The terrace of the Colombe d’Or in the south of France is a lovely place for lunch. Arrive early and you can get a shady table under a grape arbor. It’s an ideal place to enjoy dining as theatre: Is that elegant gentleman at the center table the owner the gold Rolls- Royce outside? The hip couple by the trellis, wouldn't they make great leads in a Peter Mayle novel? And don’t look now, that quartet with the big cameras, they have to be Americans. (It’s best to keep your darkest sunglasses on while doing this.)
The Colombe d’Or was once a simple restaurant poised at the gates of the beautiful medival village of St. Paul. In the 20’s it became a gathering place for artists who traveled to the tiny hill towns towns above Nice, attracted by its wild beauty and inexpensive life-style. Owner Paul Roux befriended his guests and accepted art work from the likes of Picasso, Chagall and Bonnard, when they could not pay for their meals. Today, guests at the Colombe d’Or hotel live in bohemian luxury surrounded by Roux’s remarkable collection.
For lunch, George and I ordered what we thought was a modest Hors d’Oeuvres et sa crudités et charcuterie, one order for two. To our amazement, the waiter began delivering this starter course as if it were a full meal. First came a serving of rich, garlicy hard sausages sliced at the table. Then a still-life perfect basket of fresh vegetables arrived. In a final lavish display 17 small dishes, each containing a tasty salad of cooked vegetables, grains, beans or fish was crowded onto what space remained, and a small side table was pulled up to accommodate the rest.
People-watching was forgotten as we hungrily worked our way through this array of intriguing flavors occasionally mopping up a sauce with crusty country bread and washing it all down with a carafe of the house red wine. When we looked up, there were vegetable baskets on most other tables too.
Even the coffee service that followed was an indulgence. Our espressos arrived with elegant swizzle-sticks of dark chocolate and a thimble of the house marc flavored with mandarin.
I plan to return to Colombe d’Or this October, and you’re invited to join me. Limited availability remains for the October 4 – 14 trip, La Belle Vie. Here’s the link for more information:
