We just returned from a perfectly relaxing two weeks in Provence (ok it’s been a little while with our recent move,) and I already miss it so much. I could have spent at least another week exploring more villages, shopping more markets, and sipping rosé in the southern French sunshine. Ahhh, la vie est belle! On this trip I decided to do something a little different and journal each day, recording our experience in a blog series called Mon Journal Français. If you missed those posts, you can read them all here. As per usual, I also like to provide you with a guide on where to have the best food, where to consider staying, and fun things to do. This is my Eat + Stay + Play: Provence travel guide! Let’s dig in…
Eat
Bistro Le 5 – Come for drinks and the incredible view! This is definitely the terrace to enjoy chilled bottles of rosé all day! The food was unfortunately a bit underwhelming. But that being said, I really feel that this place is best suited for the nightlife and the incredible view. I don’t regret coming here on a gorgeous Provence day and having rosé in the sunshine. It’s relaxing and the view cannot be beat.
L’Arôme – For a perfectly executed delicious dining experience in a gorgeous setting, you have to dine at L’Arôme. It is very easy to see why it is in the Michelin Guide. I had to start with the stuffed zucchini flower, which was to die for. I can never find them at markets so when I see them on a menu I have to get them. Everything we had was so delicious and the service was phenomenal. Bookmark this spot for an elegant dinner or special occasion. I recommend getting a reservation.
Pepin & Olivette Epicerie – In addition to a small shop offering fruits, legumes, wine, beer, juice and other locally grown and made products, this epicerie has a little hidden gem – a terrace with an incredible view in Bonnieux! We stopped by before our dinner at L’Arôme for a quick drink and were quite surprised with our find. Even though the terrace is advertised on a chalkboard out front, you really have no idea what awaits you. Totally worth a visit!
Crêperie Le Castrum – Located in Roussillon, this was an impromptu stop that ended up being one of our more enjoyable lunches. There are a variety of crepes on the menu, both savory and sweet, as well as really great salads. Get there right at noon when they open because the terrace fills up quickly.
Le Goultois – On our day exploring Goult, we had lunch at Le Goultois. Although it was not our first choice, it ended up being the better choice. Read about our not-so-great experience with Cafe de la Poste and how we ended up next door at Le Goultois, as well as our wonderful experience here.
La Table d’Estoublon (at Château d’Estoublon) – If we had stayed an extra week, we would have eaten here again. It is an absolute must! It was so good that I dedicated an entire blog post to our experience. Read about it here!
Le Fournil – Located in Bonnieux, this place was one I was looking forward to every time we passed by it. They have this lovely large terrace shaded by towering trees and a lively atmosphere. Unfortunately, the food was only so-so. The menu is also quite small for dinner with only two starters and three mains. I had the octopus and Paul had the supreme of chicken, both of which felt like they had been reheated. The food simply did not taste fresh and the service was lacking considerably. Even the rosé could have been just a little colder. While I try to keep it positive here, I do think it’s appropriate to mention when a restaurant is a considerable let down, which Le Fournil was, at least for our experience.
Casa Bonilis – Directly across the street from Le Fournil is Casa Bonilis, a cute little Italian restaurant with a small terrace and cozy interior. We did not have reservations on the evening we visited and they were able to seat us right inside so we still had a great view of the terrace and street. Service was exceptionally friendly and the food was really good! We started with a mortadella on focaccia bread dish that was truly one of the best Italian things I’ve ever eaten. I had a delicious burrata salad with fresh burrata, prosciutto, arugula, and sundried tomatoes with a balsamic glaze. Paul had carbonara that was also really good. Casa Bonilis was an impromptu find that I can highly recommend!
La Bastide de Marie – Located in Ménerbes, La Bastide de Marie is a gorgeous experience from the moment you enter the gates. After feasting your eyes on the stunning property of row after row of vineyards flanked by tall cypress trees, you’ll head inside to a perfectly curated interior that is like the french country home of your dreams. It’s just so pretty. We sat on the terrace for lunch and enjoyed the lush gardens around us and the typical yet never tiring view of Provence in all its charm. The food was also really good. The gazpacho was so good that we had to try and recreate it when we got back to Amsterdam. We both had fish, Mediterranean sea bass for me and seabream for Paul. Each was perfectly executed and came with a side of vegetables or white beans. We had ice cream and sautéed cherries for dessert and enjoyed a bottle of rosé from Domaine de Marie, which we also visited, and of course brought home a bottle.
