CORRENS – The Most Organic Village in Provence
This past Sunday, a friend and I had been driving around La Provence Verte for hours. She is looking for property to buy around here. She wants to do organic farming. We had been checking out the territory all morning. It was 1 pm. We were starving. Because the village of Correns is all about growing organic foods we chose to try to have lunch there. The town square had two chancey looking cafés. The owner of the less chancey told us to go across the road to the Auberge du Parc and to hurry because they might close early.
From outside this hotel/restaurant looks older than dirt and maybe not too savory. But inside! It's a romantic poem. Decorated with refined taste yet not pretentious. The garden restaurant is large and was crowded with happy lunchers. The woman waiter was in such a hurry she asked us to wait for a table. We did that. She set us up in no time and brought out bread and water and a bottle of the delicious local rosé. I ordered the lunch at 30 euros. Foie gras, roast lamb and nougat glacé. The best of everything! Just the best! My friend had the organic menu. A lovely mixed salad, chicken tajine style and a special home made caramel cream in a glass. We loved it all. At the end of our meal, the rail thin chef and his rail thin wife came out to fold up cushions and get the outdoor dining room ready for the dinner crowd, I told him how impressed we were with his cuisine. He smiled a modest grin and nodded "merci". Then I said, "I have never eaten a better nougat glacé. Anywhere." He replied, "You are not the first person who has told me that." I said I understood why. He then set about telling me how he makes it. "You start with nougatine" I didn't know what nougatine was. Turns out it's crunchy like peanut brittle only instead of peanuts and sugar it's made of honey and almonds. After smashing the nougatine to smithereens, he adds all the rest of the ingredients - including "a confetti of fruits confits" (glazed fruit bits). It's crunchy and creamy and fruity honey ice cream.
Put Auberge du Parc at Correns on your bucket list. You can sleep there too. They have 5 rooms. Average room price 89 euros. ($104). Quiet. Elegant, Unostentatious and the food... And the food! And there is a lovely pool and a pretty outdoor seating area. Phone Tél : +33 (0)4.94.59.53.52 What's more? Angelina and Brad lived in Correns for a few blissful years before folding up their tent and moving on. Even though the movie stars have flown away, Correns has remained delightful, ancient, authentic Correns.
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