Villa Gallici
Hotel and restaurant in town
“When I was in Aix, I wanted to be somewhere else but now that I’m here, I miss it...” wrote Cézanne. You, too, will succumb to the charm of this town with its lazy aromas permeating the streets as well as the ambiance of this Florentine residence. The rooms are decorated in sumptuous materials, fabrics embroidered in the colours of the sun, and open onto a private garden filled with the fragrance of lavender. The cuisine pays tribute to Provence with sautéed loin of lamb, aubergine caviar with olives, black garlic sauce, fried basil ... A sweet stay reflective of the local speciality: the famous Calisson sweets flavoured with melon and orange... ...Read more
France, Aix-en-Provence

Abbaye de Sainte Croix
Hotel and restaurant in the country
Nostradamus, the Renaissance doctor and astrologist famous for his Predictions, was born in this village which is perfectly placed to explore the marvels of Provence. Did he “foresee” that an exceptional hotel would one day grace this spot so close to his home now a museum? In this former abbey, the Cistercian monks’ cells have been transformed into beautiful rooms offering divine views of the region’s plains, from the Camargue to Sainte Victoire Mountain, and the swimming pool edged by pines and plane mulberry trees. Leave the future to Nostradamus and make the most of the here and now… ...Read more
France, Salon-de-Provence

La Cabro d’Or
Hotel and restaurant in the country
The deep blue Provence sky casts a fond eye on this marvel crafted by Jean-André and Geneviève Charial, a more pastoral but equally exceptional version of the Oustau de Baumanière (see previous page). La Cabro d’Or is a temple to tranquillity with its clear, spacious interiors and windows opening onto an intimate, quiet garden. An experience awaits which is sure to secure your enthusiasm for the colourful, sophisticated universe of this couple who show an equally creative flair for both the culinary and decorative arts. Dinners - disturbed only by the chirping of the crickets – are accompanied, of course, by the Charial’s own wine. Named “L’Affectif”, it has woody notes and is silky-smooth on the palate. ...Read more
France, Les Baux-de-Provence

Oustau de Baumanière
Restaurant of a Grand Chef Relais & Châteaux and hotel in the country
“Everything is magical and generous here: the light, the rocks, the landscape, the crickets, the olive trees…”. In love with “his” Provence, Jean-André Charial talks about it and makes it speak like a person, through the cuisine of his chef, Sylvestre Wahid, who enhances and elevates traditional ingredients. Hen’s eggs in fine jelly, red mullet, basil and thyme flower… the flavours sing, burst open, surprise… An exceptional restaurant in an elegant artist’s house in the heart of one of the most beautiful villages in France. ...Read more
France, Les Baux-de-Provence

Le Petit Nice-Passédat
Restaurant of a Grand Chef Relais & Châteaux and hotel on the seafront
Nobody loves Marseilles more than the Passédat family. To love Marseilles means to love the Mediterranean, inseparable from the city, just like Gérald Passédat’s cuisine. Fish, naturally, is the basis of his cooking, fished locally, including little-known fish such as galinette and chapon which are served up along with shellfish, giving you the delicious impression of being immersed in a sea of blue. The cult dish of course is the Bouille Abaisse, light, iodized and zephyr-like, but also the famous Loup Lucie (sea bass). Save some room for the desserts which are “extravagant”, admits the chef. As for the view of the sea, it is everywhere… from the terrace and from the restaurant. And since it’s a dreamlike view, you can continue to enjoy it as far as your bedroom, with its spacious and open view of the horizon… ...Read more
France, Marseille