Some words of travel wisdom- ‘Never ignore tips from locals. Especially meal recommendations shared by your bubbly B&B host.’
A month back, we were enjoying life’s simple pleasures or as they say “joie de vivre” in Provence. Our typical day would:
- Start with an elaborate breakfast served by our host family
- Include a visit to a local farmer’s market for fresh fruits / vegetables and spreads, jams
- Find us dancing in delight at the sight of vast lavender and sunflower fields
- Exclude worries about the right time to eat all those delicious ‘crème glacées’
Given its rich produce and a ‘live to eat’ lifestyle, Provence is the ultimate region for gastronomy in France. We hadn’t been to a Michelin starred restaurant in the past and guessed that there must be one among the many restaurants in Provence, that could be lesser known, maybe hole in the wall, but still hold a Michelin recognition. Our host, Christine from Mas de la Romane, recommended La Camarette in the small town of Pernes-les-Fontaines. When they confirmed accommodating our vegetarian needs, we grabbed their last table of the day for dinner reservations. #Bestdecisionever
The current family has been the owner of the farm called Domaine de La Camarette since the 17th century and from early 2000, they focused primarily on organic wines. Gradually, they opened a guesthouse and finally L’Auberge restaurant. Chef Hugues Marrec whips up dishes using local produce that are too good to be true, and a treat for photographers. And the setting is just about perfect- limited tables set on an open courtyard overlooking vast acres of vineyards encircling the estate.
The sound of humming bees never felt so melodious until we arrived in Provence. With the buzzing sounds giving us company, our server put us at ease by confirming our vegetarian menu. The names of the dishes seemed to have been carefully crafted, almost as if by an artist- so we requested for an elaborate description of each dish. The chef patiently wrote them on a piece of paper to our delight.
Soon, it was time for real gastronomic goodness! We started with an aperitif made from white wine + verbena and pretty little savory muffins made with black/green olives. It reminded us of ‘pakoras’ or fried fritters that are so popular as an evening snack in India. Free flowing wines made in house accompanied each dish thereafter.
Dish 1: Aubergine papeton with a parmesan cookie and tomato chutney
Dish 2: A plate with polenta, small spelt, mushrooms, aubergine marmalade and a parsnip ‘purée’. This plate was huge, don’t be fooled by the closeup. Ok I might as well stop here 😉
Dish 3 as dessert: A ‘palet breton’ (butter cookie) with vanilla cream and strawberries, a glass of melon with peppermint juice, a red fruit sorbet.
Towards the end, I couldn’t wait to meet the chef and applaud his creations. His willingness to share the menu and talk about the restaurant added to our experience greatly. Moreover, because the restaurant chooses to stay local and use what’s available, the pricing does not create a dent in the wallet for their customers.
A glowing sunset cast a net over the vineyards as we savored these elegant dishes one after another. With happy tummies and lots of wine induced giggly banter, we couldn’t help concluding that this is the real France (move over Paris!) where people enjoy life the way it should be.
You can contact Nancy Gontier (co-owner) via their contact page or call for bookings. At 33 euros pp, this could be the best yet affordable Michelin experience we could have asked for. Under Michelin Guide 2017, they were awarded a fork.
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17 Responses
Chandrika
Thank you for sharing this! Must have been a worthwhile experience to dine at a Micheline star restaurant, that too in France 🙂
Bharat
With great pleasure Chandrika (and thanks for stopping by!). Honestly we did not set a great expectation before we went and that profoundly helped as well 🙂
Ruth | Tanama Tales
When you said affordable, I wasn’t expecting 33 Euros. That is amazing! I haven’t been to a Michelin restaurant and this sounds like a great idea. So glad you listened to your host.
Bharat
Thanks Ruth and glad this pleasantly surprised you 🙂
You got to visit this place if you’re headed to Provence anytime soon- worth every penny!
Sheena
The food looks amazing & Provence is one of my favourite places in France!
Bharat
Thanks Sheena. Did you visit Provence recently? Any exciting memories to share…?
Cindy Collins
Wow this looks delicious and I can’t believe you paid 33 euros for all this. You would barely get a main in a Michelin Star restaurant here in Australia. Pretty good that they accommodated for vegetarians too since in France they don’t always do. Thanks for sharing. I am hungry now!
Bharat
Haha, thanks Cindy. We even couldn’t believe this was all done in France. Glad you enjoyed our post!
Lara Dunning
This meal looks and sounds amazing. I haven’t been to France or eaten at a Michelin restaurant yet. I am putting this restaurant on my list!
Bharat
Absolutely Lara! If ever you make it there, so our Hi to the chef 🙂
Obligatory Traveler
Lovely Post. You really captured the experience. What an exciting dining adventure.
Bharat
Thanks a million. It was a fantastic experience to end our Provence travels!
Gokul Raj
This looks like a great treat. The presentation is stunning. No wonder you wanted to thank the chef.
Bharat
True Gokul. He was very humble and passionate about his work!
CHLOE LIN
33 Euro for a meal like this?! This is crazily worth it. And Provence is such a beautiful place too. I wanna leave my country now! T..T
Bharat
Book those flights right now, haha! Provence is one such region where we could go back in a heartbeat (and have a meal again at L’Auberge)
5 ways to experience Provence as a first time visitor | Fun Travelog
[…] Foodies, rejoice. Very few countries or regions can match France’s dedication towards quality cuisine. Waste no meal, because this is the place where each can be a special one. From homemade jams at B&Bs to creatively plated entrees in restaurants, food in France is delicious. With a large number of Michelin restaurants concentrated in the region, the choices are aplenty. This time around, we requested our hostess to pick a fine dining restaurant for us. She chose L’Auberge, where we enjoyed one of the best meals in a long time. Read about it here. […]