Luxurious, bewitching, inspiring, spell-binding… Our selection of addresses is aimed at pleasure and ideas ! From absolute essentials to wonderful surprises, new experiences to enjoy and share.
At the foot of the Popes’ Palace in Avignon, La Mirande is a famous 18th-century mansion owned by the Stein family. Here, Chef Florent Pietravalle, once a member of Pierre Gagnaire’s kitchen brigade at Le Balzac in Paris, glorifies traditional French cuisine. This deeply commited chef, for whom the key to well-being is seasonal and local produce, has just won his first Michelin star. La Mirande, 4 place de l’Amirande, Avignon (04 90 14 20 20).
Recently transformed, the Martinez Hotel has just won “Gold” status with Green Globe, certification rewarding its commitment to sustainable development. As part of its renovation, extensive technical improvements have been introduced to reduce the hotel’s footprint on the environment, while in the restaurants and bars, local producers are henceforth given pride of place. Hôtel Martinez, 73 La Croisette, Cannes (04 93 90 12 34).
Originally from California, proclaimed as healthy and therapeutic, Raw Food is given a place of honour at the elegant new address of William Pradeleix who has chosen the Left Bank for his second restaurant. In the same vein as at Raw Marais, the menu maintains its basic principles, advocates sharing and gives precedence to Japanese influences dear to the chef. Raw Saint Germain, 44 rue de Fleurus, Paris 6 (01 73 73 20 49).
Pastry-chef at the Hôtel & Spa du Castellet alongside 3-star Chef Christophe Bacquié, Loïc Colliau has been singled out in the 2019 “Passion Dessert” promotion in the Michelin Guide, a selection designating France’s top 30 pastry-chefs. A worthy distinction for this 40 year-old pastry-chef whose signature recipe is a hot soufflé called “Cazette”. Hôtel & Spa du Castellet, 3001 route des Hauts du Camp, Le Castellet (04 94 38 37 77).
Well-known by all Marseillais thanks to its iconic facade on the seafront, the old Richelieu can again take pride in its appearance thanks to the enthusiasm and talent of Frédéric Biousse and Guillaume Foucher who have re-invented this hotel by resurrecting its Art Deco lines. The result is a chic get-away with 19 rooms, entirely facing the sea with direct access to the beach of Les Catalans. Hôtel Les Bords de Mer, 52 corniche Kennedy, Marseille 7 (www.lesbordsdemer.com).
A bar, club and restaurant all in one, Le TIGrr based in the Hôtel Ermitage for the summer season promises spicy evenings and wild nights until the end of September. Attractively presented by chef Oth Sombath, the restaurant’s menu revolves around top standards of Thai and Asiatic cuisine. Accomplices for a decade, Jérôme Foucaud and Philippe Di Meo are the masters of Le TIGrr, an up-market concept making the rounds of Megève, Saint-Tropez and Courchevel, depending on the season. Hôtel Ermitage, 14 avenue Paul Signac, Saint-Tropez (04 94 81 08 10).
Every evening, like a family home surrounded by water and greenery, the River Café invites its guests to share an exceptional barbecue until the end of summer. Deliciousness guaranteed, with prime rib of Aubrac beef, wild gambas, and loin of Auvergne pork marinated in rum. And from August 30th to the end of September, get-togethers from Mondays to Sundays for "Parisian apéros" with the cream of products 100% made in Paris (bread from Benoit Castel, ham from Gilles Vérot...) and wines from the Winerie Parisienne, including the spakling Don Paris “blanc de blanc”. River Café, 146 Quai de Stalingrad, 92130 Issy-les-Moulineaux. (01 40 93 50 20).
The high-gastronomy interlude at the famous Nikki Beach in Saint-Tropez will come to an end on August 21st. After welcoming star-rated chefs Gilles Goujon, Jean-François Piège and Régis Marcon, 3-star Chef Emmanuel Renaut will put the final touch to this gourmet experience. For a special lunch, he will officiate with his prestigious kitchen brigade behind the ovens to share his passion for locally-grown and mountain produce.
The Hôtel Sezz Saint-Tropez has introduced its new chef, heading up its “Colette” restaurant. The cuisine proposed by Nicolas Gautier, a native of Le Périgord, is contemporary and creative. Working with local market gardeners, his micro-shoots come from Grimaud and his “flower of fennel” from Cogolin. His favourite ingredient this season is prime rib from Galicia matured for 60 days. Hôtel Sezz, 151 route des Salins, Saint-Tropez (04 94 55 31 55).
The most American terrace in Paris now enables clients to make the most of late sunny afternoons by opening also its doors from 5 to 7 p.m. A soothing alcove nestling in the courtyard of a private mansion, this intimate terrace serves snacks to share with discreet jazz in the background. On the menu : avocado toast, crab cakes, lobster roll, salmon on potato pancakes, and other delicacies from across the Atlantic. To quench your thirst, an enticing array of cocktails including US classics such as Manhattans and the traditional Old Fashioned. Cool ! Ralph’s, 173 boulevard Saint-Germain, Paris 6 (01 44 77 76 00).
