Bistrot du Paradou

From the time I began to read the website Chowhound, a digital gathering place for obsessive food lovers, that started up 25 years ago, I learned about a restaurant loved by foodies and recommended frequently to those traveling to the South of France called Bistrot du Paradou. 

The Bistrot du Paradou is located 70 kms southwest from our home in Sablet in the tiny Alpilles village of Paradou, about 12 kms south of Saint Remy. Although, a fair distance from Sablet, it is a favorite of ours and everyone we take there. 

Because it is a distance away, we usually combine lunch at Bistrot du Paradou with a walk-about Les Baux de Provence or seeing the art and music program at Carrieres des Lumieres. The restaurant is located in a traditional building with blue shutters, shaded by ancient plane trees, just off Avenue de la Vallee-des-Baux.

The dining room is country bistrot in style; stone walls and floors, wood-beams on the ceiling, zinc-topped tables, a large bar and black and white photos of celebrities on the walls.

Our table at Bistrot du Paradou. Note two bottles of red wine and a chilled bottle of white wine.

Bistrot du Paradou offers a set menu every day that costs 60 - 70 Euros, depending on time of day that includes starter, a main course, cheese platter, choice of desserts, unlimited wine, and coffee.

The menu varies by the season and day of the week. Some of the main course offerings include calf's head, lamb chops, spit roasted chicken from Bresse, cassoulet, and aioli. They don't advertise it, but the kitchen usually has options available for diners who have food allergies or dietary preferences. 

We were among the first to arrive for lunch on our most recent visit. Within a few minutes, every table was full. No need for a wine list, when we sat down, there were two already open bottles of red Mont Redon Cote du Rhone sitting on our table. If you prefer, rose or white wine like Sylvie, just ask and your server will happily bring a chilled bottle to your table. 

Salads and soup starters are served family style. On our visit, the server said there was a choice of starters, either fresh asparagus or escargots in garlic butter.

Asparagus starter

Escargots with garlic butter

You must call to make reservations. I recommend you ask what the menu of the day is so you can let them know if anyone has a preference for something else. Since Shirley and Sylvie don't eat lamb, the chef offered cabillaud (cod) with a butter sauce with the same vegetables as the lamb chops.

Grilled local Alpilles lamb chops with artichokes barigoule and potato puree. 

Cabillaud (cod) with artichokes barigoule and potato puree.

After we wiped every drop of sauce from our plates, they were cleared, and a large wicker platter with cheese and jams and fruits macerated in brandy was set on our table and left for us to enjoy to our stomach's limit. 

Cheese platter

There is a selection of 8 or 9 desserts on a small chalkboard with a variety of ice creams on the back side. I chose the chocolate mousse. 

Chocolate mousse 

Sylvie chose the Baba au Rhum which was placed before her with a bottle of rhum to flavor the dessert according to her desires. 

Baba au Rhum along with bottle of rhum

One of the best parts of the meal is the air of conviviality that is felt throughout restaurant and meal. From the friendly wait staff, who sometimes breakout in song, to the open bottles of wines on your table, generous cheese platter, and offer of a digestive at the end of the meal. 

Terrace in front of Bistrot du Paradou. In summer, it is filled with tables and chairs for dinning al fresco

We definitely recommend making reservations in advance, so you are not disappointed after a long drive. You must do this by telephone as the restaurant does not have a website.

We are not the only fans. A few days ago, Alexander Lobrano in an article for the Wall Street Journal of April 12, 2024, entitled "The 10 Restaurants to Book Now in the South of France" included Le Bistrot du Paradou at #7. 

As we were getting ready to pull out of the restaurant parking lot, Bruno asked if we had ever been to the Moulin de Daudet in nearby Fontvieille? Since we had not, we drove down the road until the moulin seen below came into view.

Alphonse Daudet's mill, also known as the Ribet mill, or Saint-Pierre, was built in 1814 and operated until 1915, when the wheat was requisitioned for the war. In 1935, the Societe des Amis d'Alphonse Daudet restore the mill and dedicated it to the author. 

Daudet summered in the Chateau de Montauban and frequently climbed the hill to the rustic old windmill. The sweeping views of the Rhone valley and the Alpilles inspired his famous, folkloric short stories called "Lettres de Mon Moulin". 

Moulin de Daudet in Fontvieille

Le Bistrot du Paradou

57 Avenue de la Vallee des Baux

13520 Paradou, France

Tel: +33490543270

No website

Le Bistrot du Paradou, a Most Enjoyable Destination in the Alpilles

One Friday a few months back, we had a date for a rendezvous with cousins Jean-Marc and Christine for dinner. It was my responsibility to choose a restaurant somewhere between Montpellier and Sablet. After making some calls, I landed on Le Bistrot du Paradou. I was informed they had one table left but apologetically said it was out of the main dining room near the kitchen.

