Top 5 in Arles

• Sleep well: Les Cabanettes

In the heart of the Camargue, this little architectural gem is a perfect alternative to the traditional Provencal mas that dot the region. Designed in the 1960s by Nîmes architect Armand Pellier on the initiative of the owners at the time, Louise and Marc Bert, this hotel was inspired by Californian motels and the architecture of Frank Lloyd Wright. It was also designed for travelers in transit, this time to Spain or the Côte d'Azur. The result? Superb modernist architecture with 2 half-moon buildings housing 29 ultra-bright rooms decorated with sixties furniture. The nearby restaurant has retained its retro feel (olive wood, bull hide-covered armchairs), reflecting the intention to anchor the place in its geography. A secret nugget, arty and deliciously old-fashioned, not to be missed!

https:// www.lescabanettes.com/

• Top table: La Chassagnette

With the reopening of this magical farmhouse in the heart of the Camargue countryside, Armand Arnal and his team seem to have rediscovered their enthusiasm for quality, made-to-measure dishes. In this ideal setting for creating and living with nature, this product enthusiast, always in tune with the cycles and seasons, gives the best and the right taste while personalizing each plate. The pineapple tomato upside down with shiso is at its peak of ripeness in a highly inventive version, as is the "burnt" eggplant with basil and shiso.Costières pigeon with roasted corn flame and wild blackberry, red and yellow plums with a delicate fermented plum sorbet. All this in an often brilliant sequence that plunges diners into a Camargue evening as unexpected as it is charming, in the beautiful setting of a well-decorated mas de gardian. Interesting wine list, featuring top wines from nearby appellations, particularly Les Baux.

2 toques, 14/20

https:// chassagnette.fr

• Hottest table: Chardon

The resident chefs who spend time at this trendy spot in the ancient city generally have one thing in common: they're good. So, without getting too ahead of ourselves, we can award a toque to this establishment, which may not have any real direction, but which delights visitors ready to discover new flavors. With Justine Pruvot this year, from the Bonne Aventure restaurant in Saint-Ouen, the sardines in fig leaf sauce with burnt lemon, zucchini and lime barbecue, like the eggplant marinated in miso with almond and lemon condiment, fully justified the toque.

1 toque, 12/20

http://h ellochardon.com/

• Most disruptive table: Le Greenstronome

Jean-Luc Rabanel has once again broken the rules. An adept of total freedom, this philosopher-cook calls himself an innkeeper, proposing dishes that are close to his land, to nature, to the living, which he favors today to the detriment of all other considerations of the gastronomic establishment. Not only does the lion still roar, but he's becoming increasingly unclassifiable. On his menus, the creator, the artist, comes up with dazzling dishes, such as Carteau mussels wrapped in strips of cucumber with smoked rice vinegar, ajo blanco Catalan garlic fresh almonds and mussel sorbet. A dehydrated, roasted watermelon topped with a fillet of snacked red mullet, samphire and trumpet shells, which he combines with a watermelon squeeze.he combines with a watermelon compression with Espelette pepper, Pata Negra emulsion and red mullet-infused jus. Or, in the spirit of gazpacho, a Zebra tomato confit with star anise, orange jelly, vanilla black olives and tomato juice. What hasn't changed is this thirst for sharing and the tasty verve of this extraordinary chef, who always surprises and enthralls us. A remarkable cellar, remarkably animated by young, motivated sommeliers, who unearth everything that's good, especially in the South.

https:// www.rabanel.com/le-restaurant-l-atelier.html

• A little gourmet pleasure: Pâtisserie-Chocolaterie Masaki Yamamoto

You can tell a gourmet town by whether or not it has a Japanese patisserie. This is the case in Arles with Masaki Yamamoto, who offers rather classic cakes, all lightness and finesse, with mont-blanc, Caraïbe, millefeuille, Tatin or tarte citron praliné, but also, inspired by his culture, "Perles d'ambre", with puffed black rice, or Taiwan, with oolong tea.

https:// www.masakiyamamotoarles.com/