Provence in July has the special quality of making one feel as if time is suspended and the air will forever give summer. One of the most special spots to linger and enjoy a meal is on the terrace at the Domaine de Fontenille. The domaine's less formal restaurant, La Cuisine d'Amélie is a pure gem. The domaine is a beautiful 18th century bastide - framed by cypress trees, formal gardens and long rows of vines - stretching all the way to the horizon. Tucked just behind the manor, in the dappled shade of hundred-year-old plane trees, sits La Cuisine d'Amélie - a restaurant that feels like the essence of summer.
A meal at La Cuisine d'Amélie is an experience of softness and light. Tables are spread graciously under the trees on the terrace, the circular fountain sings softly in the background and cicadas serenade all. The terrace opens onto a sweeping lawn, bordered by a sumptuous garden. A meal is a summer ritual here - unhurried, in the rhythm of Provence.
The restaurant pays tribute to the family's grandmother, Amélie - and the elegance of the experience is layered with familial warmth. The menu changes with the clip of the garden. Every dish is sourced locally, much from the estate's organic kithcen garden. The service is gracious, linens simple, beautiful and thoughtfully done.
A meal (or a stay) here is Provençal summer at its most generous. Sunset, wine, laughter and the joy of an elegant, unhurried meal on the terrace.
