Guided tour of Lavender Distillery between Provence & Camargue

tailor-made and private sea trip

Entrance ticket to the Escoffier Culinary Art Museum

Winetour & food experience in Pic St Loup

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

Cotes de Provence Wine Tour from Aix-en-Provence

Provence Highlights Full-Day Tour from Avignon

Carcassonne During World War 2

Gigi, Table Méditerranéenne

A separate entrance from the hotel's leads to this bistro boasting vaulted ceilings and carmine hues – the space is elegant and cosy, in keeping with the fine dining cuisine of chef Georgiana Viou, who also devised Gigi's menu. All the dishes come from the same kitchen as Rouge, but of course are much simpler, comprising sun-drenched Mediterranean cuisine. Crépinettes of Alpilles lamb, roasted peppers, garlic and herb cream; mackerel from Le Grau-du-Roi, Catalan escabeche-inspired stuffing and broccoli. At the back, a table d'hôte welcomes small groups and even guests eating solo.

Menna

It's a family affair here: the father cooks, his daughter makes the desserts, bread and appetisers; her partner Jonathan is your host, presiding over the restaurant floor in tandem with his mother-in-law. All the food is home-made and in keeping with traditional Mediterranean style: courgette flowers and sea cicada broth; rabbit ballotine with herbs; Provençal stuffing; quasi of Aveyron veal and a vin jaune jus; rice pudding with rhubarb. From the pigeon to the Camargue rice, the olive oil and the meat from the butcher and beef farmer at the covered market, the ingredients don't have to travel far. This bistro is located in the centre of town, in a pedestrianised street near the Roman amphitheatre. The terrace overlooks a small square.

La Table du 2

This contemporary brasserie – part of the Musée de la Romanité – is perfectly in tune with the architecture of the building. It offers an unobstructed view of the Arènes de Nîmes (or amphitheatre), as well as a seasonal menu overseen by Michelin-starred chef Franck Putelat. Tuck into true traditional French cuisine: egg meurette (in a red wine sauce); calf sweetbreads and mashed potatoes with Maury jus; trout meunière; and even the iconic crêpes Suzette...

Jérôme Nutile

Veteran chef Jérôme Nutile is far from a rookie: "Meilleur Ouvrier de France" 2011, he notably presided over the heyday of Hostellerie Le Castellas, in Collias. In his Nîmes headquarters, a converted farmhouse, he celebrates the seasons: melt-in-the-mouth leeks cooked over Camargue fleur de sel, fondant of wild salmon confit; the iconic French hare ‘à la royale’ cooked two ways - in the style of Antonin Carême and Senator Couteaux's recipe, beautifully executed and equally tasty. Add to this slick friendly service and a fantastic list of regional wines, and you have everything you could ask for!

Nîmes - FRANCE

Duende

Duende! Come and see how the arts of bullfighting and flamenco dancing have set fire to the imagination of Pierre Gagnaire. The fine dining establishment of the Hotel Imperator has its own separate entrance, in line with the chef’s independent spirit. Premium ingredients, proven technical expertise, spontaneity and originality. The master chef has entrusted the keys of his house to his protégé, Nicolas Fontaine, and to Masaki Nagao, who seem to know their mentor and his rebellious spirit inside out. The tasting menu pays a subtle tribute to the finest produce from the Gard and the Mediterranean region (Baron des Cévennes pork, vegetables from small market gardeners, fish from the Mediterranean) in subtle, delicate dishes. The superb wine list of over 1,000 references demonstrates a clear penchant for regional vintages. Charming welcome paired with swish, highly professional and elegant service.

Nîmes - FRANCE

Skab

This gourmet bolthole located behind the Arènes, just opposite the Musée de la Romanité, is run by chef Damien Sanchez, a local boy with stints at the Cabro d'Or, La Réserve de Beaulieu, Christopher Coutanceau in La Rochelle and, finally, in his hometown alongside Jérôme Nutile. Damien’s cooking hits the spot every time, thanks to a strong focus on vegetables and crisp, vibrant flavours that showcase regional ingredients: shrimps from Grau-du-Roi cooked in stock, bavaroise of broccoli and a spring roll of green cabbage stuffed with shrimps; lightly seared John Dory, grilled squash and a honey sauce. As soon as the sun starts to shine, make a beeline for the patio shaded by maple trees.

Nîmes - FRANCE

Vincent Croizard

You will need to ring the bell at this discreet townhouse in a narrow street near the Carré d'Art in order to gain access. The self - taught chef composes lovely creative cuisine, striking out and experimenting with at times surprising combinations. His wife is behind the superb selection of wines, which showcases the Languedoc - Roussillon.

Le Bistr'AU - Le Mas de Boudan

In the annex of his Michelin-starred restaurant, Jérôme Nutile offers a market-fresh slate menu. The culinary line-up takes a new look at textbook Gallic classics and smacks of bistronomic creativity. Examples include creamy artichoke soup jazzed up with truffle oil and foie gras; a half duckling cooked over embers with a honey and thyme sauce; fish of the day from Grau-du-Roi fish auction; a sweet-toothed creamy vacherin with chestnut ice cream and a blackcurrant coulis.