I had a plan to show you a French restaurant that the gigant of French gastronomy - the French car tyre company - marked with a star. The restaurant La Vielle Fontaine looked ideal for my purposes - that is, until I learned that they are off for holidays until the next week after I am through.

Damn and blast.

So here is your consolation prize then.

After leaving Charleville-Meziers on Friday morning, I found I had enough time not only to stop by Chalons-en-Champagne and Epernay, but also to stop by the Parc des Nations before moving on to Parc des Princes.
So here is the dinner that was supposed to be last week Saturday, but as a late lunch this week Friday.


Happy to see sponsorship of Rona glassware. It’s no Josephinen, but it’s a respectable brand.

Starter - buckwheat salat with marinated beetroot, root vegetables and a local smoked cheese

Main - fillet of zander, pea purée, vegetables, beurre blanc

Dessert - Forest fruit strudel with vanilla cream


The complete prix fixe menu with drink (choice of a glass of wine, beer or lemonade) plus water cost 40 EUR. Which I think is more than fair, and I was glad to see the Slovak gastronomy being presented in such a positive light in Paris of all places. And as I have seen, the Slovak restaurant is pretty popular with visitors.


After that, and a great football match, a night in the suburbs and a very long drive, I ended up in Avignon.

The original hope was, as I mentioned, to visit the start restaurant La Vielle Fontaine. That could not happen, so instead I ended up in Avenio, still very good, a Bib Gourmand holder.

Not as traditional French as I would have originally hoped, but enjoyable nonetheless.


Ceviche of tuna for a starter, very very nice

For the following course, I was presented with two options for the wine pairing by the sommelier, and being that I was in the papal city of Avignon, I decided to go with the Chateauneuf du Pape, and it was the right choice. One of the best wines I have ever had. Looking back, Vivino rating 4.2… I’d go even a bit higher. Highlight of my evening.

Main in this menu was Iberico pork, prepared sous vice, on bed of sweet potato purée, with seasonal vegetables

For the dessert, I went with a cheese platter, very enjoyable with the chutney. Particularly I enjoyed the aged soft cheese that is last on the picture going counterclockwise.

Prix fixe menu of 39 EUR, two glasses of wine at some 10-12 euros each.

I would say that this restaurant is one more proof that it is indeed still possible to find very good gastronomy in France for a reasonable price, if you know where to look for. Granted it was not a multi-course tasting experience, but every single bite of the food was excellent, not to mention the service. I will be back, the only question is, when.
(For comparison, the starred restaurant I was originally planning for was also quite affordable if a bit more expensive at 54 for the three course prix fixe and ~15 per glass of wine.)

I am afraid this concludes the French section of the report - I am currently down south in Cannes, and the restaurants I looked at are closed while I am here (leaving Monday for Italy.) Unless something unexpected happens, I will come back with a comparison of a starred dinner in Ljubljana, and that will be it.