La Bastide de Saint Tropez
Since the 1950's Saint Tropez has been jet-set central, there's no place like it in the world, to-day it's a brand and although people sniff and say, “I wouldn't be seen there July and August, how come the place is always buzzing?
Last week it was Karl Lagerfeld's turn to bring the town to a standstill, he privatised the whole town centre for the presentation of his Chanel Cruise Collection2010/11. “In fact he privatised it so much, even ticket holders had a hard time getting to see the runway show”, one local commented. The street outside Sénèquier www.senequier.com the famous brasserie by the port (mind you they're all famous as in Cafe de Paris, chez Fuchs. Le Gorille) became an improvised catwalk. The St Tropez brass band provided an opening fanfare of Mungo Jerry's “In the Summertime”, and super-models (including Gerogia May Jagger looking like a teenage Brigitte Bardot) arrived in a convoy of designer decorated Rivas. The collection will be available in the brand new Chanel boutique when it opens – when? Whenever darling.
So where to go for a bit of P & Q? New hotels open and shut but La Bastide de Saint Tropez is what the French call a “valeur sȗre” - you can count on a genuine welcome, not too kissy kissy bang bang. The Mercedes is on call to collect you from Sennequier or wherever you want, and the San Lorenzo 72 super-yacht is available so you can get away from all the bling.
The hotel is owned by Jeanine and Boris-Serge Sideroff, not some big chain and it's their only hotel. “We greet guests as friends, and most of them have become so over the years”, explains general manager, FabienDelaffon. “There's always a problem because we only have 26 rooms and suites and, bien sur, everyone wants the same room at the same time, we do our best”.
This year all the rooms have been redecorated in muted tones with lush designer fabrics, furniture's been replaced with some very nice modern pieces. This week the whole Bastide was gobsmacked when an elegant gentleman arrived with his Golder Retriever dog and took the adjacent room for him! “He paid the same tarif as a person, stayed four nights”, confides Delaffon with a shrug. Delaffon's seen it all, from time spent at The Connaught, London, Chewton Glen, Michel Guérard, the Bahamas, the Champagne region. He lives close by in Cogolin with his wife Francoise, they met, guess where? In a hotel.
Kevin Altier is the new young chef in the glass and wood L'Olivier restaurant which spills onto the olive tree shaded terrace in the summer. You can also eat by the pool, or on the terrace of your room for a really romantic diner a deux.
Altier comes from the Seine et Marne region near Paris and says his grandmother's chocolate cake was the reason he became a chef. After Hotel School at Fontainbleau and various top addresses he cheffed at La Bastide for former head chef Franck Broc. “He was great to work for, but I've had a baptism of fire in some places I won't mention, they should be called the flying casserole, I had to duck out of the way a lot”, he admits. He's a disciple of Escoffier, and as such part of a group that keeps up the Master's reputation, values, teachings, but obviously with their own century 21 spins and twists, “none of your molecular”, he insists. Kevin's Spring/Summer menu is an ode to vegetables, and he thinks fish is what his clients mostly want in St. Tropez. Of course there's a fine Gigot d'Agneau et son tian d'aubergines and an excellent Côte de boeuf saisi sur le grill, sauce au vin rouge de Provence, pommes ratte et oignons grelots.
The 5-course menu, Autour des légumes du printemps is served for lunch and dinner but most eat salads, lobster club sandwiches, pasta, melon jambon with warm fresh bread, tiramisu under ivory parasols around the beautiful landscaped pool with a bottle of Château Barbeyrolles “Petale de Rose” 2009 (55€).
At night begin with Gaspacho Andalou. Then Chartreuse de poivrons confits et aubergines à la brousse de brebis. Cold sweet peppers and aubergines in a terrine, spiked with ewe's cheese and garlic. Drink ChâteauSaint-Baillon “Oppidum” 2004 (75€).and continue with a dish of Petits legumes nouveaux à la moelle de boeuf et baie de genièvre cuit comme un pot au feu. The main could be sea bass encrusted with potatoes, add crunchy fennel, tomatoes and a glass jar of citronelle and ginger sauce, it's a triumph, each flavour complements the other, a true showcase for all that's good in Mediterranean cuisine. From the dessert card the classic, but light Tarte Tatin is a must, as is the Tian de peche et sa crème légère.
