Restaurant & Wine Recommendations: FRANCE: Sarlat & Avignon Area

[G. Greenbaum]

I'm interested in recommendations for restaurants in and near Avignon. I will have a car so anything worthy within 30k is game. Not interested in fine dinning. Great wine lists and quality food trumps service. Rustic, in the country dinning works well. Orange, Chateauneuf du Pape, St-Remy-de-Provence area. Also wine shops and wine bars (natural slanting) needed.

We will also be in the Sarlat de Caneda area so similar recommendations needed.

Thanks in advance.

[LoriMcLaughlin]

A few favorites near Sarlat -

In Domme - L’Esplande. Amazing views, nice wine list, great cheese cart, very good food.
In Cenac - La Traverse Chez les Filles - a bit of a neighborhood place, but make reservations or go early as the locals fill it up. Go for the prix fixe menu.

Avoid Michelin starred Restaurant Le Grand Bleu in Sarlat. We were not impressed.

If you need a place to stay, highly recommend Par la Rivière bed and breakfast right on the river in Cenac. Lovely couple runs the place and it was first class all the way.

[G. Greenbaum]

Thanks Lori

[G. Greenbaum]

Anyone else? Western Provence and Chateauneuf du Pape area seems like a popular destination. Appreciate any help on restaurants, wine bars with good lists. Is Beaugraviere still the best wine list in the area? Thanks for your insights.

[IlkkaL]

Regarding wine shops I would recommend Le Vin Devant Soi in Avignon. They have many nice options in their Enomatic to taste (2000 Beaucastel, Château Simone, Gros 'Nore Bandol etc when we visited last summer) and overall a rather solid selection. The prices for the Reynaud wines (Château/Domaine des Tours) are also good.

[Michael Martin]

We didn’t have a bad meal in Avignon.
Be warned most of the menu’s are prix fixe. So there are usually three courses, though some will let you choose two.

[G. Greenbaum]

Thanks Ilkkal.

Michael - Any names you can share in Avignon?

[Michael Martin]

Thanks Ilkkal.

Michael - Any names you can share in Avignon?

I could walk you to them, but I have little recollection of names. The better ones were on the southeast side of the Palace and down streets with mostly, if not only, foot traffic. Off the beaten path if you will. The seating spilled out into the street. So very French.

[mark meyer]

have lunch at this 1 star in tremolat-book outside under the vines. A short drive from Sarlat along the river.

https://www.vieux-logis.com/en-GB/

[mark meyer]

since u have a car a day trip to Les Baux to see the hill town and the van gogh show in the limestone quarry. Do not miss this.
http://www.carrieres-lumieres.com/en/home

then lunch at Bistro Paradou https://www.facebook.com/pages/category ... 064893399/

or more upscale and if the weather is nice where u can eat outdoors. We had a memorable b'day lunch outdoors for my wife here.
https://chateaudesalpilles.com/en/welcome/

[M.Kaplan]

have lunch at this 1 star in tremolat-book outside under the vines. A short drive from Sarlat along the river.

https://www.vieux-logis.com/en-GB/

We loved staying at Vieux Logis some years ago and the restaurant was very good, especially for dinner. Good to know that it still is. The Saturday street market in Sarlat is also worth a visit.

[T@ntina A]

We had dinner here and it was fantastic! It was recommended by a chef. http://www.legoutdujour84.com/

Also Au Gusto La Table D'emmanuel is a great experience. If you can get reservations, go early enough so you can tour the grounds. They have a great sculpture walk and some beautiful areas to sit outside and relax.
http://www.bastiderose.com/tabledhotes.htm

[G. Greenbaum]

Thank you all for the recommendations. Has anyone been to Hygge in Avignon? It comes up on the Raisin app.

[Steve Anderson]

We had dinner here and it was fantastic! It was recommended by a chef. http://www.legoutdujour84.com/

Also Au Gusto La Table D'emmanuel is a great experience. If you can get reservations, go early enough so you can tour the grounds. They have a great sculpture walk and some beautiful areas to sit outside and relax.
http://www.bastiderose.com/tabledhotes.htm

We had an outstanding meal at Le Gout du Jour about 10 days ago. Relaxed and reasonably priced for the quality and only a block from our Airbnb. Thanks for the rec T@ntina!

I can also highly recommend the Table Haut/Guest Table at Hotel La Mirande in Avignon. Located just behind the Palais du Papes, it is a former Cardinal's residence. The Table Haut is held several nights a week at a wooden table in the old family kitchen. We had a wonderful four-course meal with very generous wine pairings for 95 euro each.
https://www.la-mirande.fr/en/guest-table-avignon.html



They also had weekly wine dinners in the space each Thursday in April, although we missed the last one of these by a week.

Cheers!

Steve