Dip your spoon into the Côte d’Azur

Flavours that are sophisticated, yet imbued with natural simplicity

A life-size chess set patiently awaits your next move, while slender iron ladies stand in the center of elegant fountains, caressed by the spray and the sea breeze. And of course, its namesake, the legendary golden goat, stands proudly on the rooftop to the right of the window, piqued to leap in and join the fun in the garden below.

These are the visions that dance through your head as you close your eyes to savor the canapés brought out before your first course. Airy, delicate cherry-infused mousse spheres, creamy lemon-cheese tarts and Nicoise salad, reconstructed by Arnaud Fave, the renowned head chef who earned three famous Parisian restaurants (including The Ritz hotel) their second Michelin Star. As for the first appetizer, Italian prawns arc through the dish, like dolphins diving in the sea, interspersed with vibrant circles of melon.

Getting here serves as the ideal precursor for what the day had in store. The village of Èze, coiled against the mountain like a sleeping basilisk, is situated on the sparkling Côte d’Azur not far to the east of Nice. Its alleys and streets are adorned with a terra-cotta footpath reminiscent of a medieval red carpet, leading the way through a quaint world of shingled roofs, rustic balconies and bougainvillea that spills out from behind every corner.

Vines crawl up stone walls with pastel shutters and spontaneous eruptions of birdsong join in on the uphill journey, as gold-lettered signs mark the way to your final destination.

Beneath a final stone archway adorned in a similar placard is the entrance to the magnificent hotel Château de la Chèvre d’Or, which houses the illustrious La Chèvre d’Or, a 2* Michelin Star restaurant.

And within, the main course is being served, not without the appropriate exhibition of flair. An entire pigeon, cooked to tender perfection, is brought out, filleted on the spot, plated and presented over wild mushrooms, along with the pouring of a black cardamom reduction which delights the room with its seductive aroma.

Every course so far has been accompanied by a delicious wine, recommended by the very helpful and knowledgable head sommelier, Philippe Magne, from a variety of over 15.000 options; and the sight of the grand finale is making your mouth water.

At last, dip your spoon into the rind of a freshly cut lemon. Hear its surface crack delicately, releasing a cloud of vapor that disappears instantly, like a dream, to reveal the soft, supple world of flavor within, custard and paper-thin biscuits tiered just like the gardens that can be seen from the window of La Chèvre d’Or.