Yesterday we began our adventures with a visit to a gorgeous winery very close to St. Remy. Domaine Valdition must be a corporate winery rather than family owned, as it was very grand. They grow olives as well as grapes and make their own olive oil. I tasted it and it was great, but their only sized bottle was too big. We did buy a bottle of rose and one of red. I am enjoying the rose as I type, and I can attest to its deliciousness.
From there we drove to Arles, a nice little town where Vincent Van Gogh used to hang out and paint. We took a little self-guided walking tour that led us to several places he had painted. We also admired a Roman arena (does every town in Provence have one?) and drank some wine.
When Mark and I were in Provence in 2007 we had a memorable meal at a farmhouse restaurant in the middle of nowhere. We got very lost on the way (remember, kids, this was the days before GPS or iPad maps) but the adventure made the meal even more special. Mark suggested that we go there again on this trip, which is where we headed after our afternoon in Arles. We stopped along the way to enjoy the sunset.
I don’t know how anyone could miss this sign for Chez Bob, do you?
AND it was in a field, with nothing but grass around it…
driveway -almost there!
cooking fires were already heating up
Chez Bob has been open since 1971 or so. Bob has passed on, but the current owner, Jean Guy, was his best friend and now owns the place. His wife and her sister handle the tables and the kitchen, and he cooks the meat on the outside fires. We and a table of three were the only ones in the place that night.
our table
This basket of veggies was on our table, for us to eat as we wished. We even found some boiled eggs and some cooked fingerling potatoes in there!
potatoes in a gorgeous copper skillet accompanied our entrees
Jean-Guy offered us duck confit, duck magret, lamb, pork, or bull. We did the final four. I was glad I hadn’t completely given up meat. My duck was delicious.
Mark’s pork
Quack
Sadly, our pictures of the restaurant didn’t come out very well. It was quite dark and we only had iPhones. This zinc bar was much more wonderful than this picture of it.
Not pictured were the delicious bread and heavenly cheese plate, followed by the plates of very cold and lightly sugared strawberries, raspberries, and red grapes. So good.
Getting home was almost easy, except that we were all too full.
If you are in Provence and have a GPS and are not vegetarian, check out Chez Bob. You will never forget it. Really.
Mais Oui Paris 
I always enjoy your posts and pictures. LOVE the picture of you and Mark.
Living the life!
What an amazing place. We visited Arles for a day a couple of years back on the bus from Nimes. The hotel guy recommended it. I have always wanted to go and stay there.
What’s your translation of “fingerling potatoes”?
Love Denise
Hey Denise! At home, we call the small potatoes that are long and skinny “fingerling” potatoes, as opposed to the little round ones, which are “new” or “red” potatoes.
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