Page 277 - Lonely Planet France’s Best Trips (Travel Guide)

5 Bistro Canaille Fusion €€ 4 Hôtel L’Aréna Hotel €€
(%04 94 97 75 85; 28 rue des Remparts; plates (%04 94 17 09 40; www.hotel-frejus-arena.
€8-24; h7-11pm Fri & Sat Mar-May & Oct-Dec, com; 145 rue du Général de Gaulle; d €63-201, tr
7-11pm Tue-Sun Jun-Sep) Probably the pick €97-253, f €104-298; aWs) One of Fréjus’s
of the places to eat in town – creative, cosy fanciest options, a traditional family hotel
and great value while still hitting the gourmet bedecked in Provençal decor complete with
heights. It’s got the soul of a bistro, but garden, pool and upmarket restaurant. The
specialises in fusion-style tapas dishes inspired duplexes are ideal for families (with two single
by the owners’ travels. More filling mains are beds on a mezzanine). Breakfast is a juicy €17.
chalked on the board. It’s on the street leading
up to the château.
4 B Lodge Hôtel Hotel €€€ Moustiers-Ste-Marie 9
(%04 94 97 58 72; www.hotel-b-lodge.com; 23 5 La Grignotière Provencal €
rue de l’Aïoli; d €200-450; hDec-Oct; aW) (%04 92 74 69 12; rte de Ste-Anne; mains €6-15;
Just downhill from the Citadelle, this swanky h11.30am-10pm May-Sep, to 6pm Feb–mid-
design pad looks old from the outside, but inside May) Hidden behind the soft pink facade of
it’s a model modern hotel: minimalist furniture, Moustiers’s Musée de la Faïence is this utterly
exposed stone walls, muted tones and all. Some gorgeous, blissfully peaceful garden restaurant.
rooms don’t have air-con – which feels stingy Tables sit between olive trees and the colourful, PROVENCE & SOUTHEAST FRANCE 24 VAR DELIGHTS
– but at least breakfast is included. Obviously eye-catching decor – including the handmade
those with balconies and Citadelle views are glassware – is the handiwork of talented,
fabulous. Prices drop significantly in winter. dynamic owner Sandrine. Cuisine is ‘picnic chic’,
meaning lots of creative salads, tapenades,
quiches and so on.
Fréjus 8
4 Ferme du Petit
5 Mon Fromager Deli € Ségriès Farmstay €
(%04 94 40 67 99; www.mon-fromager.fr; 38 (%04 92 74 68 83; www.chambre-hote-verdon.
rue Sieyès; plat du jour €13.90, 5-cheese platter com; d incl breakfast €74-84; W) Friendly
€10.90; hshop 9am-7pm Tue-Sat, lunch noon- hosts Sylvie and Noël offer five colourful, airy
2pm Tue-Sat; v) Enterprising cheesemonger rooms in their rambling farmhouse, 5km west
Philippe Daujam not only sells cheese – he of Moustiers on the D952 to Riez. Family-style
also cooks it into tasty lunches in his deli-style tables d’hôte (€30 with wine, served daily
restaurant arranged in front of the cheese except on Wednesday and Sunday) are served
counter and on the street outside. Locals flock at a massive chestnut table, or outside beneath
for the excellent-value plat du jour and can’t-go- a foliage-covered pergola in summer. Bikes are
wrong cheese platters with salad. The faux cow- available for hire (from €15 per day).
skin table mats are a fun touch, and Philippe is a
fount of fromage knowledge.

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