Visit to Grignan, a Plus Beaux Villages de France and Lunch at Long Time Favorite Eatery Le Poeme de Grignan Restaurant

We often make visits to Grignan in the Drome Provencale, an area that falls between the Rhone River and Alps north of the Vaucluse. Since we were last there in the summer of 2019, Grignan was added to the list of Plus Beaux Villages de France.

So on a overcast Sunday in January, we drove to Grignan for a walk-about and lunch at Le Poeme de Grignan Restaurant. Our route took us past olive groves and fields with rows of lavender, which come summer will magically transform into a sea of purple and buzzing honey bees. 

Grignan sits on large rocky hilltop topped by a castle. Construction of the castle began in the 12th century, but it wasn't until the 13th century that the Adhemar family expanded it to a huge fortress. In the 17th century, Francois Adhemar de Monteil transformed the fortress into a luxurious residence.

The castle was completely ruined in 1793 during the French Revolution. Early in the 20th century, a Madame Fontaine spent her entire fortune restoring the castle to its former glory. Today the castle is owned by the Department of the Drome. You can see interior pictures of the castle on my post here.

The Castle and Village of Grignan

Located under the castle terrace is the Collegiate Church of the Holy Savior. The church seen in the right side of the picture below was built between 1535 and 1539. The Renaissance facade is flanked by two square towers and a Gothic rose window. 

Closer View of Castle and Collegiate Church of the Holy Savior

The Lavoir du Mail seen in the picture below is a 19th century wash house with a circular basin inside 16 Doric columns. The lavoir is named after the game of mail that was popular then: a game using a wooden ball and a mallet.

Lavoir du Mail (wash house)

Grignan village square

Grignan became renown in France during the 17th century when Marie de Rabutin-Chantal, the Marquise de Sevigne, a French aristocrat, famous for writing letters, wrote about Grignan and the surrounding area in letters to her daughter. 

Madame de Sevigne caught a "fever" and died in April 1696 in Grignan. She is buried in the Collegiate Church of the Holy Savior. She is revered in France as one of the great icons of French literature. 

The fountain shown in the photograph below was built in 1840 at Place de l'Horloge in the center of Grignan.

Fountain topped by statue of Madame Sevigne

We walked into Le Poeme Restaurant and were asked "avez vous reserve", did we have reservations? "Yes" I said, and immediately we were asked to present our Passe Sanitaires to prove we were fully vaccinated and boosted.  We noted that since we had last dined at Le Poeme, the restaurant's interior had been nicely updated.

Shirley at Le Poeme with complimentary bowl of black olives from Nyons

As is our custom, we passed on aperitifs and went directly to the wine list. I chose a red from the Grignan-les-Adelmar AOC which surrounds Grignan from Domaine du Chardon Bleu. It was 100% Syrah, more typical of Northern Rhone wines than the Southern Rhone wines we are use to.

Me and my wine selection

Amuse Bouche of Mushroom Soup and Duck Breast

In France, it is common for chefs to serve an "Amuse Bouche" to diners to enjoy while waiting for their food orders to arrive. It is a way of saying "welcome" and pampering them with something special. The Amuse Bouche at Le Poeme was delicious and more extravagant than most.

The pictures which follow show our meal as presented to us at our table.

Vegetable Soup with Truffles and Morel Mushrooms for Shirley

Scallops with Sunchoke and Potato Puree with Truffles for me

Filet of Bar (Sea Bass) with Rice, and Spinach in Red Wine Sauce for Shirley 

Veal with Root Vegetables, Mushrooms and Haricots Verts for me

We shared a dessert to finish our meal. 

Yuzu Lemon Souffle with Vanilla Ice Cream and Strawberry Sorbet and Mango

When we walked in, there was only one single gentleman seated in the restaurant. By the time, we left, all the tables were filled with diners enjoying Sunday lunch. 

We highly recommend that you always make reservations in advance for restaurants. We have seen time and again that restaurants with open tables throughout the time we are there will none-the-less turn away diners who arrive without reservations. 

Grignan is a very pretty village and lots to explore as recognized by the Les Plus Beaux Villages de France association. There are several nice restaurants in Grignan, of which Le Poeme is our favorite.

