You’ve got to climb up to the top of the Col de la Couillole in the Parc du Mercantour if you want to reach Auberge Quintessence’s huge chalet. There’s a cozy lounge-bar area and a restaurant with huge floor-to-ceiling windows and wow-inducing views! The neo-innkeepers? Pauline and Christophe Billau, the chef, who collects herbs from the mountains and explores the local terroir looking for the best of the best – Terre de Toine poultry from Pierlas, trout from the Écrins farm in Châteauroux-les-Alpes, olive oil from Jean-Pierre Tichadou in Falicon… The night we went: a plump zucchini blossom stuffed with brousse cheese from the Ferme de la Ribière; a perfectly prepared trout from Le Cians marinated in juniper berries, citrus from the Domaine du Jasson, fermented vegetables and a sorrel coulis; roasted pigeon supreme and pigeon leg confit from Racan that was incredibly tender, with smoked beetroot from the Lavancia farm in Puget-Théniers; cheeses from Maryse in Beuil and Didier Gastaud in Saint-Antonin; apricots from Volonne and almonds from Valence prepared like a contemporary vacherin to round out the meal. // L.S.
FEELING THIRSTY? A Saint-Véran Clos de la Boisserolle (€9.50 a glass), Rebelle, a rare Cornas from David Reynaud (€68 a bottle), and local options like a Bellet blanc from the Clos Saint Vincent (€46) or the Cuvée Longo Maï red from Georges Rasse in Saint-Jeannet (€54).
PRICE: Set menus €67.
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