St-Rémy-de-Provence has the good fortune to have yet another excellent Italian restaurant, Fratelli, specializing in pizzas and pastas, and that just opened this past April.

Fratelli means “brothers” in Italian but here the term refers to several things: the Italian national anthem, often referred to as Fratelli d’Italia—“Brothers of Italy”—from its opening line; the “fraternity” of young people who make up the staff; the two brothers who work in the restaurant.

Fratelli has very Italian vibe—and no wonder, everyone working there is Italian.  It is fun from the moment you walk in the door.  I love the infectious spirit and joie de vivre of the Italians.  (Is it ok to use a very French term to describe Italians?) The waiters are friendly, warm, smiling and efficient. The lively ambiance encouraged me to break out my very rusty Italian so I could join in the fun a little more.  However the restaurant is still a bit disorganized–the guy who came in after me the first evening I ate here got his meal before I even got a glass of water—that will improve once they are open a little longer.  As usual the Italians are quite charming. (When I complained a little about the wait I got a free glass of Proseco and of Sicilian Nero d’Avola. Maybe because I was taking notes? )

The older space on a side street close to the center has been redone in a modern, chic look. The owner is Jean-Christophe Vigne, who is French-Italian and who has lived around St Rémy for 25 years. Formerly a dentist, Jean-Christophe dreamed of taking his clients on a “trip to Italy.” He has succeeded.  He has also included a terrace bar upstairs on the first floor, and offers some special fun evenings.

The food is delicious, everyone who goes there agrees. Wood-fired oven pizzas are very popular and are well-priced at around €12-14; there is a list of pizzas made daily, and they say if you are nice they might take special requests. There are 4-5 pastas at €11-16, a salad or two, eggplant parmesan, maybe a risotto, a charcuterie platter, a meat or fish dish from the wood burning oven. Lots of choices for vegetarians, fewer for real carnivores.  While some ingredients are chosen locally, most come from Italian producers:  Mozzarella di Bufala, Pecorino Romano, Parma hams, Mortadella, Parmigiano Reggiano, Gorgonzola. There are lunch specials as well.

The wine list is all Italian, ranging in price from €17 to €48; there is one white and one red by the glass for €4.

Fratelli was very crowded on the first Sunday I went there. I went back on Tuesday at 7:30 and it filled up quite fast again. This place really seems to fill a need in the area.

Fratelli is already a local hit. I consider myself quite fortunate because the restaurant is literally around the corner, less than a 1 minute walk, from my St Rémy apartment. I am sure I will soon try everything on the menu.

Open daily, 8 a.m. to 11 p.m.  but meals are served at standard French hours.

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2C Rue Roger Salengro  (Across the street from Da Peppe restaurant and the St. Rémy post office.)

Rue Roger Salengo is just off the D99A, avenue Albert Gleizes, a bit west of the middle of town.

Saint-Rémy-de-Provence

33  (0)4 90 20 82 96

Article and photos by Sharon de Rham

Cet article Fratelli – Stylish, fun and delicious new Italian restaurant in St-Rémy-de-Provence est apparu en premier sur Provence Emotional Escapes Blog.

Perfect Golf courses for your holidays in Provence Part 3: Bouches du Rhône

The department of the Bouches du Rhône in Provence englobes some of the most important cities of Provence, the  most prominent being  its capital Marseille but also Saint-Rémy-de-Provence, Arles,  Salon-de-Provence, Tarascon or Aix-en-Provence. Making it the most populous area in Provence. It is named after the mouth of the river Rhône who reaches the sea in the Camargue Delta after having gone through Lyon, Avignon and Arles. The Alpilles range borders the department making it a highly sought after  region and therefore host to  a some very interesting golf courses and exclusive vacation rentals.

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Pont Royal Golf and Country Club officially opened in 2002 although the project was completed in 1992. Designed by Seve Ballesteros, the 18 holes, par 72, 6303 m Golf course sits in a 445 acres domain and offers a challenge for players of all levels. The domain also has the Golf de la Durance,  a 6 holes, par 19, 910 m course part of the David Leadbetter academy.
“Golfers enjoy a delightful voyage between sweet-smelling pine trees, gentle hills and the sparkling water that swathes certain greens.”
The domain offers all amenities: shops, restaurants including the renowned “Moulin de Vernegues” closely linked to the creation of the domain, a swimming pool, riding lessons and tennis courts are also available.

Domaine Pont Royal is situated near the perched village of Mallemort and is only a 30 minute drive from the Avignon TGV station, placing it in an ideal location in Provence. Just Provence guests  get a discount of 30% on all green fees on the Pont Royal Golf Course.

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Golf de Servanes: opened in 1989, this 18 holes, par 72, 6161 m  Golf course is ideally situated near Les Baux de Provence in the Alpilles. The golf House is an 18th century oil mill which is host to a restaurant and conference centre. This great location in an original setting places the golfer into a truly authentic Provençal experience.
“You will enjoy taking a rest in the shade of an olive tree next to the cool, tumbling waters of the lakes between two holes.”

Golf Ouest Provence Miramas: this 18 holes, par 71, 5619 m Golf Course prides itself in a family atmosphere from the welcoming staff to the services offered and the prices they practice. The Golf House has a  restaurant and the course itself is very close to Miramas, making it easy for the non-golfing family members to visit the town while you enjoy the round.

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Should you plan on visiting any of these golf courses, you could stay in some of the most popular and exclusive destinations in Provence. Saint-Rémy de Provence, a city  boasting roman sites and a rich artistic heritage that includes Van Gogh and Provençal poet Frédéric Mistral, being the main location. The smaller and highly sought after villages of Eygalières and Lourmarin are also within half an hour’s drive from any of these courses. They offer all the amenities you would want in a typical Provençal village but also high quality vacation rentals in which to stay and experience the  local lifestyle.

You can find more information about these Golf courses on their respective websites :
www.opengolfclub.com/servanes
www.golfpontroyal.com
golfouestprovencemiramas.com

You can read part 1 of this series by clicking here.

Have you ever visited any of these courses? Would you like to comment on them or the locations mentioned in this article? We’d love to hear about your experiences. Please leave a comment or contact me at [email protected]

Dylan

Cet article Perfect Golf courses for your holidays in Provence part 3/3 est apparu en premier sur Provence Emotional Escapes Blog.