Le Poeme de Grignan Restaurant

8 Rue Saint-Louis

26230 Grignan

France

Tel: +33 4 75 91 10 90

www.poemedegrignan.com

Nyons Market and Excellent Lunch at La Charrette Bleue Restaurant

We arrived in Sablet last Tuesday after being away for 5 months. We arrived too late to shop at the weekly market in Vaison-la-Romaine, which as faithful readers know, is our very favorite market in Provence. 

So on Thursday, we headed to Nyons (28 kms) on the north side of Vaison la Romaine in the Department of the Drome so we could wander around the bustling Provençal market that takes place in the center of town every Thursday morning throughout the year.

Nyons sits in a natural basin on the right bank of the Eygues river, surrounded by hills and small mountains, which provides shelter from wind. The town gets an unusual amount of sunshine, earning Nyons the nickname "Little Nice" for its great climate.

Probably the most famous historical monument in Nyons, is the "Roman Bridge," a single arch bridge across the Eygues river built in Romanesque style between 1341 and 1409. Until the 19th century, the bridge was the main access road into Nyons.

Roman Bridge, Nyons

The olive tree in the roundabout in the center of Nyons is a reminder that olives are celebrated in Nyons year-around with the Festival of Pitted Olives the weekend before Christmas, the Festival of New Olive Oil, the first Sunday in February, and Fête des Olivades, the weekend which follows Bastille Day.

We walked through the Saint Jacques gate, the only gate intact from the medieval defensive walls, to "Place des Arcades" and "Place de la Liberation" where the market was underway. "Place des Arcades" dates from the 14th century when it was set aside for markets and fairs in Nyons. The square gets its name from the arcades that surround the square.

Saint Vincent's Church with Saint-Césaire monastery and two nearby cemeteries formed the religious center of Nyons in the Middle Ages. Most of the modern-day Saint Vincent's Church dates from the beginning of the 17th century.

The bell tower of Saint Vincent Church

The most visible monument is the Randonne Tower topped by pyramid arches on which stands a statue of Virgin Mary. The tower was erected around 1280, and at the time was used as a keep and military prison for the castle. In the 19th century it was converted to a chapel and renamed "Notre-Dame de Bon-Secours".

Randonne Tower, Nyons

After we completed our shopping and visits to an olive mill and the Roman Bridge, we headed north to La Charette Bleue Restaurant, a roadside restaurant where we have enjoyed some excellent meals over the years.

The restaurant is located 8 kms northeast of Nyons on the road toward Gap in the small village of Les Pilles. Although it was a bit chilly, we had warm vests and chose to sit in the sun on the terrace in front of the restaurant. 

We perused the menu while we nibbled on little toasts topped with black olive tapenade. I went with the "Menu Decouverte", 3 courses for 35 euros and Shirley opted to go a la carte. My first course was a gratin of mussels. 

 

Cassolette of shelled Mussels in a garlic and parsley butter gratin

Shirley's first course was a warm flan of fresh goat cheese with mixed greens tossed in olive oil topped with an onion fougasse.

Warm flan of fresh goat cheese with mixed greens tossed in olive oil and onion fougasse

After debating between Fletan (Halibut) and Merlan (Whiting), Shirley opted for the Filet of Merlan that was pan sauteed, topped with onion beignets and fresh vegetables, and served with a lemon grass sauce.

Filet of Merlan

I was immediately drawn to the Canette de Canard (young female duck) pan roasted on the skin side. It was perfectly cooked rose just as requested. 

Pan roasted Canette de Canard

I chose the Opera cake and asked our server to bring two forks so we could share. Shirley wanted just coffee to finish. 

Opera Cake

We weren't up to a whole bottle of wine for lunch so chose one of the restaurant's half-bottle selections from Domaine du Moulin from Vinsobres. It was delicious and if you come across it on a wine list or store shelf, don't hesitate to choose it. 

Domaine du Moulin Vinsobres

This was an excellent meal, service was attentive, and we felt very safe/comfortable sitting outside on the terrace despite the pandemic swirling around the area. We agreed that we would try to return for another meal before we head back to US.

