At a petrol station in Bollène, we asked a young man who was filling up his car next to us if he could recommend a local restaurant. He was very friendly and directed us straight away to the neighbouring town of Saint-Paul-Trois-Châteaux, to a magnificent old house and Relais & Châteaux "La Villa Augusta" owned by David Mollicone and his family. Thank you, Antoine Salgado!
And so it was, a little later on, that we were sitting inside this calm oasis, far from the noise of the road, a glass of champagne in hand, studying the menu. David Mollicone got our taste buds tingling just with the first appetizer. Time for a cigarette maybe before taking our places in the restaurant which overlooks a winter garden? The view of this marvellous ornamental garden with its trees, pond, swimming pool, numerous comfortable seats, is pure delight. Unfortunately, the weather wasn't very good at the beginning of April. In between the cheese course and dessert, we took another cigarette break to make the most of this enchanting garden.
Priscilla Mollicone herself led us to our table which was soberly decorated, not just in terms of colour but also the furniture, so as not to distract from the magnificence of the garden. The second appetizer got our appetites going even more and the accompanying Viognier was excellent. We opted for the 3-course menu because we liked all the dishes, each one lovingly explained to us. David Mollicone, a charming man, went round each table wishing his guests an enjoyable meal. After a remarkable selection of cheeses accompanied by a good Cairanne, I was also impressed by the originality of the desserts elaborated on themes of tea or chocolate. We spent 3 or 4 hours indulging ourselves. I would like to discover Provence throughout the seasons here. On the plate and in the cheerful design of this completely unique garden.
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