The restaurant is perched like an eagle’s nest on a rocky cliff edge next to the ruins of Cornillon’s medieval castle. The view from the terrace overlooking the Cèze valley is stunning. I first discovered it in 1983 when tourism in the area was just taking off and the facilities were somewhat basic. Just a few campsites. The Audibert family have since transformed the site into an 8 bedroom hotel, with a swimming pool. The restaurant, with its vast terrace and panoramic view of the Cèze Valley, does not detract from the original charm of the building which is a real architectural masterpiece.
The, now well-known, house speciality is devilled mussels. This international recipe has been the start of a long-standing friendship and I still revel in showing friends how to pull on the ‘thread’ to open these delicacies. I am at a loss for words when mopping up the juices with a fresh baguette. The other dishes are excellent too. I really like the roast lamb and lobster tail parcels with fresh basil. You can play around with the dishes as well – the stuffed mussels are served as a starter or as a main course and Madame Audibert told me last time that she even sells them ‘to take away’. |