La Charrette Bleue
Route de Gap
26110 Condorcet
Tel: 04 75 27 72 33
Website: Restaurant Nyons - Charrette Bleue | Cuisine Régionale Créative (lacharrettebleue.net)

Visit to Grignan in the Drôme Provençale and an excellent lunch with friends at Le Poème de Grignan

A few months back, friends Steve and Mary from Michigan traveled to Sablet to hang out with us during our fall sojourn in Provence. This was a return visit for them, as they had been to Sablet twice before.

Although Steve and I grew up in the same small village in Southwest Michigan, we didn't become close friends till some years later in Washington, DC. As fate would have it, we were drafted into the Army the same summer and ended up on the same base in Maryland after our training in Texas.

Steve had graduated from college and was set to start law school when he received his draft notice and was assigned to the base personnel office. I on the other hand, was drafted after freshmen year and assigned to a unit as company clerk; picture Radar O'Reilly for those of you who are Mash fans.

I dreaded spending two years in the army, even though I avoided Vietnam. Shirley and I feel super blessed that Steve and Mary were in Washington DC while we were there. We became fast friends and our time there, or at least after 5:00 PM and on weekends was care free and fun.

It was an interesting time to be in DC. Earlier that summer, there was a break-in at the Watergate offices of the Democratic National Committee. We car pooled with other draftees and talk during our morning commute was usually about the latest reporting by Woodward and Bernstein of the Washington Post. Less than one month after I finished my 2-year term, Richard Nixon resigned.

Our friendship has continued throughout the ensuing years though separated by miles. Besides our shared Michigan roots and army service, we share a love of good food and wine, kids, travel, and the Detroit Lions and Tigers. We also now have a shared love of Sablet and Provence which pleases us to no end.

So when Steve and Mary said they wanted to come to Sablet last fall, we were over the moon. Steve and Mary like our routine of day trips with lunch at a nice restaurant and then cooking in at night using ingredients we pick up from the various markets we encounter as we travel around Provence.

Shirley and I had been to Grignan in the Drôme Provençale, the area between the Rhône River and the Alps north of the Vaucluse, previously, but had not made it to the Grignan castle or much else in the village. So one day, we took a day trip to Grignan and ate lunch at Le Poème de Grignan.

We drove past olive groves and fields with row after row of lavender which a few months earlier must have been a sea of purple and buzzing honey bees. Grignan sits on a large rocky peak crowned by a huge castle, formerly owned by Adhémar de Monteil. The medieval village is a labyrinth of picturesque, winding cobblestone streets and shaded squares.

A pretty restaurant near the Grignan car park

Le Poème de Grignan is in an old village house on a narrow street in the historic center of Grignan. We originally found the restaurant in the 2012 Michelin Guide to Bonne Petite Tables, a listing of restaurants awarded a "Bib Gourmand" for being a "pleasurable" restaurant.

Le Poème de Grignan

The restaurant is owned by the chef Hervé Dodane and Valérie Chareyre who takes care of the dining room. The dining room is pretty, decorated with Provencal colors. There is a single dining room which can seat 22 diners.

Tapenade feuilletés and cheese sticks

While we nibbled on the tapenade feuilletés and cheese sticks, we studied the menu and Carte des Vins - wine list, before making our selections from the mouth watering choices on the three-course "Promenade Gourmande" menu for 31 EUR. Our excellent meal began with this amuse bouche.

Amuse bouche

Crispy crab and vegetable roll with curry sauce, greens and tomato soup

Tomato tart with olive tapenade and goat cheese from Grignan and tomato soup

Porcini mushroom tart with foie gras and yellow chanterelles

Friend Mary

Parsley crusted Sea bass with tomatoes and mushrooms and a parsley sauce

Saddle of lamb with rosemary juice and cream of garlic and ratatouille

Aberdeen Angus Bavette steak with baby vegetables and red wine sauce

Frozen Vacherin with strawberries, raspberries and Chantilly cream

Plate with different preparations of Valrhona chocolate and cream of Verbena

After coffee, we headed out to explore the village and Grignan castle.

