Arles Small groupe tour : Private Day Trip to Luberon Villages

4x4 Camargue Safari 4h - Private Tour - Departure from Arles

4x4 Camargue Safari 4h - Departure from Arles

tailor-made and private sea trip

Calanques de l'Estérel - Departure from AGAY

Canyoning in the Gorges du Loup

E-Bike tour of Sainte Victoire Mountain, Aix-en-Provence

Luberon Villages Half-Day Tour from Aix-en-Provence

Chardon

At Chardon, Julia Mitton, Laura Vidal and Harry Cummins, the trio behind "The Paris Pop Up" concept, host different chefs-in-residence, who temporarily take the reins in the kitchen. The one thing they all have in common: they use locally sourced ingredients. The result is fresh, delicious food served in a lovely bistro setting along with a fine selection of living wines. Spot on!

Inari

Having worked in some emblematic Parisian restaurants (Ze Kitchen Galerie, Saturne, Septime), chef Céline Pham, an adept of pop-up restaurants, has set up shop in the heart of Arles in a former chapel done up in a vintage vein. It is a pleasure to resample her spot-on, tasty French-Vietnamese fusion cuisine, in which vegetables, as one might imagine, often reign supreme. Examples include a fillet of red mullet, spelt bread, confit of tomatoes, stock of red mullet with garrigue oil, yellow courgettes and chrysanthemums. Concise natural wine list.

L'Arlatan

The flamboyant, Instagram-worthy interior designed by Cuban artist Jorge Pardo makes an immediate impression. Your attention is then drawn to the seasonal, Mediterranean-inspired menu. Delicious, well-crafted dishes that make the most of local produce to conjure up bold and appealing flavours: think Camargue oysters, beef marinated à la provençale, Camargue red rice, pistachio millefeuille to share.

Drum Café

Designed as a landmark and tribute to the Arles region, architect Frank Gehry's Tower for the Luma campus not only draws art lovers but is also a beacon for foodies. The venue, perforce hip and trendy, boasts impressively high ceilings and a massive stainless-steel bar in the centre. All the furnishings and fittings were designed using recycled materials and natural resources, such as merino wool from Arles. After taking in an exhibition, contemporary art connoisseurs can sample dishes that star fine fresh local produce (lamb from the Alpilles, oysters from the Camargue, etc), crafted generously by resident chefs who don’t hesitate to push culinary boundaries: roast sweet potatoes, double cream, home-made almond harissa, fresh pomegranate and carrot pickles or vol au vent of mussels, Jerusalem artichoke, bottarga and crayfish bisque… The predominantly organic wine list shines the spotlight on small wineries.

Le Seize

This small Provençal bistro nestling in the old town of Arles ticks all the boxes, with its decor of burnt sienna and cream tones and wrought-iron tables. Sarah and Julien Richard have hit upon a winning formula right off the bat, serving dishes such as tomato confit with vanilla oil and lime, and courgette and basil velouté; thinly sliced monkfish with seaweed butter, Camargue rice with fennel, and a fish soup jus. The chef uses aromatic herbs and flowers from his kitchen garden to enhance his dishes. The lunch menu is excellent value for money; more extravagant tasting menu on Thursday and Friday evenings; brunch on Sundays. A small selection of regional wines.

Les Maisons Rabanel

Jean-Luc Rabanel is a colourful character with a lilting accent, who perpetually reinvents his vegetable-based cuisine. Les Maisons Rabanel, a single place but two styles of cooking: Greeniotage, which tends towards bistro food, and Greenstronome for fine dining. Always going out on a limb, this engaging chef shakes things up at every service. A unique personality.

Le Gibolin

Arnaud Jourdan (stints in the kitchens of La Chassagnette and Les Maisons Rabanel) has adroitly taken over the reins of this bistro, which continues to serve indulgent market cuisine that is both simple and generous. Shining examples include the carpaccio of calf's head with ravigote sauce, the skate wing à la grenobloise with glazed radishes and the delicious chocolate mousse with black olives and fleur de sel. A buzzy, laid-back vibe and, true to its name (slang for "wine"), you can expect a fine selection of natural and biodynamic wines at reasonable prices.

Arles - FRANCE