Pierre de Lune

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 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.

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

Courgette stuffed with einkorn and fresh goat's cheese; confit of Sainte-Victoire pork belly, mashed potato: a masterclass in culinary natural history, courtesy of a wealth of local ingredients, served up in an old schoolhouse. Located in the heart of this hilltop winegrowing village, with a terrace protected by mulberry trees, this small bistro is the brainchild of Grégory Brousse, formerly chef at Le Mas de Peint, and Alima Louange, his partner. As well as offering a full set menu that won't break the bank, the restaurant is also on point with its selection of local ingredients and wines (to