Le Relais des Moines

Nestling amid the greenery, this gorgeous 16C bastide looks out over the Massif des Maures and the picturesque village of Arc-sur-Argens. The son of restaurateurs from the South-West, Sébastien Sanjou has set up shop in the Var, where his early endeavours were supported by Jacques Maximin and Alain Ducasse. This native of Tarbes is savvily making the Mediterranean terroir his own, cultivating, for example, an exceptional partnership with market gardener Philippe Auda. Wonderfully ripe and juicy tomatoes, served with a basil sorbet and burrata and seasoned with olive oil and Baume de Bouteville vinegar, make for a fantastically sunny starter. This is typical of his cuisine: colourful and imaginative, with, at the heart of each dish, a wonderful ingredient that has been carefully prepared with respect for its original flavour.

• A 16th-century bastide tucked into vegetation, with views to the Massif des Maures and the village of Arc-sur-Argens.
• Chef Sébastien Sanjou, raised in a restaurateur family in the South-West, built his cooking around Mediterranean terroir after moving to the Var.
• Close relationships with local producers are part of the house identity, including a named market gardener.

Signature Ingredients

• Ripe tomatoes
• Basil (including a basil sorbet)
• Burrata
• Olive oil
• Bouteville balsamic (baume de Bouteville)

Setting and approach

• A modern, product-first kitchen rooted in Provençal and Mediterranean produce, served in a 16th-century bastide surrounded by greenery.
• Plates put a single headline ingredient at the centre, then build colour and acidity around it.