Lunch under the Castle at Bistro du'O in Vaison-la-Romaine

We go often to Vaison-la-Romaine, sometimes it seems almost every day. We go for Tuesday morning market, buy basic household supplies at "Brando Vaison Ménager", pick up cheese at an amazing shop called "Lou Canesteou", visit friends, or simply pass through on the way to Nyons and other destinations in the Drôme Provençale.

Vaison-la-Romaine is a short (6 mile) drive from Sablet along a winding road. As we near Vaison-la-Romaine, we see the castle built by the Counts of Toulouse in the 12th century sitting on a cliff above the town.

Vaison-la-Romaine only got its current name in 1924 when excavations undertaken by Abbot Joseph Sautel in the early part of the 20th century uncovered ancient ruins and "la Romaine" (the Roman City) was added to its name. A substantial part of the original Gallo-Roman town, including the forum, lies under today's modern town and cannot be excavated.

Medieval Castle of the Counts of Toulouse that stands over Vaison-la-Romaine

Vaison-la-Romaine is divided into two parts by the Ouvèze River; on the right bank is the ancient Roman colony and modern town and on the left bank on top of a rocky spur is the old medieval town, topped by the aforementioned castle.

Vaison-la-Romaine Upper Town

One day last fall, we dined at Bistro du'O in the old upper town. The entry street is lined with a few tourist shops and cafes. If you are going to continue into the heart of the Medieval upper town, you must enter through a deep, fortified gateway at the base of the tower shown below. The base of the tower dates from the 14th century and the wrought-iron campanile was added in the 18th century.

Belfry Tower with its 18th Century Wrought-iron Bell Cage

There are quite a few eating establishments in Vaison-la-Romaine but not many that we think are great. One restaurant that we have frequented over the years that we think is very good, is Bistro du'O.

This restaurant is located in what is said to be a former stable belonging to Lords in the upper town near the Roman bridge. It has been under ownership of chef Philippe Zemour and his wife Gaëlle who selects the wines and attends to service in the dining room, since 2013.

Bistro du'O in Vaison-la-Romaine

Like most restaurants in the South of France, Bistro du'O offers a variety of fixed priced menus including a moderately priced, you might even say bargain price, 3-course menu with choice of starter, main course and dessert for 29 Euros, which is what I chose. Shirley went with two courses, starter and main course for 25 Euros. I should mention this menu is only served at dejeuner (lunch) during the week.

Hot Towels and Mushroom Broth

After refreshing ourselves with hot towels and mushroom broth and made our choices from the Menu du Marché, we nibbled on the selection of amuse-bouche brought to the table. Amuse-bouche is a single, bite-sized hors d'œuvre. They are different from appetizers in that they are not ordered from a menu but are served free and according to the chef's choice. Amuse-bouche can be as simple as a glass of olives or small bowel of olive tapenade to more elaborate selections as served by Bistro du'O.

Spoons of Chèvre Cheese, Samosa of Veal, and Croustillant of Fennel and Aioli

Velouté (creamy soup) of Cèpes and Poached Egg

Nage of Gambas (Prawns)

Fillet of Lieu Noir and Puree of Celeri and Spinach

Faux (Sirloin) Fillet of Beef with Celeri Puree and Cèpes

Shirley Relaxing and Waiting for Lunch to be Served

Pain Perdue (French Toast) with Caramel Sauce and Ice Cream

To complete our meal, the chef sent out a complimentary platter of mignardises, bite sized desserts served at the end of a meal in some more high-end restaurants.

Mignardises (sweets) of Lemon Meringue Tart, Pistachio Cake with Cherry Jam, and Chocolate Malt Balls

In early 2019, the couple opened Maisons Du’O, a small, 3 bedroom bed and breakfast and O'Grill, a more casual restaurant, that offers a variety of grilled plats (main courses) across the street from Bistro du'O.

O'Grill across the Street from Bistro du'O

If you head back to the lower modern town on the other side of the Roman Bridge, you will pass the very large war memorial in the photograph below.

Vaison-la-Romaine War Memorial to those who died in wars for France near the Roman Bridge

The bridge in the photograph below was built by the Romans in the 1st century AD and is the oldest surviving Roman bridge. It may even be the oldest stone bridge in existence in the world. It was built with a single arch, spanning 56 feet of large course masonry, resting directly upon the rock. It is classified as a historical monument and links the lower modern town and the upper medieval old town.

Vaison-la-Romaine Roman Bridge

If you have comments or questions about Vaison-la-Romaine or elsewhere in Provence, please leave your comments below or send me an email at my address below.

If you are thinking about a trip to the South of France including spending time in Provence, we invite you to visit our website. Our house is available for rent by the week or more. You can reach us for further information by sending an email to chcmichel@aol.com.

Bistro du'O Restaurant
37 Rue Gaston Gévaudan
84110 Vaison-la-Romaine
France
website: www.bistroduo.fr
Tel: 04 90 41 72 90