La Villa Archange & Bistrot des Anges

Today few abalone come from wild fishing, because the natural stock is very low. To protect the resource, responsible aquaculture is the future of this gastropod. For many years the company “Groix Haliotis”, using biological and mechanical filtration of seawater, has raised this fragile species as close as possible to its natural environment. Chefs covet it for the delicacy and flavour of its flesh.

There is no caviar without an infinite number of delicate acts of care. Only a handful of people are initiated into the ancestral expertise of the house of “Petrossian”, which holds the EPV label. Chefs love the complex, lingering flavours of the brand’s caviars, which satisfy the most demanding connoisseurs. This house, whose reputation is long established, has always worked in close complicity with the world of haute gastronomie to devise bold pairings around this ultimate symbol of refinement.

We love the “Blanc de Blancs” from the young and daring House of “Brimoncourt”. On the nose it opens with typical notes of brioche and fruit. On the palate it is full-bodied, with aromas of citrus, lemon and grapefruit, perfect as an aperitif with seafood or with fish. Then there is the “Brut Rosé”, with scents of citrus, bergamot, melon and raspberry, and a creamy palate of rose-scented fruit and honey. Serve it with a dessert made with red berries. Available from independent wine merchants and from major chains such as Nicolas.

Sylvain Erhardt is a well-known asparagus producer. For more than ten years he has grown this much sought-after product, prized for its delicate flavour, with great respect for the seasons (early March to the end of May). Here the asparagus is harvested one spear at a time by hand, graded, selected and transported overnight, to keep the time between field and plate as short as possible. No wonder it ends up on so many starred tables.

Everyone knows the “Metro France” brand, the leading major supplier to independent restaurants. What is less known to the general public is that for several years now it has focused on selecting very high-end products to meet the demands of leading Michelin-starred chefs. A fine rapport has grown up in these exchanges, always pushing further towards excellence. The products on offer are sought out by the brand from small producers who care about the environment and have unique expertise. With its “Origine France” charter, the brand backs national producers and encourages all restaurateurs to follow the movement.

The choice of mineral waters served at the finest tables cannot be overlooked. Among the most appreciated is “S.Pellegrino®”, a naturally sparkling mineral water from the Italian Alps, whose source in the Val Brembana valley gives it extraordinary purity. It is perfect with strongly flavoured dishes and full-bodied wines, even very full-bodied ones. Then there is the natural mineral water “Acqua Panna®” from Tuscany, whose source has been protected for five centuries, with a light, smooth taste that leaves a softness in the mouth.

For 30 years, “Le Diamant du Terroir” has been a company specialising in fresh truffles. It also offers a complete collection of products made from this black gold: an olive oil flavoured with white or black truffle, preserved whole truffles, truffle pieces, carpaccio, sauces and juices, all designed to add a little touch of refinement to every dish.

The future of mountain tourism, in winter and summer alike, depends today on a varied offer in harmony with the beauty of mountain settings, a certain art of living and first-class hotel service. The Anciaux family, founders of the brand “Epicure Luxury Spa, Hôtels & Résidences” and behind the “Monde des Neiges” project, has understood this well. At this project in the heart of the unspoilt resort of Auron, 90 minutes from Nice and its airport, you can enjoy a splendid 5-star hotel, a magnificent tourist residence with apartments and chalets, a spa, and a gastronomic destination of the highest order with five themed restaurants under the guidance of Bruno Oger.

Le Cannet is home to the Musée Bonnard, the only museum in the world dedicated to Pierre Bonnard, a major artist of the 19th and 20th centuries. Bonnard spent the last 25 years of his life in Le Cannet, where he painted his finest works. Across three exhibition levels, visitors can see permanent works including paintings, sculptures, drawings and photographs. Temporary exhibitions explore every aspect of his work. A trail, “Sur les pas de Bonnard”, takes you along the Canal de la Siagne so that you can immerse yourself in the light, the landscapes and the places that inspired the artist. The museum, whose programme is renewed every year, has a shop and a terrace opening onto the garden to enhance your visit.

To discover Le Cannet is to stroll through an unspoilt, authentic Provençal village, with its very particular light, which in the past attracted many painters and writers. It is to meet artists and craftspeople who practise their trade with passion, between tradition and modernity. It is to be surprised, in a maze of lanes, by the richness of the architectural heritage, built on religious buildings, some of them listed as historic monuments, and on splendid Belle Époque villas. It is to admire a fabulous panorama from the Îles de Lérins to the Estérel massif, a providential, fascinating and unique coexistence of two natures, sea and mountain.

A true jewel of French gastronomic heritage for four generations, the “Maison Gillardeau” specialises in oyster farming. It cultivates a distinctive expertise that gives the oysters a perfect degree of maturity and consistent quality, with generous flesh and a unique flavour prized by leading Michelin-starred chefs. We admire the ethic that drives the family to keep innovating, to the delight of enthusiasts. Alongside the superb shop at the foot of the Viaduc d'Oléron, open all year round, there is also “la Cabanajam” in Saint-Martin-de-Ré, and “La Marcelle”, a food truck with a removable oyster bar that brings quality closer to your door. If you would like to have oysters delivered, you can place an order all year round with the Boutique Gillardeau.