. My recommendation is to take some time and visit the amazing Vallon des Auffes.
Notre-Dame de la Garde symbolises Marseille. It is a domed basilica crowned by a gilded statue of the Virgin Mary, perched at 160 m on its own hill, from which it dominates the entire city. It is a place of religious fervour and its walls are covered with legions of commemorative plaques. It also provides a superb view point commanding magnificent panoramic views of Marseille, the sea and the coastline. The locals refer to it as the ‘Good Mother’ and it is somewhere you simply have to visit when you come to stay in Marseille!
The Vieux-Port is the heart of Marseille, and has huge numbers of cafés, restaurants and terraces right next to moored boats. It stretches as far as the Palais du Pharo and Fort Saint-Jean to the west, and in the east to the famous boulevard of La Canebière. Every morning it throbs to the rhythm of the fish market. Marseille Town Hall, at Quai du Port, faces Saint-Victor Abbey and looks up at Notre-Dame de la Garde towering above it. If you want to have a drink or a snack, why not call in at La Samaritaine brasserie?
At the end of the 1950s, I belonged to the Marseille Opera company. I was a leggiero tenor, and sang in The Barber of Seville, La Dame Blanche, Mireille…, with Mady Mesplé, Mado Robin… My mother was also a singer and performed in Marseille, Lyon… Marseille Opera is one of the most important in France, and can seat up to 1,850 persons. With its three balconies, its red and marble interior décor, and despite the fact that it was rebuilt in 1924, it is well worth a visit.