Le Bistrot du Paradou Kitchen

It was 75 km to the small village in the Alpilles Mountains called Paradou where the Bistrot is located. The last stretch of road took us past spots that offered spectacular views of Les Baux de Provence bathed in lights and the entrance to the Carrières de Lumières that I told you about here.

Le Bistrot du Paradou Dining Room

The restaurant is located in a traditional blue-shuttered house, just off the road, shaded by ancient plane trees. The terrace looks like a pleasant place to enjoy an aperitif or coffee after a meal, and there is convenient parking next door.

We were led through the dining room with vintage-tiled floors, stone walls, and timbered ceilings, to our table. When I said we would be happy to take the last table, I pictured a small raised table in an out of the way spot not usually offered to guests. Instead, we were led into the private room shown below with a large wood table set for 4. IMO, it was the perfect place for someone who loves to cook.

Our Table near Le Bistrot du Paradou Kitchen

There is only a single four-course prix fixe menu served at each meal. Tuesday, for example, might feature roasted farm-raised guinea hen, and Friday lunch is aioli, the traditional Provençal feast of steamed vegetables, salt cod, and local snails accompanied by the pungent garlic mayonnaise for which it is named. The price includes unlimited bottles of Côtes du Rhône wine—red, white, or rosé from Mont Redon.

House Red Wine

Our meal began with Soupe au Pistou, the Provence equivalent of minestrone, a seasonal vegetable soup — enriched with a simplified basil pesto (no pine nuts) brought to the table in a large earthenware dish, from which we served ourselves several times.

Tureen of Soupe au Pistou

Shortly after we were seated, our server stopped by to wish us "bienvenue" (welcome) and tell us about the menu for the evening. He said the Bistrot was offering two starters, the previously mentioned Soupe au Pistou and Escargots a la Bourguignonne (Snails in Garlic–Herb Butter). As you can see below, cousin Jean-Marc is ready to tuck into the tasty morsels.

Escargots a la Bourguignonne

The Soupe au Pistou was delicious, perfectly seasoned and we happily helped ourselves to second and third helpings including Jean-Marc who couldn't resist the aromas from the soupe.

Bowl of Pistou Soup

The main course that evening was Rack of Lamb with potato puree and ratatouille. When I called earlier in the day for reservation, I asked about a fish or vegetarian alternative for Shirley who doesn't eat red meat. They were happy to oblige and brought Shirley a generous portion of fresh cod served with the same accompaniments as our lamb. Since we could observe the goings on in the kitchen, we saw several plates of spit roasted Bresse chicken being sent out to the dining room.

Rack of Lamb with Potato Puree and Ratatouille

Although we were all quite full by now, we couldn't resist the temptation of the platter of cheese left on our table and we sampled the various ripe hard and soft cheeses shown below.

Cheese Board

A chalkboard with the dessert menu was brought to the table. Desserts included apple tart, ice creams and a few French classics including baba au rhum, crème caramel and the chocolate mousse I chose which was excellent.

As service wound down, we chatted with the all female kitchen team. They told us about the history of the Bistrot, the opening schedule (depends upon the time of year) and the various menu items offered on a seasonal basis.

Chocolate Mousse

I loved the food and ambiance at Le Bistrot du Paradou. They excel at simple food, done really well. It costs €51+ (depending upon lunch or dinner) and includes starter, main course, cheese, choice of desserts, wine and coffee. I can’t emphasize enough how essential it is to reserve in advance for a meal at this very popular bistrot.

Le Bistrot du Paradou
57 Avenue de la Vallée des Baux
13520 Paradou, France
Tel: +33490543270
No website

Saint-Rémy-de-Provence and Le Bistrot du Paradou

Blogs are a wonderful way to make friends with people that you wouldn't otherwise ever meet as all of you who have blogs well know. The best is when you get a chance to meet one of your cyber friends or a reader of your blog in person.

I have had the chance to do this several times including a day last year when we met up with Sherry Long and her husband in Saint-Rémy-de-Provence. Sherry is the author of Dog Trots Globe: To Paris and Provence, which tells the story of Chula, a Sheltie who shares her dog's eye view of France.

If you have not read the book, you should, as it is absolutely charming. You will follow Chula as she sniffs her way around boulangeries, lavender fields, and big outdoor markets of Provence. In Paris, she trots across the Seine, stands on her hind legs in awe of the Eiffel Tower, and attends opening night at a gallery.

As I was saying, last year Sherry and I got to emailing back and forth and discovered that she and her husband live in Northern California and also have a home in Saint-Rémy-de-Provence and we agreed that we would meet for lunch as we were going to be in Provence at the same time. Unfortunately, Chula was not going to be there.

