Return to Mormoiron and Lunch at Le Four À Chaux Restaurant

About six months after opening Bistro Des Copains, we took a winter break and traveled to Paris and the South of France. With us were our friends and partners in the Bistro, Tricia and Cluney, chef Melissa and server Julia and assorted friends. The purpose for our visit was to experience the foods, wine, and culture of the South of France.

After spending a few days in Paris getting over jet lag, we rode the TGV to Avignon. As we were scheduled for wine tastings in the Côtes du Rhône region including Châteauneuf-du-Pape and Gigondas, we chose as our first home base, a large house in the Vaucluse village of Mormoiron near Mont Ventoux.

Mormoiron is a rural Provencal village situated near the base of Mont Ventoux, a few miles east of Carpentras. It turns out that Mormoiron is only 20 miles from our now home in Sablet. Who knew? The principle economic activity of the village is agriculture with focus on wine, cherries and olives, although everything was dormant being it was late January when we arrived.

I did a lot of research before our trip and gave everyone a schedule showing our daily tastings, sight seeing visits and restaurant reservations. I didn't leave a lot of room for chance. I will admit that by the end of the trip, we had made a few adjustments due to the bitter cold weather we encountered and people wanted more time to just relax.

We got to Mormoiron late Sunday afternoon shortly before our reservations for dinner at Le Four À Chaux in nearby Caromb. There were not a lot of good options as I recall since it was Sunday evening in late January. Shirley and I remembered our meal as being good, so a few weeks ago one Friday, we went back to see where we stayed that January and eat lunch at Le Four À Chaux.

Mormoiron

As we got close to Mormoiron, I was surprised to see that the village was on a hill and more charming than I recalled about our visit that cold week in January. Granted, we spent very little time in Mormoiron except at night as we were constantly on the go as I told you above. We found the house easily and it didn't look like it had been changed at all.

Our Rental House in Mormoiron

Mormoiron Street

The area around Mormoiron is planted in vineyards, cherry orchards and olive groves. The wines produced from the grapes grown in the commune are classified Côtes du Ventoux AOC.

View toward Mormoiron

As I said, I had reserved for our group at Le Four À Chaux Restaurant in Caromb, about 10 km away from Mormoiron. I selected it not because it was on a list or in some guidebook but because it was open on Sunday night and not too far from Mormoiron.

On our recent visit, we arrived and were seated by a young lady on the covered terrace along with several other couples who were already there. I found out later, the young lady has owned the restaurant along with her husband the chef since March 2014.

Le Four À Chaux Restaurant

I did not have high expectations for our meal since I didn't recall the food being all that great when we dined there in January 2007. This time our meal started with a tasty amuse bouche of pumpkin soup served in a glass tumbler. The soup was delicious which I thought bode well for the remainder of our lunch.

Amuse Bouche of Pumpkin Soup

For entrée, a small course typically served before main course, we had a first of the season creamy chestnut soup with small pieces of chestnut and spice bread croutons which provided a nice crunchy contrast to the creamy soup.

Chestnut Soup with Spice Bread Croutons

For my main course, I had chosen what the menu referred to as Rabbit Crépinette, which was actually a type of rabbit sausage served with Wild Mushroom Risotto. The dish looked and tasted very good.

Rabbit Crépinette (sausage) with Wild Mushroom Risotto

For her main course, Shirley chose pan-roasted Maigre, a white fish, served over olive-oil crushed potatoes with tomatoes, green onions and black olives. The dish had lots of nice flavors and was an excellent dish.

Pan Roasted Maigre over Olive-oil Crushed Potatoes with Tomatoes, Green Onions and Black Olives

I am a chocoholic and of course I chose the mi-cuit (half baked) chocolate cake with vanilla ice cream and raspberries.

Mi-cuit (half baked) Chocolate Cake with Vanilla Ice Cream and Raspberries

Shirley chose an excellent warm apple crumble with spice bread ice cream, perfect for the season and tasty. Shirley was very happy with her selection.

Warm Apple Crumble with Spice Bread Ice Cream

Our meal was excellent and we will be adding it to the list of restaurants we recommend to our guests who visit our home in Sablet. It is only 20 miles from Sablet and it is perfectly located if you are in the area before or after a trip up Mont Ventoux or visit to Le Barroux which we could see in the distance as we drove away from the restaurant.

My friend Cluney sent me over some pictures from our meal back in January 2007, and it is clear the food and plating is more refined than on our first visit.

View toward Le Barroux Castle

Le Four À Chaux Restaurant
2253 Avenue Charles de Gaulle
84330 Caromb
Tel: 04 90 62 40 10
Website: www.lefourachaux.com

A very pleasant trip down memory lane. We will be back again before so many years. Have a great week.