Eating out is a part of the French way of life. Don’t have a holiday in France without having a meal in a French restaurant. Although there are many unusual French foods (frogs legs, snails, tête de veau etc.) you will find many foods that are a true delight!

Which restaurant? Try to find a restaurant that is targeted at French diners (French menus are a good clue!). Don’t expect to find a fantastic restaurant in the major tourist destinations – here we would recommend something safe and straightforward such as pizza, crêpes etc..

Which time? It’s often cheaper to eat at lunchtime and during the week. Sunday lunch is always busy and it pays to book ahead. In the evenings, don’t arrive too early – 7.30PM is often the earliest you can get served.

Which menu? Don’t go for à la carte options. Usually they have the same options as the menu prix fixe and they cost a lot more! Avoid Menu Touristique like the plague!

Which wine? Wine can be quite expensive if you go for named bottles. But carafes of house white or red wine have usually been exquisitely selected by the restauranteur and are excellent value. Refer to our wines of Provence pages for more advice on wines.

See our restaurant reviews:

Le Mas de Garrigon
Route de St-Saturnin d’Apt, 84220 Roussillon, tel: 0033 4 90 05 63 22
Seemingly miles from anywhere this is a beautiful luxury hotel with a restaurant open to non-residents. The food is stylish and creative and is eaten on a terrace in the summer next to the swimming pool with breathtaking views over the Luberon Hills. Moderate to expensive.

Auberge St Roch
Quartier St Roch, 84190 Beaumes de Venise, tel: 0033 4 90 65 08 21
This unpretentious hotel/restaurant has a small dining room (which we felt was a bit stuffy) and an even smaller outside terrace that faces onto the main road. Despite being a trifle cramped we opted to eat outside (which may not be ideal at lunch time) and had few noise problems in the evening. The menus are good value with an average children’s menu, serving traditional and provençal cuisine. This was very much your typical locals restaurant and one we enjoyed very much.

La Bastide Bleue
Route de Sablet, 84110 Séguret, tel: 0033 4 90 46 83 43
An idyllic, old provençal farmhouse, nestled among vineyards just below the village of Séguret (one of the most beautiful villages of France). Eat inside in one of the rambling dining rooms or in the courtyard under shady umbrellas in the summer . Only serves evening meals (not ideal for families as evening meals do tend to go on rather long) but the food is worth it – superb, hearty, provençal fare using fresh local ingredients, accompanied with splendid local wine. No English is spoken.

Le Clos du Pâtre
84330 Caromb, tel: 0033 4 90 62 38 49
Situated on the edge of the village of Caromb (163 route Beaumes de Venise) this is very much a family restaurant with eating taking place in the courtyard in the summer months of what was once a farm. It is very relaxed with friendly owners. Service was good and the food excellent for both adults and children. Portions were generous with the children struggling to finish theirs! This is not children’s food of the burger/ham and chips variety, but wholesome casseroles.

La Grotte
1 Ave des Pebrons, 13008 Marseille, tel: 0033 4 91 73 17 79
Follow the coast road south as it bends around the Massif de Marseilleveyre. Just as it turns inland towards the end of the road (at les Goudes) you will find this delightful seafood restaurant (meat, pasta, pizza also available!). This is one of those hidden gems that you would never find without local knowledge (thanks to my colleague Frank Ferrandino!). It comes highly recommended, not only by French colleagues, but also English colleagues that have been taken there as well.

Hostellerie du Seigneur
Place Seigneur, 30126 Tavel (Near Exit 22 of A9), tel: 0033 4 66 50 04 26
Situated next to a tiny village square, this restaurant has lots of character and an imaginative menu to match. We enjoyed a great meal here – typical French fare. Dine here and take the opportunity to try out the local wine and then visit one of the nearby ‘caves’ to buy some wine to take home.

Le Mesclun
Rue des Poternes, 84110 Séguret, tel: 0033 4 90 46 93 43
This restaurant in Séguret, one of Les Beaux Villages de France, high up in the Dentelles de Montmirail needs to be reviewed at 2 levels. For adults this really is an exceptional dining experience, especially in the summer sat outside in the tree shaded terrace. Food is exquisite and beautifully presented – it is difficult to find fault with the place. However this was not a hit with our children (who are normally very adaptable!) so may be somewhere to consider if you are on holiday with another family and have the opportunity for a romantic lunch/evening out. Menus for children are €12.50 with other menus starting at €19 (mid-day only) up to €60.

Les Géraniums
84300 Le Barroux, tel: 0033 4 90 62 41 08
Off the D938 between Carpentras and Vaison-la-Romaine, this Logis de France hotel/restaurant is located in the hill-top village of le Barroux which is dominated by its feudal château. Dining on the restaurant’s terrace is a magical experience, particularly at night. Booking is essential as this restaurant (quite rightly so) is very popular. The food is imaginative with the normal set menu options as well as a children’s menu, and service and food were both excellent. Our children loved it here and were itching for a return visit. It is often said that children are not tolerated in restaurants – but this was definitely not the case here!

L’Oustalet Maianen
16 rue Lamartine, 13910 Maillane, tel: 0033 4 90 95 74 60
This small restaurant in a pretty Provencal village serves lovely local fare. The staff were friendly, and nothing was too much trouble – especially with three young children in tow.

Pizzeria des Remparts
32 Boulevard des Remparts, 84110 Sablet, tel: 0033 4 90 49 96 17
Overlooking the village square this restaurant will satisfy families looking for food that appeal to children, with pizza’s and chips being top of the menu. However, don’t despair, because there are more French options available as well – slow roasted lamb or braised steaks with French fries for example – all very tasty. However eating here was still quite pricey, compared to other dining experiences in Provence.

Here’s more information to make the most of your visit to the Provence: