Le Provençal

The scenic village of Aups, south of the Verdon Gorges, invites you to make a bistronomic halt. Chef Alexandre Dimitch and his small team play a local, bistronomic score, rich in generous flavours, with truffles in summertime and bouillabaisse and bourride by the fireside in winter. Wine lovers may like to know that the next-door wine cellar becomes a wine bar in the evenings.

This restaurant has been given a makeover by a young couple, chef Valentine Lorcher (not even 30 years old) and pastry chef Adrien Antelme – assisted in the dining room by the latter’s brother. A youthful team, for sure, but as Corneille put it: "For souls nobly born, valour waits not the passing of years". The pair orchestrate sun-drenched Provençal cuisine, such as marinated and preserved heirloom tomatoes, basil oil and sorbet, or, for dessert, strawberries, cardamon ice cream and crunchy muesli – a delightfully refreshing summer treat.

A vineyard (515ha, no less!), a five-star hotel and spa, a MICHELIN-starred restaurant and an organic vegetable garden. It's in this idyllic setting, where Provence meets Tuscany, that chef Louis Rameau and pastry chef Éric Raynal work in tandem. They celebrate the local produce of the Haut-Varois terroir with vegetables, herbs and flowers from the kitchen garden, as well as olive oil and wine from the estate. The cheeses and other ingredients, delicately and skilfully prepared, are also organic and sourced from the best producers in the region: heirloom tomato French toast, roasted tomato and

Chef Sébastien Sanjou pops in from his nearby restaurant (Le Relais des Moines in Les Arcs-sur-Argens) to supervise the cooking at this fabulous restaurant set in the cellar of a wine estate, one of the finest in the Haut Var. As you take in the superlative surroundings (a panoramic landscape of vineyards and olive trees outside and a spacious designer-inspired interior), you can savour fine seasonal Provençal cuisine that makes the most of the estate's wide range of produce (courtesy of the hen house, orchard, vegetable garden, olive groves). For example, vegetable pot-au-feu with fresh herbs

Back from the rock of Monaco, Benoît Witz has hung his hat in a pretty estate in Provence. In the shade of olive groves and released from gastronomic codes, he crafts 100% authentic dishes in a style that he himself joyfully describes as “grandma’s country cooking”! Garden-fresh beefsteak tomatoes, fish of the day with summer veggies, melt-in-the-mouth chocolate cake. Scrumptious and generous – yummy!

The simple, sun-drenched menu is packed with ingredients that call to mind the surrounding landscape. Crunchy local asparagus; rack of Duroc de Bataillé pork with an Asian twist; apple pastry, almond cream and caramel. These fresh, unfussy dishes are accompanied by wines from the estate. The prices are reasonable, and efficient service is provided by a team who are able to converse with the substantial English-speaking clientele.

Amid vineyards and olive groves, it is difficult not to fall in love with this inviting country house which instantly makes you feel at home, as it invites you to relax and really take your time. It is run by an experienced couple with an extensive catering career under their belt, who know where they want to go and how to get there: first-class, regional produce, modern, flavoursome recipes and a concise, mouthwatering slate menu.