Lunch Specials, Perfume, and Surprises on the Côte d’Azur
On France’s glamorous Riviera, you don’t always need a reservation — but it helps!
I’d cancelled my dinner reservation the night before, and I wasn’t sure if I dared ask for a last-minute lunch spot — or if my wallet could stand to take the hit.
Spending the weekend at one of the chicest spots along the French Riviera had been an eye-opening experience. First off, many of the stereotypes were indeed true. I’d seen them and lived them over the three days I spent in Villefranche-sur-Mer — a cozy, elegant town adjacent to bustling, rock-’n’-rollin’ Nice, France.
There were the multi-level yachts sailing in and out of Villefranche’s turquoise bay, Chanel-sunglass-clad French gentlemen and ladies, and the sports cars that might make James Bond blush.
Then there were the cafés and restaurants — one more gleaming and polished than the next.
The air was as rarified as the three-course menu prices — around €59 for a starter, main dish, and dessert. Of course, the food quality was top notch and might fetch double that price in the U.S., but those are high numbers for a meal out in France.
For those on a budget, you could opt to just get a main dish (€19–€26), but then you’re missing out on the full French lunch experience, which is, admittedly, pretty awesome.
Not only is the quality of the products exceptional (French cooking relies heavily on delicately elaborated sauces), but you’re in for a real sensory treat. You can stay as long as you like (1.5 to 2 hours is my average), and you’ll be treated like royalty.
Outside the gimmicky tourist outfits (avoid places where the menu is translated into English!), the stereotype of the snobby, uptight French waiter is just that… a stereotype.
It must be acknowledged that the French themselves are the harshest critics when it comes to service (surprise, surprise!), so if a restaurant, a gourmet restaurant, hopes to survive in the competitive food landscape that is France, good customer service is the baseline.
If a server is rude or even inattentive, French folks simply won’t return. The number of bistros, restaurants, gastro-pubs, and food halls in France will make your head spin!
Choice is everywhere, and the customer is roi (king).
So, it was this état d’esprit (spirit) that I accepted the three-course price (coming in at €61, sans vino) in Villefranche-sur-Mer at Mayssa Beach restaurant, which did include excellent service and waterfront views of the sparkling bay below.
I splashed out on one more lunch on my trip before deciding to call it quits. With my stomach full and my (gourmet) heart happy, I cancelled a dinner reservation in Beaulieu-sur-Mer, another well-heeled Côte d’Azur hamlet sandwiched between Villefranche and Monaco.
Staying in for the evening at my hotel (La Regence), I plotted my plans for my final day along the coast. Would I venture to a hilltop village, or try a tour at the fabled perfume factory Fragonard?
The perfume factory won out, and I spent a heady morning testing scents endemic to the French Riviera — orange blossom, mimosa, jasmine, lemon… and of course, lavender.
The morning went by in a flash and as lunchtime hit, I thought… well, you only live once, so what about heading to La Table de La Réserve restaurant in Beaulieu anyway?
It was the middle of March, the winds were whipping up a bit, and after a thoroughly sunny Friday and Saturday, a few raindrops started to fall. I couldn’t think of a better time to slip into a French restaurant and enjoy even just one dish.
I arrived at around 11:50 a.m. to find one table occupied — the rest of the restaurant was empty. Although I was offered a friendly “Bonjour” as I opened the door, the maître d’ looked quite incredulous when I told him I hadn’t reserved.
“This is going to be tough, Madame, quite tough. I can squeeze you in, but you’ll have to leave by 1:30 and no later. I have a reservation right behind you at 2:00.”
I inwardly chuckled to myself. Tough? There wasn’t a soul on the streets with the funky weather, and at almost 12 p.m., no one was in the restaurant. Even so, I was quite sure I could finish my meal in an hour and a half.
These French!
Well, the joke was on me… because 15 minutes later, La Réserve was completely full — not a free seat in the house. And with good reason.
The set menu price for lunch was €28, and it was a doozy.
“Even for today?” I asked my waiter (the same maître d’). Lunch specials like those, not totally rare but also not very common, are usually offered Monday to Friday only.
It was fall-on-the-floor good. I sat next to the open kitchen where I watched the sous chefs dress beautiful plate after beautiful plate. My starter of sea bass carpaccio was a work of art, and my pork filet mignon with a mushroom reduction sauce and creamy pearled pasta rivaled any of the best meals I’ve had in France.
For dessert, the homemade chocolate mousse came with a delicate sprinkle of pistachio-cookie crumble… to die for!
I chose a glass of local rosé to round out the meal for €8.
I looked around the dining room at all the happy, smiling (satisfied!) faces and felt like we were all sharing a special moment together.
It certainly wouldn’t be my last lunch at La Table de La Réserve, but I would definitely remember to call ahead.
— Tuula Rampont, IL France Correspondent
Want to See What Life Is Really Like in Villefranche-sur-Mer?
If this sun-soaked lunch along the Côte d’Azur stirred something in you, whether it’s a craving for French cuisine, a slower pace of life, or the chance to live in a postcard-perfect seaside town, then you’ll want to explore more. In her full report, Tuula dives deep into what it’s like to live in Villefranche-sur-Mer, France.
From the cost of renting an apartment to tips on navigating local markets, community life, and the perks of being based just minutes from Nice, this guide gives you everything you need to imagine (and maybe even plan) a life in this stunning Riviera gem.