La Campagne De Petre - Entrevennes

That was my 4th time to eat here. I've always seen it as the best restaurants in this area. This time was quite a change. At first I surprised to see that the cook was almost always visited from the kitchen with the guests? ... This can explain the results. The service was moderate and badly informed. But the worst thing was that the dishes were very expensive and not well prepared. Two of us ordered the Lamb's lodge. The pieces were bigger than expected... more like Mutton. They were completely overcooked and resembled a “braked” rural style preparation. No pink, very brown. A real shocker! I also ordered the Ceviche, had it before and loved it. This time the pre-station was conventional and extremely salty. Another disappointment. My date ordered the duck and it was also completely overcooked. A brown piece of meat. Both dishes lacked appropriate taste. It was her third time to eat in this place. When we left, she commented “Well, we don’t have to go there anymore”. The restaurant is nice, but the kitchen has unfortunately taken a negative curve.

A hidden gem, a secret treasure this restaurant is. On top of a hill in the middle of nowhere you'll find this first class restaurant. Beautiful dishes, honest food, excellent prepared. Hospitality at it s best. We went to the restaurant twice and both lunches...we sat down for a three course meal with wines for the entree and the main courses. Different choices per day of course and they were all good! The combination with the wines perfect. You're in for treat at La Campagne de Petre. And you don't get there easy. Driving up the hill on a rough road. But once you're there, start enjoying the food, the wine, the views but also it's lovely people that are running this restaurant with a personal touch! And their personal touch is part of what a hidden gem makes so special. So don't come here (all at once ; John Flierman Amsterdam

Yes, it's out-of-the-way, but it's well worth the trip! All it takes is go thru Brunet north of Valensole, turn left passed the river, and follow the signs. Expect 30 minutes from Valensole. It's a brand new building built in the typical Provençal style. Magnificent...view from a large terrasse. The cuisine is outstanding, made with quality products and the dishes (prawns, and veal medallions) were flavorful. Did I mention the two adorable dogs? The staff was friendly and fun. Get in 1st gear and head for Campagne de Petre!

My French friends, who have a house near here, warned me they would be taking me to a place that was virtually impossible to find without knowing it was there, but that the food was excellent. And in fact we went through some winding roads...to get uphill to what turned out to be a large and elegant space, but yes in the middle of absolutely nothing else. Why the original restaurant (and hotel) was built here is beyond me, except that I 'm told the view from the terrace is stupendous in warmer weather. We went inside, past two ENORMOUS but well-behaved dogs (dog lovers may want to visit just to see them) lazily laid out on their pads near the door and into a slightly old-fashioned but spacious and tasteful dining room. It was a little empty when we first arrived but filled up pretty quickly. I 've honestly forgotten (two weeks later) what I had, but it was excellent, though I was jealous of my friend 's souris d 'agneau which turned out to be a handsome piece of meat on the bone. The menus are on large blackboards (common in Paris) too which they set up by your table. The prices were certainly way below what I would have expected for a similar place in Paris. Given its location, the place won 't get a lot of foot traffic and I don 't know how many people actually visit this lavender-rich region (except when the lavender is in bloom), but if you 're anywhere near here, you probably want to make this part of your trip.

We tumbled on this gem out of pure coincidence. It has to really be one of the best restaurants in France, hidden away in between gorgeous fields of lavender. Make the extra effort, go up the gravel road and let yourself be surprised by the...magnificence. Not only of the food, but the kindness of the people, the view, the swimming pool (bring your togs! . Thank you Richard and Sylvie