Château de la Messardière Hôtel & Spa  

From the top of the hill St. Tropez might be a million miles away. Up here it's all view: sea, gulf, vines and beaches of Pampelonne, space, and sun. The 5-star managed by Alexandre Durand-Viel has updated its image and also its gastronomy. It's not arrogant at Trois Saisons, where a regional cuisine plays with consensus rather than contrast. Christian Farenasso, ex chef of the Belvedere at Porto Vecchio seems to have found the middle road that satisfies the hotel's upscale clientele. Parselied cuttlefish pan-fried à la plancha; Iberian ham and tomato-basil gaspacho; pan-fried foie gras and sauteed girolles; roasted lamb with stuffed vegetables; loup in clay crust.... It all comes from a craftsman-cook, occasionally too timid and conventional, but unquestionably dedicated to the countryside. It adds up to a wise and gourmet table in the Italo-Provençal mode expressing in tranquil luxury.