A Grignan courtyard with flowers and plants

Rue St. Louis

Rue St. Louis

Grignan street

The defensive walls of Grignan were built in the 13th century. The circular protective wall included a dozen defensive towers and six gates. The Tricot tower, also known as the belfry, with its arched passageway through the wall was extended upward in 1600 so the first public clock could be installed.

Tricot tower or belfry

The Hotel de Ville or town hall was built in 1857 in neo-classical style on the site of 16th century market halls and butcher shops.

Grignan Town Hall

The lavoir or public wash house was built in 1840. Built in neo-classical style, it was inspired by the Petit Trianon Temple of Love at Versailles.

Grignan lavoir

The fountain seen below was built in 1840 at Place de l'Horloge. The statue of Madame de Sévigné was added in 1857.

Place de l'Horloge

Grignan became renowned in France during the 17th century when Marie de Rabutin-Chantal, the Marquise de Sévigné, a French aristocrat, famous for writing letters, wrote about Grignan and the surrounding area in her letters; Most were written to her daughter Françoise, who was married to François Adhémar de Monteil, Comte (Count) de Grignan.

Madame de Sévigné caught a "fever" and died in April 1696 at Grignan and is buried in the Collégiale Saint-Sauveur Church. She is revered in France as one of the great icons of French literature.

Statue of Madame de Sévigné

Another view of Tricot tower

Grignan cobblestone walkway

A canine resident of Grignan

Grignan street

A Grignan gate through the defensive walls

Gate to church courtyard

The Collégiale Saint-Sauveur Church was constructed between 1535 and 1539 at the request of Louis Adhémar. The Renaissance facade is flanked by two square towers and a beautiful Gothic rose window. In 1680, the terrace of the castle was built on top of the church roof.

Collégiale Saint-Sauveur Church

At the front of the church behind the alter, is a painting done in 1630 called the "Transfiguration." Just to the left of the alter is a marble stone in the floor which marks the tomb of the Marquise de Sévigné.

The alter of Collégiale Saint-Sauveur Church

The interior of Collégiale Saint-Sauveur Church

Cross in front of Collégiale Saint-Sauveur Church

The top of Tricot tower

Grignan cross

Construction of the Grignan castle began in the 12th century, but it wasn't until the 13th century that the Adhémar family expanded it to a huge fortress. In the 17th century, François Adhémar de Monteil transformed the fortress into a luxurious residence.

Tower entrance to Grignan castle

The Grignan castle was ruined in 1793 during the French revolution. It was rebuilt in the early 20th century by Madame Fontaine who spent her entire fortune restoring the castle to its former grandeur. The castle now belongs to the Department of the Drôme.

Grignan castle

Grignan castle

Grignan castle

The village of Grignan had the garden shown below sculpted in 1996 to commemorate the 300 year anniversary of Madame de Sévigné death. It was sculpted by Grignan resident Françoise Vergier. The letters in calligraphy form the name Sévigné.

Marquise de Sévigné's garden

From the terrace of the Grignan castle, you can see the 10th or 11th-century Romanesque Saint Vincent Chapel in the village cemetery.

View toward Saint Vincent Chapel

Grignan castle

The Grignan Castle houses a magnificent collection of paintings, antique furniture and tapestries.

Interior of Grignan castle

Interior of Grignan castle

Interior of Grignan castle

Interior of Grignan castle

Interior of Grignan castle

Interior of Grignan castle

Interior of Grignan castle

Interior of Grignan castle

Interior of Grignan castle

Feline resident of Grignan

Grignan stone village houses

Grignan street

Grignan Castle

Just outside Grignan, there is a miniature Provencal village which we didn't get to see. This is the largest nativity scene in Provence and consists of 80 houses with 60,000 handmade roof tiles, and over 1,000 dressed santon figurines between 27 and 32 cm in height. Being a lover of santons, we will go back to visit.

We really like Le Poème de Grignan and will return again. I was pleased to see that the restaurant was again awarded a Bib Gourmand in the just released 2014 Michelin Guide to Bonne Petites Tables. So we are not the only ones who like it.

Le Poème de Grignan
Rue St. Louis
26230 Grignan
Tel: 04 75 91 10 90
www.lepoemedegrignan.fr

Have a great week my friends. Chat soon!