Kevin doesn't roam the room in search of accolades, he's always in his kitchen. That's when he's not in Marseilles, cheering on his football team, or at home in Cogolin with the wife and kids. And where did Kevin meet the Mrs? When he was at Chateau La Messadiere where she's the receptionist. “Sends me lots of clients”, he grins. “No Messadiere's not the competition, there's room for us all, each one of us has our own style of cuisine”, he reflects.
So where to go for a bit of P & Q? New hotels open and shut but La Bastide de Saint Tropez is what the French call a “valeur sȗre” - you can count on a genuine welcome, not too kissy kissy bang bang. The Mercedes is on call to collect you from Sennequier or wherever you want, and the San Lorenzo 72 super-yacht is available so you can get away from all the bling.
The hotel is owned by Jeanine and Boris-Serge Sideroff, not some big chain and it's their only hotel. “We greet guests as friends, and most of them have become so over the years”, explains general manager, FabienDelaffon. “There's always a problem because we only have 26 rooms and suites and, bien sur, everyone wants the same room at the same time, we do our best”.
This year all the rooms have been redecorated in muted tones with lush designer fabrics, furniture's been replaced with some very nice modern pieces. This week the whole Bastide was gobsmacked when an elegant gentleman arrived with his Golder Retriever dog and took the adjacent room for him! “He paid the same tarif as a person, stayed four nights”, confides Delaffon with a shrug. Delaffon's seen it all, from time spent at The Connaught, London, Chewton Glen, Michel Guérard, the Bahamas, the Champagne region. He lives close by in Cogolin with his wife Francoise, they met, guess where? In a hotel.
Kevin Altier is the new young chef in the glass and wood L'Olivier restaurant which spills onto the olive tree shaded terrace in the summer. You can also eat by the pool, or on the terrace of your room for a really romantic diner a deux.
Altier comes from the Seine et Marne region near Paris and says his grandmother's chocolate cake was the reason he became a chef. After Hotel School at Fontainbleau and various top addresses he cheffed at La Bastide for former head chef Franck Broc. “He was great to work for, but I've had a baptism of fire in some places I won't mention, they should be called the flying casserole, I had to duck out of the way a lot”, he admits. He's a disciple of Escoffier, and as such part of a group that keeps up the Master's reputation, values, teachings, but obviously with their own century 21 spins and twists, “none of your molecular”, he insists. Kevin's Spring/Summer menu is an ode to vegetables, and he thinks fish is what his clients mostly want in St. Tropez. Of course there's a fine Gigot d'Agneau et son tian d'aubergines and an excellent Côte de boeuf saisi sur le grill, sauce au vin rouge de Provence, pommes ratte et oignons grelots.
The 5-course menu, Autour des légumes du printemps is served for lunch and dinner but most eat salads, lobster club sandwiches, pasta, melon jambon with warm fresh bread, tiramisu under ivory parasols around the beautiful landscaped pool with a bottle of Château Barbeyrolles “Petale de Rose” 2009 (55€).
At night begin with Gaspacho Andalou. Then Chartreuse de poivrons confits et aubergines à la brousse de brebis. Cold sweet peppers and aubergines in a terrine, spiked with ewe's cheese and garlic. Drink ChâteauSaint-Baillon “Oppidum” 2004 (75€).and continue with a dish of Petits legumes nouveaux à la moelle de boeuf et baie de genièvre cuit comme un pot au feu. The main could be sea bass encrusted with potatoes, add crunchy fennel, tomatoes and a glass jar of citronelle and ginger sauce, it's a triumph, each flavour complements the other, a true showcase for all that's good in Mediterranean cuisine. From the dessert card the classic, but light Tarte Tatin is a must, as is the Tian de peche et sa crème légère.
Kevin doesn't roam the room in search of accolades, he's always in his kitchen. That's when he's not in Marseilles, cheering on his football team, or at home in Cogolin with the wife and kids. And where did Kevin meet the Mrs? When he was at Chateau La Messadiere where she's the receptionist. “Sends me lots of clients”, he grins. “No Messadiere's not the competition, there's room for us all, each one of us has our own style of cuisine”, he reflects.
Juin 2010
