Au Bien Etre piscine chauffée

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

A restaurant owes so much to its proprietors… and in this rustic, quintessentially provençal house, which was their family home in the 1920s, the Bruno family continues to uphold a tradition that revolves around truffles. After taking over the helm from their dad Clément, the two brothers – Benjamin in the kitchen and Samuel in the dining room, blend tradition with modernity: green asparagus with truffle-laced caviar or suckling lamb from the Pyrenees. Their truffle-themed set menu (the type of truffles changes with the season) remains a pivotal element of their culinary score. Forthright, ind

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

Nestling in the countryside, this 16C bastide looks out over the Massif des Maures and the village of Les Arcs. Well-hidden and accessible along a path, the interior sports stone vaults, while the patio, shaded by a reed canopy, overlooks lush green scenery. Sébastien Sanjou works hand in hand with local producers to conjure up seasonal provençal-themed recipes, dotted with nods to Southwest France: Axuria suckling lamb, Béarn poultry, Gascon duck. An example of his high-flying skill and devotion to legible food: catch of the day, roasted and served with baby artichokes and olives.

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.

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.