Page 246 - Lonely Planet France’s Best Trips (Travel Guide)

Eating & Sleeping

style. Bedrooms have modern-meets-heritage
Nîmes 1 decor and a choice of street views or an outlook
over the grand place d’Assas. They’re split into
5 Le Cerf à Moustache Bistro €€ standard and superior; it’s worth bumping up a
(%09 81 83 44 33; www.lecerfamoustache. level for extra space and air-con. The downstairs
com; 38 bd Victor Hugo; 2-/3-course lunch restaurant, La Boduegita, offers solid Med
menus €15.80/19.90, 2-/3-course dinner menus dining.
€25.90/30.90; h11.45am-2pm & 7.45-10pm
Mon-Sat) The Deer with the Moustache has
established itself as one of Nîmes’ best bistros, Arles 3
with quirky decor (including reclaimed furniture Bistro €€
and a wall of sketch-covered old books), 5 Le Gibolin
matched by chef Julien Salem’s creative take on (%04 88 65 43 14; 13 rue des Porcelets; lunch
the classics (Aveyronnais steak with St-Marcellin menu €16, dinner menus €27-34; h12.15-2pm
cream, rabbit ballotine with crushed potatoes & 8-10.30pm Tue-Sat) After spending three
and garlic, white-chocolate mousse with decades plying Paris with their passion for
mandarin meringue) and 60 wines by the glass. organic wines, owners Brigitte and Luc decided
to head south and open a new bistro and wine
5 Vincent Croizard Gastronomy €€€ bar in Arles. Unsurprisingly, it’s become a
(%04 66 67 04 99; www.restaurantcroizard. much-loved local fixture, known for its hearty
com; 17 rue des Chassaintes; lunch menus home cooking and peerless wine list (mostly
€23-28, dinner menus €48-70, mains €28; available by the glass).
h7.45-9.30pm Tue, noon-1.45pm & 7.45-
9.30pm Wed-Sat, noon-1.45pm Sun) From its 5 L’Atelier Jean-Luc
discreet facade on a quiet side street you’d Rabanel Gastronomy €€€
never guess that this restaurant is home to an (%04 90 91 07 69; www.rabanel.com; 7 rue des
PROVENCE & SOUTHEAST FRANCE 21 ROMAN PROVENCE
impossibly romantic lamplit courtyard garden Carmes; menus €85-145; hsittings begin noon-
and some of Nîmes’ most inventive and artistic 1pm & 8-9pm Wed-Sun) Offering as much an
high-end cooking. Dishes use premium produce artistic experience as a meal (and graced with
(black truffles, Aveyron suckling lamb, milk-fed double Michelin stars), this is the gastronomic
veal and Bouzigues oysters); rare vintages and home of charismatic chef Jean-Luc Rabanel.
limited releases from small-scale producers Many products are sourced from the chef’s
make up the wine list. veg patch and wine pairings are an adventure
in themselves. Half-day cooking classes are
4 Hôtel des Tuileries Hotel € also available, with/without lunch €200/145.
(%04 66 21 31 15; www.hoteldestuileries. Next door, Rabanel’s À Côté (%04 90 47 61
com; 22 rue Roussy; d/tr/f from €72/90/115; 13; www.bistro-acote.com; 21 rue des Carmes;
paW) Nîmes’ best deal is this delightful, menus €32; hnoon-1.30pm & 7.30-9pm daily)
bargain-priced 11-room hotel strolling distance offers bistro fare.
from Les Arènes. Individually decorated rooms
are spacious and spotless, and some have 4 Grand Hôtel
covered balconies. Breakfast costs €8. Its Nord Pinus Heritage Hotel €€€
private parking garage (€10) is located just (%04 90 93 44 44; www.nord-pinus.com; place
down the street, but there are only five car du Forum; r €170-420) An Arlésian landmark,
spaces, so reserve ahead. this classy hotel has been frequented by
everyone from famous bullfighters to artists
4 Royal Hôtel Hotel €€ and writers like Picasso, Hemingway, Jean
(%04 66 58 28 27; www.royalhotel-nimes. Cocteau and Fritz Lang. It’s chock-full of
com; 3 bd Alphonse Daudet; d €85-105, f €190; heritage: wrought-iron beds, art deco sinks,
aW) This upmarket hotel offers grace and 20th-century furniture and vintage féria

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