Pizzette – In Saint-Rémy-de-Provence we found a little pizzeria on a bustling corner that was anything but fancy but had pretty decent pizza. It was a hot afternoon and a margherita pizza and coke was just what we needed. Sometimes simple is best.
Bistrot la Terrasse – On one of our last days we visited Joucas, a small village that did not have a market. It was quiet and beautiful and we happened upon a small restaurant with a great view. The dishes here are simple and tasty, nothing fancy. The wine is inexpensive and the shaded terrace overlooking the vineyards is what you’re really there to enjoy. It was so relaxing and one of our favorite spots. Lola had plenty of room to lay at our feet, too.
Stay
There are quite a few options when it comes to great lodging in Provence. If you’ve followed me for a while now then you know that we tend to prefer having an entire apartment or house to ourselves, either through Airbnb, VRBO, or some other rental agency. We prefer privacy and the ability to cook (Paul is quite the chef, as you know). We look for places with outdoor space, especially when traveling with our dog Lola. For us, having a glass of wine on your own patio or terrace at the end of a long day of exploring is one of the best parts of the experience. Renting an apartment can afford you a little more space, too. We found our perfect Provence cottage rental on The Luberon website: https://www.theluberon.com/ Here you can search by date and how many people the property sleeps (some are 12+). As the Luberon is truly the heart of Provence, we knew we wanted to book in one of the villages. Bonnieux was the perfect spot for us, as we found a cozy 1-bedroom cottage within an easy walk to town (especially the boulangerie) and a great view. It also had a pool and was dog-friendly. We loved our many apéro hours on our private patio watching the sunset over the vineyards. If you would like a link to the specific cottage we rented, please email me at cathedralsandcafes@gmail.com.
If you decide to rent a cottage, you’ll need to stock up on supplies at the grocery store. In Luberon, the Super U in Coustellet is the best for this. They have a huge wine selection, lots of good looking fresh produce, and a butcher with some excellent pre-marinated options. We enjoyed the kabobs on more than one occasion.
Play
One of the best parts of this trip was having a car. We have never traveled in Europe where having a car was necessary until now. We are really comfortable with trains and other public transportation, but in order to really see Provence you will need to rent a car. Visiting a new village each day was so much fun. I highly recommend building your day around a particular village. Drive into town (parking is pretty easily available, unless it’s a market day) and just walk around. Explore the beautiful churches, have lunch on a cafe terrace, sip your wine slowly and just relax.
You’ll find many shops and boutiques with products of the region like olive oil and soap, lavender, table linens and linen clothing, olive wood, woven bags, shoes…the list goes on and on. Each village has a designated market day, too. These markets can get really crowded so arrive early to get good parking.
Click here for a complete list of the markets by village.
We went to so many markets and bought lots of fun things to bring home. At one market we stocked up on olive wood products for our new kitchen as well as locally made honey. I found two beautiful linen dresses and a pair of striped espadrilles. I also came home with a big woven basket bag and numerous bottles of rosé (I think the official count is 34)!
For a complete write-up of the Luberon villages we visited as well as the markets I recommend, check out this post!
The Luberon is truly incredible wine country, so make sure to stop at a vineyard or cave. We had a great tasting experience at Cave de Bonnieux, a cooperative of Vaucluse cellars offering numerous local wines for taste and purchase. We visited Château Isolette for an impromptu tasting (and had the entire place to ourselves)! They have a lovely rosé and cabernet sauvignon and merlot blend that we brought home with us. We stumbled into Château de Mille without even realizing that it’s the oldest wine estate in the Luberon, dating from the 13th century! You can take a little self-guided tour of the grounds which feel like traversing an ancient city. The tasting room is very nice as are the wines.
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xo – Erin
Eat+Stay+Play: Provence appeared first on CathedralsandCafes.com. If you see this content published anywhere else, please email cathedralsandcafes@gmail.com.
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