Since July, Bessem, the restaurant of Chef Bessem Ben Abdallah (former “second chef” to Pierre Gagnaire) has proposed its new lunchtime menu. It reveals the instinctive cuisine of this chef who stands out for his precision cooking. Designed to meet the needs of business clients, especially in terms of fast service, this new menu gives precedence to fresh seasonal products. Bessem, 183 avenue de la République. Mandelieu-la-Napoule (04 93 49 71 23).
The grocery store at the Byblos has just opened in the midst of this palatial hotel. A discerning choice of fresh products prepared by Vincent Maillard, Chef at Le Rivea, sweet and savoury dry delicacies, items and books related to the world of cookery and drinks including exceptional champagnes. Byblos, 27 avenue Foch, Saint-Tropez (04 94 56 68 39).
A smart new terrace for the summer in Monaco, Ilios is to be found next to the beach of the Meridien Beach Plaza. Proposing lunch in the shade of parasol pines, afternoon lounge cocktails, dinners by candlelight and elegant festive evenings lasting until dawn, Ilios is the only bar lounge/restaurant in the Principality to remain open non-stop from noon until 7 a.m. Ilios, Méridien Beach Plaza, 22 avenue Princesse Grace, Monaco (00 377 93 15 78 50).
An institution in the 16th arrondissement, a stone’s throw from the Maison de la Radio, Le Zebra (ex-Zebra Square) is back under the direction of the smart duo formed by Alexandre Giesbert and Julien Ross, already at the helm of Daroco. A fresh breeze, with sensational decor dreamt up by architects Olivier Delannoy and Francesca Errico, who have reinterpreted the codes of the high-end brasserie. As for cuisine, the menu pays tribute to classics of French gastronomy while mixologist Nico de Soto offers Manhattans, Old Fashioned, Daïquiris with a new look... Zebra, 3 Place Clément Ader, Paris 16 (01 44 14 91 91).
Offering 15 luxurious suites, the insider Hôtel Muse in Ramatuelle nestles in the midst of an ecological landscaped park of over 5 acres, designed by Sophie Agata Ambroise. Clad in precious Pierre Frey fabrics and made-to-measure furniture signed Henrycot, each suite boasts a spa, terrace, garden and private pool. Ideal for getting away from it all, this address opens for the summer season only. Hôtel Muse, 364 chemin de Val de Rian, Ramatuelle (04 94 43 04 40).
Shaped like pucks, proposed as mini-bites, chocolate bars or ingenious tubes, La Glacerie’s ice-creams and sorbets compete in creativity and original forms. Perfect presentation and texture, but also fresh and heady tastes accompanied by top ingredients. Our thanks to “Meilleur Ouvrier de France” and world pastry champion David Wesmaël for these delicacies, irresistible in warm weather. La Glacerie, 13 rue du Temple, Paris 4 (livraison en 48h partout en France : www.laglacerie.fr).
After the grocery stores on Rue Bayen and Rue de Bourgogne, the Papa Sapiens tribe has just inaugurated a third address very close to Bourse. Here, you fill your basket and/or settle down to sample the grocery’s refined products cooked by young chef Clément Flumian, who won his spurs with Alain Passard. As for the decor, the last-born in the family sports casual elegance and retains its ADN, that of sharing and handing down. Papa Sapiens, 24 rue Feydeau, Paris 2 (01 40 26 16 82).
In the neighbourhood of La Madeleine, the Aisakaya restaurant with decor signed KT Architect gives precedence to wood and soft colour. At the helm in the kitchen, chef Yasuo Nanaumi (ex-Lucas Carton) offers surprises every evening on a menu with six dishes with French and Japanese influences. Choose from Japanese tapas alternating hot and cold delicacies, including a sublime carpaccio of salmon with yuzu. To quench your thirst, a dozen varieties of saké, featuring a sparkling Saké which is already a real hit ! Aisakaya, 12 rue Caumartin, Paris 9 (01 42 65 31 53).
A healthy new rendez-vous for foodies, La Terrasse at the Gray d’Albion has just opened its doors. In a chic atmosphere in soothing tones, guests dine on gluten-free dishes and generous vegan specialities. As a bonus, original cocktails, masterfully blending the strength of an alcohol with the subtlety of plants. Gray d’Albion, 38 rue des Serbes, Cannes (04 92 99 79 79).
Invaded by foodies, this gourmet hot spot brilliantly revisits the codes of Indian cooking. Thanks to chef and culinary author Sandra Salmandjee of Bollywood Kitchen, who has concocted an appetizing menu featuring all the basics of this spicy cuisine. Another strong point is the decor entrusted to designer and architect Michael Malapert, who has plunged this extra-large restaurant of 400 m2 into a chic exotic ambiance enhanced by rich and colourful materials. The best seats are upstairs, where two rooms extended by a leafy patio-balcony give a sense of escapism. Papadoom Kitchen, 157 rue Montmartre, Paris 2 (01 40 41 02 14).
