Restaurant Review: Le Clair de la Plume, Grignan
Dominated by the magnificent château where Madame de Sévigné penned her famous letters recounting the life of the local aristocracy, Grignan is one of the loveliest towns in France. It’s located between Avignon and Valence in the Drôme Provençale, making it an ideal stopping place when travelling north-south on the N7 autoroute, a wonderful weekend destination from Paris, Lyon, Marseille and other cities, or a fine choice for a longer break, with much to see and do.
Wanting a break in April, we booked at the delightful Le Clair de la Plume hotel, which has a Michelin-starred restaurant and is located next to the town’s surprisingly elegant old lavoir (a public place set aside for the washing of clothing until machines made this a private activity).
The hotel’s menu is signed by Michelin three-star chef Glenn Viel, of L’Oustau de Baumanière in Les Baux-de-Provence, and executed by Benjamin Reilhes and exceptionally talented pastry chef Cédric Perret. The dining room occupies a glassed-in veranda overlooking handsome gardens, and it proposes four different tasting menus of three, five, seven and nine courses. At noon, we chose the five-course menu and had an outstanding meal. We especially liked the barbecued trout with peas, fava beans and asparagus, while the lamb from the Alpilles with Provençal-style tacos filled with vegetables was memorably succulent. The citrus brightness of a dessert entitled ‘Lemon Tree’ concluded a meal that celebrated the produce and gastronomic heritage of Provence. Also worth knowing: Grignan is this year celebrating the 400th anniversary of Madame de Sévigné’s birth with a programme of events (www.dromeprovencal.fr).
2 Place du Mail, Grignan, +33 04 75 00 01 01,
Lead photo credit : The team at Le Clair de la Plume serve exquisite cuisine, all watched over by the Château de Grignan