On the appointed day, we headed off to Saint-Rémy, which is about 60 kms south of Sablet, at the foot of the Alpilles Mountains. The birthplace of Nostradamus in 1503, Saint-Rémy is most associated with Vincent Van Gogh, who after cutting off his ear in 1888, committed himself to an asylum there, during which time he painted olive trees, irises and the nearby Alpilles on more than 150 paintings.

We have not spent any time in Saint-Rémy since we were there with some of our Bistro Des Copains employees on a market day in January when an icy cold Mistral was blowing, making it impossible for us to stay outdoors and we retreated to one of the few cafés open that day. Since it was again market day, we went early so we could walk around Saint-Rémy before meeting Sherry and her husband.

The Vielle Ville (old town) is encircled by a ring of plane tree-shaded boulevards. The most visible remains of Saint-Rémy's 14th-century defensive wall are the portes like this Portail Saint-Paul still in use today as the southern entrance into the center of town.

Here are a couple of pictures of what we saw as walked around Saint-Rémy, As I said, it was Wednesday, market day in Saint-Rémy so we walked through the market stalls to see what was offered for sale including this pretty display.

Flowers

A display of items for sale to tourists.

An old stone arch entryway.

The old town is full of narrow streets with restaurants, cafés, tourists shops, trendy boutiques and art galleries.

Sherry had made reservations for lunch at Le Bistrot du Paradou, a favorite foodie destination for many years but a place we had not been. So I was most excited about finally going there.

Le Bistrot du Paradou is located about 12 kms southwest of Saint-Rémy in the tiny village of Paradou.

The restaurant is located in a traditional building, shaded by ancient plane trees. Although Mireille and Jean-Louis Pons who ran this lively bistrot for many years are no longer a presence there, the kitchen is still overseen by longtime chef Vincent.

A pretty mural next to the entrance to Le Bistrot du Paradou.

The dining room is country bistro in style: stone walls, wood-beams on the ceiling, zinc-topped tables, a large bar and black and white photos of celebrities on the walls.

The restaurant offers only a daily set menu that cost €42 at lunch when we were there, higher in the evening, and includes starter, main course, cheese, choice of desserts, wine and coffee.

The menu varies by the season and by the day of the week with choices including tête de veau, lamb, spit roast Bresse chicken, cassoulet and aioli. They don't advertise it but the kitchen usually has options available for diners who have food allergies or dietary preferences.

Wine is included with your meal and a bottle of Mont-Redon Côtes du Rhône was set on our table and a second one later when we had finished the last delicious drop.

Dishes are served family style. The starter that day was a frisée salad with croutons, lardons and hard boiled eggs with a tasty vinaigrette.

Being Wednesday, the main course offering was cassoulet. A big cassole, a conical earthenware container, glazed inside, the traditional vessel used for making cassoulet, filled to the brim with cassoulet was set in the middle of our table. The aroma which came out of that steaming dish made your mouth water.

We helped ourselves to plates of white beans, duck confit, meat and sausages in a rich tomato sauce. We all spooned second and third portions of this delicious dish on our plates.

Shirley is mostly vegetarian and the kitchen was happy to accommodate her with this tasty plate of Provençal vegetables.

When we exhausted our ability to eat anymore cassoulet, our table was cleared and a wicker platter of cheese was brought to the table for us to serve ourselves as many as we wanted to try.

Dessert choices included this chocolate mousse; and

ice cream. We finished with espressos.

As we headed back to Sablet, we passed this field with sheep. It reminds me that we must be in Provence when a Fête de la Transhumance takes place in Saint-Rémy on Pentecote Monday (50 days after Easter).

By the end of May, when there is little rainfall, the grass can no longer feed the sheep and water becomes scarce, these sheep and thousands more begin their journey towards the high mountain pastures. Today carried by truck, this trip, done by foot in the past, involved more than 10 days of walking.

At the Saint-Rémy Fête de la Transhumance, more than 3000 sheep from the Alpilles as well as goats and donkeys, accompanied by their shepherds in traditional costume along with their sheep dogs, parade twice around the boulevards that ring the old town center.

It was wonderful to meet Sherry and her husband and get the chance to try Le Bistrot du Paradou. We still have not really explored Saint-Rémy so we will return and dine at Le Bistrot du Paradou.

While it's not inexpensive to dine there, I think it's relatively good value given the quality, multiple courses, good wine and friendly service that comes with your meal. Reservations are definitely recommended, especially in high season. You may wish to check to see what will be served that day.

Le Bistrot du Paradou
57 Avenue de la Vallée des Baux
13520 Paradou
Tel: 04 90 54 32 70
No website