Explore Provence Like A Local

It’s one of the first things you notice about Vista even before you order: Everything on the table, from the handmade pottery and glassware to the chunky steel salt-and-pepper shakers, is surprising, delightful and perfect for the restaurant. For that you can thank Vincent, whose passion for what the French call “l’art de la table” extends to equally passionate local artisans. A self-guided shopping tour might start at Poterie Ravel (8 Avenue des Goums, Aubagne; +33-4-42-82-42-00) in Aubagne and take in decorative ceramics at Atelier Buffile (2 bis Traverse de l'Aigle d'Or,Aix-en- Provence; +33-6-99-93-14-26) in Aix-en-Provence, La Verrerie de Biot (5 Chemin des Combes, Biot; +33-4-93-65-03-00) for glassware, and Dubosq & Fils (4 Grand'Rue, Tourrettes-sur-Loup; +33-6-24-34-29-35) in Tourrettes sur Loup for olive wood.

Ariel, at the market in Saint-Tropez (Place des Lices), does not suffer unfresh fish gladly: “If it’s not still moving, she won’t sell it,” says Vincent of his favorite fishmonger. So it’s a good thing that her husband and son are just as passionate about catching fish and seafood as she is about selling it – and as Vincent is about having perfect local langoustines to serve at Lily of the Valley. Guests are cordially invited to set their alarms for 3 a.m. and join the fishermen, and Vincent, for a pre-dawn expedition, with a langoustine lunch as the reward. “It may not be for everyone,” Vincent says with a laugh. “But seeing where your food comes from, and meeting the people who produce it, is very special.”

Yann Ménard runs La Piboule (148 Route du pont de Vinaigre, Cogolin; +33-6-58-58-51-84), an organic garden in nearby Cogolin, and he is Vincent’s go-to guy for fresh vegetables, salad greens and herbs for Lily of the Valley’s kitchen. Yann gardens barefoot – he says he “feels the earth better that way,” Vincent says – and during the spring and summer season he welcomes Lily of the Valley guests to join him and Vincent in gathering the day’s harvest, which go onto the menu at Vista in signature dishes like the Lily Salad. “When your cuisine is based on the quality of the ingredients, those ingredients have to be perfect,” Vincent says. “If they are from Yann’s garden, I know they are.”

Provence is known for its light rosé wines, made to be enjoyed young and cold during the long, hot summer. But Provençal cuisine has a wintry side as well, which pairs better with robust reds and fruity whites. Vincent likes Lily of the Valley’s guests to discover the full range of terroir from local wineries, including two neighbors in La Croix-Valmer: La Madrague (Boulevard de Gigaro, La Croix-Valmer; +33-4-94-49-04-54) makes a lovely red, the Cuvée César, and the Chateau de Chausse (Rue Frédéric Mistral, La Croix-Valmer; +33-4-94-79-60-57) is known for its vermentino.

Even a passionate chef has to get away from the kitchen once in a while. Vincent likes to clear his head and stretch his legs with long walks along the shore and in the spectacular hills around Lily of the Valley. “The shore walk can start at Gigaro beach and go all the way to the Old Lighthouse, with beautiful views of the coast,” he says. “I often picnic there with my children.” Vincent also likes the Chemin de Collebasse, in the back country. “I go there often in February/March to gather wild asparagus,” Vincent says. “I know a couple of spots that make for a nice day’s walk and a nice evening’s omelette!”