Despite the facts that it resembles a small, mirrored railroad car and that diners sit at high stools before a communal table, this has become the toughest reservation on the Left Bank because of the superb cooking of young chef David Toutain. Working in a tiny open kitchen, he composes a new tasting menu almost daily, and the dishes reflect his culinary creativity and flawless technical skills. Expect a suite of beautiful edible miniatures such as a slow-cooked egg with new garlic cream and lemon-verbena foam; dressed crab with candied grapefruit and a rich consommé of North Sea shrimp; griddled razor shell clams, squid and zucchini in lavender foam with yuzu cream and dill flowers; and veal in black-olive tapenade with grilled shallots. Service is flawless, and it’s a good idea to order the well-chosen wine pairings.
Traveling the World in Search
of Truly Enchanting Places
France
Overview
From Andrew Harper
Andrew Harper's Paris: A Personal Guide to the Best of the City, a free app for the iPad and iPhone.
France receives more foreign visitors — 82 million annually — than any other country. It is not hard to see why. As well as the most beautiful capital city on earth, it offers tracts of exquisite countryside, Europe’s highest mountain and, of course, some of the world’s finest cuisine (even though many travelers grumble that the general standard of food is not as high as it used to be). Perhaps the most remarkable thing about France is its astonishing variety within a relatively small area. European countries tend to be either northern or southern in character, with the Alps and Pyrenees being the principal dividing lines. France is both: The coast of Pas-de-Calais is just 29 miles from Kent in southern England, while the shores of Provence are part of the warm, classical world of the Mediterranean.
The enduring charms of France are manifest. A typical visit generally includes a stay in Paris (perhaps in a grande dame hotel as well as an intimate Left Bank alternative), followed by a jaunt down into the Loire Valley, Provence or the Riviera. But the options are near endless: a historical pilgrimage to the bleak coastline of Normandy; a stirring drive along the serpentine Alsace wine road; a sunny idyll in Corsica, one of the most pristine and wildly scenic islands in the Mediterranean.
Barge cruises, which travel along a network of linked canals through medieval villages and rolling vineyards, are a particularly appealing and hassle-free way of exploring the French countryside. Other novel approaches to this classic destination include culinary courses, ballooning trips, grape harvest tours and biking vacations. Then again, one could also spend several weeks happily sequestered in a sleepy provincial village.
CLIMATE: Northern and central France are typified by Paris. Monaco is representative of the Côte d’Azur, which enjoys hot, dry summers and cool, rainy winters.
TIME: Six hours ahead of New York (EST).
CURRENCY: Euro (€). Fluctuating rate valued at €1.00 = US$1.20 as of July 2012.
U.S. EMBASSY: Paris, Tel. (1) 43-12-22-22. There are also consulates in Marseille, Tel. (4) 91-54-92-00, and Strasbourg, Tel. (3) 88-35-31-04.
DIRECT DIAL CODES: To phone hotels and restaurants in France or Monaco, dial 011 (international access) + 33 (France code) or 377 (Monaco code) + city code and local numbers in listings.
ENTRY REQUIREMENTS: Passport (valid at least three months beyond end of stay). Visit www.travel.state.gov, and for travelers’ health information, www.cdc.gov
GENERAL INFORMATION: Visit www.franceguide.com or www.visitmonaco.com before your trip.
Hotels
All recommended hotels in France
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La Bastide de MoustiersCharming inn housed by a 17th-century stone farmstead in the peaceful countryside just outside of Moustiers-Sainte- Marie (two hours northeast of Aix near the Gorges du Verdon). |
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Le Couvent des MinimesQuietly elegant hotel housed within a restored 400-year-old limestone convent amid green hills and lavender fields outside the town of Mane, 60 miles east of Avignon. |
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Hotel KStriking modern hotel in a forested valley in the northern Vosges Mountains, complementing light-filled Arnsbourg, the three-star restaurant of celebrated chef Jean-Georges Klein. |
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Le Chateau d IsenbourgHilltop medieval château-hotel overlooking vineyards and the ancient village of Rouffach in a charming corner of the Alsatian wine district. |
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Chateau de BagnolsMagnificently restored medieval château set among vineyards in the quiet Beaujolais countryside, 45 minutes northwest of Lyon. The spectacular 13th-century structure displays conical towers, dry moats and a drawbridge entrance. |
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Georges BlancChef Georges Blanc’s gastronomic enclave, an hour north of Lyon and 12 miles southeast of Mâcon. |
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Hostellerie De LevernoisGourmet sanctuary in a pretty parkland setting with huge cedar trees, formal French gardens and a rushing creek, 10 minutes outside Beaune. |
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Grand HôtelGrand Edwardian property with a pink-and-cream art deco façade overlooking the beach. |
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Hotel du Palais Imperial Resort & SpaSeaside mansion-hotel housed within a lavish red-brick villa in Biarritz built in 1854 by Emperor Napoleon III for his wife, Eugénie. |
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Château Cordeillan-BagesSurrounded by manicured vineyards and housed in an 17th-century former monastery, this handsome modernist property features the innovative cooking of chef Jean-Luc Rocha. |
Dining
All recommended restaurants in France
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Agape Substance
Alain Ducasse
Featuring a glamorous dove-gray décor and a ceiling glittering with 10,000 suspended pieces of cut crystal (the work of young French interior designer Patrick Jouin), the Paris restaurant of globe-trotting chef Alain Ducasse offers a grand slam experience of contemporary French haute cuisine, with some of the best service in the world and a remarkable wine list. Ducasse himself is not in the kitchen, but his lieutenant Christophe Saintagne creates delicious dishes such as langoustines napped with crème fraiche and caviar, turbot with shellfish and Swiss chard, and one of my favorite desserts in the world, caillé de brebis, caramel, poivre, or fresh ewe’s milk cheese with caramel and pepper. A real pomp-and-circumstance address with an international clientele, it’s also ideal for a special-occasion meal or a long, leisurely lunch.
