La Colombe D'or Restaurant: A South of France feast for the senses

I feel a sense of absolute joy even looking at the photo of the sign for this restaurant. Reminding me of the most delicious day at this iconic delight in the hills near Nice.

La Colombe D’or. It’s a thing and it’s been a thing for over a hundred years.

The restaurant itself is literally a small house, opening onto a gorgeous terrace with a magnificent fig tree. It is still owned by the same family ( the Roux family) that started this little “B&B” after WW1.

Monsieur Roux, returned from the war, and bought and opened this little place in the gorgeous town of St. Paul de Vence. Now, coincidentally, this was the time lots of artists and writers who had fled Paris during the war ended up down here in the South of France. A fabulous little inn with home cooking was just what they were after.

Mr Roux had a bit of a keen eye for art and befriended many of these artists. He gave free board or lunches and dinner on the house, for a sketch or piece of their art in return. Philanthropic really. These artists just happened to be Matisse, Chagall and Picasso to name a few.

This little “B&B” and the family kept those “sketches” and is now the most valuable private art collection in the world. All in the most casual, provincial, beautiful setting. You can literally imagine where Picasso sat and ate his simple lunch, washed down with a glass or two of local rose on the gorgeous terrace.Which is exactly what we did. ☀️

The menu is still simple, Provençal cooking. Light, vegetable driven and unfussy. Not gourmet by any stretch. But dappled sunlight, Provençal views, crisp dry Rose on tap (recommend the Domaine Ott) and the century of previous diners and their art welcoming you to the Colombe D’or family. I challenge you to a more delightful afternoon.

Your fellow diners are art lovers, long lunch afficionados and the odd celeb trying to go low key. Don’t expect Mich star dining but the whole experience is definitely one to add to the list.

Dreamy. A true feast for the senses. #colombedor#stpauldevence#mythical

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