Le Mas de Pierre (restaurant La Table de Pierre)  

This Relais & Chateau with Provençal spirit is polishing its image of the great house among the hills of Saint-Paul. The village is close by but Emmanuel Lehrer's establishment is a universe unto itself: seven luminous bastides, olive trees, water works, vegetable garden, poultry roost, garden with sculptures from César, Sosno, Toblasse... The cooking here seems to have found new wisdom since Emmanuel Lehrer, at the advice of Michel Rostang, recentered the cuisine around a few grand principles of the region. Spiny artichoke barigoule, bacon and smoked duck magret; tagliolini and "petits gris" escargots; stuffed pig's feet tournados, long-potato froth and sage jus... illustrate this refreshingly un-chic gourmet vision. On the bistro carte as well as on the grand menu - calamari fricassee, rice, black truffle and vegetables; tender Aveyron lamb served two ways - we get back to basics after several seasons where gastronomy lost itself in the open spaces up here. The 34 Euros menu - served on the shaded terrace, in the old rotisserie room, or in summer at poolside, is even one of the good quality-price matches right now on the Cote.