BISTROT DE LA MARINE
CAFE COMPTOIR ABEL
Among the bouchons (a local style of bistro), this one stands out for its wonderful atmosphere engendered by beamed ceilings and traditional furniture. It was founded in 1920 as a place for off-duty servants, but quickly grew popular when the local grandees discovered the food. Try dishes such as oxtail terrine and saucisson de Lyon (pork sausage with pistachios) with a side salad of lentils.
Chez Georges
Old-fashioned bistros are rare in Paris these days, especially ones that are conveniently located right in the heart of the city. The excellent traditional cooking at this relaxed and quietly chic spot just off the Place des Victoires makes it one of our favorites, especially for dishes such as chicken liver terrine and grilled turbot with Béarnaise sauce.
Chez l'Ami Jean
This is a lively spot with tightly spaced tables, but as soon as your first course arrives, you’ll understand why it’s worth putting up with the raucous atmosphere of this popular Left Bank bistro. Chef Stéphane Jego’s food is delicious, and includes dishes such as baby scallops in their shells with tiny croutons and flat parsley, or fricassee of guinea hen cooked with thyme, rosemary and girolles mushrooms.
CHRISTIAN TETEDOIE
This glamorous new restaurant with a streamlined modern décor and fine views over Lyon from a hillside location is the most fashionable to open in the city for some time. One of the most famous chefs in Lyon, Tetedoie serves delicious contemporary French dishes such as gnudi with truffled goat cheese, chestnut purée and butternut squash pickles; guinea hen with mushrooms; and passion fruit soufflé.
HOSTELLERIE JEROME
Located in an unspoiled medieval village, Bruno Cirino’s wonderful restaurant has elegant dining rooms spilling out onto a sunny terrace. The Mediterranean cuisine is essentially French, but draws on Italian, Spanish and Greek culinary traditions. Typical dishes include sea bass with baby clams, and rabbit stew with macaroni and truffles. Cirino loves cooking with the zesty lemons from nearby Menton, and his lemon tart with lemon sorbet and candied lemon peel is outstanding. Closed Mondays and Tuesdays, except in July and August.
Jadis
Like many of the best new Parisian chefs, Guillaume Delage has set up shop in a remote residential neighborhood. It is worth traveling to his simple but attractive corner bistro, however, for outstanding contemporary French food. Expect dishes such as an oyster velouté (soup); roasted shoulder of lamb with white beans, black olives and sun-dried tomatoes; and bittersweet chocolate soufflé.
Josephine Chez Dumonet
With aproned waiters, a tile floor and old-fashioned light fixtures, this is the sort of glorious Paris bistro the whole world dreams about. The ultimate meal here begins with the sublime terrine de foie gras, followed by the best boeuf bourguignon in Paris, and homemade mille-feuille for dessert.
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Special Offers
Special Offers
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Le Couvent des Minimes Hotel and Spa by l’Occitane - Discovery StayStay four nights and enjoy the proximity to a variety of experiences nearby, such as the life of Cezanne in Aix en Provence, the beauty of Valensole Plateau’s countryside, Moustiers Sainte Marie, Lake Sainte Croix and Southern Luberon, from 902 EUR per person. |
Hello:
Can anyone recommend a good, local restaurant near Bonnieux in Provence? I will be entertaining clients and we will stay/eat at Domaine de Capelongue, and one evening i would like something a bit more relaxing, but with a local feel. Any suggestions greatly appreciated!
Peter
Dear Peter,
In Bonnieux, you might consider Le Fournil, a very popular, stylish and laid-back bistro in the middle of the village.
Best Regards,
The Travel Office
Does anyone have any recent experience with hotels/chateaus in the Dordogne? Harper recommends Le Vieux Logis, but what about Château de la Treyne and Château de Mercues? Both seem to have wonderful locations, but the web site for Mercues does not provide much information about their rooms. Thank you. Jim T.
Mr. Harper, We are considering Chateau de la Treyne, but, several posts on Trip Advisor mention less than interested staff and a need for refurbishment. Would you please comment.
Does anyone have experience/recommendations for a barge cruise in France?
Hello,
I very much enjoyed a cruise that I took on the Tango barge on the Canal du Midi several years ago. The cabins were considerably more comfortable and attractive than those on other barges I've seen, the food was excellent and the staff were charming.
More information about the Tango and her sister barge, Fandango, can be found here.
Regards,
Andrew Harper
Hello,
Barging is an absolutely wonderful way to explore France! We frequently assist with planning French barge cruises for Andrew Harper members. In fact, we have two excellent travel partners with whom we work on barge cruises.
Orient-Express features several beautiful barges, and you can currently take advantage of some significant savings for travel this year. You can view the travel value here.
Frontiers offers an even larger selection of barges, ranging in size from four to twelve passengers.
For more information about the different barge options and various regions you can explore, please contact the Travel Office at (800) 375-4685, (630) 734-4610 or reservations@andrewharper.com.
Best Regards,
The Travel Office
Can anyone comment on the Bastide de Moustiers in Moustiers-Ste-Marie?