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At
the house
We
have a full size outdoor ping pong table which is great fun no matter
how good you are. We also have a badminton set and boules, and of
course a hammock for the less energetic.
 Sports:
provencebeyond
Hiking/walking
There are loads of spectacular walks in the area, from the grande
randonnee that passes through Bauduen to well-marked circular walks.
Maps and guide books are available at the house
hiking
Gorges du Verdon
Swimming
The fresh water Lac de Sainte-Croix is a five-minute walk away.
St
Croix
Canoeing/boating/rafting/pedalo/sailing/windsurfing
Canoes and other watersports are available to hire from various
points around the Lac de Sainte Croix including Bauduen and Aiguines.
St
Croix
Verdon
rafting
 sailing
Tennis
There are two tennis courts in Bauduen. They are normally unlocked
and you can book at the Mairie's office in the village, though often
you can just turn up and there is no-one there.
Cycling
You might need to be fit as there are some steep hills around! There
are marked cycle routes within ten minutes of the house. Bikes can
be hired in Aups.
cycling
 Horse
riding
There is a riding centre near the village of Ste-Croix-de-Verdon.
Other riding stables are located at Moustiers-Ste-Marie and at the
Château de Chanteraine near Les Salles-sur-Verdon on the eastern
side of the lake. There are many riding trails in the area, including
one that follows the GR99 hiking trail along the southeastern side
of the lake, accessed from Bauduen.
horse riding
Bungee
jumping
This is available at Comps-sur-Artuby on the south rim of the Gorges
du Verdon bungee
jumping
Golf
There is a mini golf course at Aiguines and a range of other courses
in the region.
golf
Fishing
You can fish in the Lac de Sainte-Croix or other nearby lakes and
rivers. You may need to check with the Mairie or ask in the local
bar, if you need a fishing permit.
fishing
Shopping
Local markets
There is a small weekly market in Bauduen on Sundays in the parking
area. Otherwise there is a sizeable market in Aups on Wednesdays
and Saturdays with the usual bowls of marinated olives, cheese,
paté, colourful cloth, vegetables, fish and roasted chickens. Other
nearby markets include: Castellane - every Saturday and 2nd Sunday;
Lorgues - daily with a large one on Tuesdays; Riez - an artisans
market on 1st Sunday.
markets
Supermarkets
Casino in the square at Aups or Intermarché on the D22 road out
of Aups.
 Eating
out
This
is a selection of local restaurants with some recommendations from
friends and family - we haven't eaten in all of them!
Bauduen
The hotel restaurant is the smartest, with a delicious fish soup.
There is a good cafe/restaurant, called Cafe du Midi (pictured)
with changing menus and tables overlooking the lake. There is also
a lively restaurant, called Le Bouchon, which has excellent pizzas,
crepes and salads and a friendly atmosphere.
Aups
Plenty of restaurants to try, ranging from pizzas, vegetarian, and
smartish hotel restaurants. Restaurant des Gourmets - 04 94 70 14
97
Tourtour
Several restaurants and cafés with lovely views.
L'Amandier - 04 94 70 56 64 Good views, delicate food but a bit
pricey.
La Farigoulette- 04 94 70 57 37 Café on the right as you go in through
the one-way system, has a terrace overlooking the view. It is cheap
and cheerful.
Les Chênes Verts - 04 94 70 55 06 Restaurant perched on the side
of the mountain, good food, pricey, nice views, fairly sophisticated
but friendly.
La Bastide de Tourtour is worth a visit if you want a grand hotel
experience with lovely gardens, good food and views - for some reason
not in the telephone book, but no doubt in the Michelin guide.
Fox
Amphoux
Auberge du Vieux Fox 04 94 80 71 69 Restaurant in small, medieval
village with good food and lovely views.
Restaurant
Chez Jean- 04 94 80 70 76 Small bar restaurant on the route Monmeyan,
opposite La Poste. Good reasonable menu and lots of local colour!
Villecroze
Another medieval village with vineyards to visit and three restaurants
in the square.
L'Annexe,
which has a good atmosphere and reasonable menu - 04 94 70 67 39
La
Cascade - 04 94 70 66 92 - very good food, reasonable prices and
cheerful service, but basic décor and a bit noisy with traffic from
the main road.
Le
Colombier - 04 94 70 63 23 Sophisticated, with a terrace, good food
but pricey, on the way out of Villecroze, near a good pottery shop
- Poterie du Soleil.
Les
Esparrus - 04 94 70 63 19 On the main road from Salernes to Draguignan
- large hotel restaurant with some good menus, terrace, good friendly
service.
Lorgues
Saint Lambert Privilege - 04 94 73 98 87 Apparently a good menu,
recommended but not yet tried by us.
Chez
Bruno - 04 94 85 93 93 If you like truffles and meat and don't mind
your menu being chosen for you by the chef, this is a very good
restaurant in lovely surroundings. Some customers fly in by helicopter
from the coast for this gastronomic experience!
Les
Arcs
Le Logis du Guetteur - 04 94 04 99 51 10 Good menu, bit pricey for
the town, interesting wines.
Salernes
La Fontaine - 04 94 70 66 73 Good food and service.
Le
Vieux Soufflet - 04 94 70 72 72 On the road from Salernes to Draguignan.
Very good food, reasonable menu, but best either on the terrace
or inside if there are many in your party, as the interior is a
bit barn like.
L'Etoile
du Sud - 04 94 70 76 39 On the way out of Salernes, route d'Entrecasteaux,
a Moroccan tented restaurant in the middle of nowhere, but well
sign posted. Fun atmosphere and lots to eat and drink for a reasonable
price if you like Moroccan food and don't mind sitting on squashy
cushions. Booking recommended.
Sillans-la-Cascade
Very small medieval village with its own château selling paintings,
pottery and lots of gifts in leather etc. Work up an appetite by
walking to the waterfall, which is worth the 20-minute trek in lovely
countryside.
Hotel
Restaurant Les Pins - 04 94 04 63 26 A very good, jolly restaurant,
with a good selection of reasonable menus especially the Pot au
Feu, a wonderful, filling, fish 'stew' which needs to be ordered
24 hours in advance. You should always book the terrace for the
weekend. The bar now also does 'cheap and cheerful' daily menus.
Auberge
de Grandes Chênes - 04 94 04 63 65 A cheap and cheerful restaurant
on the road from Fox to Sillans-la-Cascade. Best for huge pizzas
done in a wood-fired oven.
Cotignac
A very pretty 'touristique' village with a traditional tree-lined
square and cafés etc. Before your meal, drive up to the lovely church,
sign-posted 'Notre Dame', high above the village with a very peaceful
atmosphere, gardens and beautiful views. Table de la Fontaine -
04 94 04 79 13 Good food and prices in the square so plenty of buzz
Hotel
du Cours - 04 94 04 78 50 Opposite La Fontaine and good value, simple
food.
Good
pizza place in the square.
Le
Clos des Vignes - 04 94 04 72 19 Very pretty setting in a vineyard
on the road from Cotignac to Brignoles. Good food and prices, service
a bit indifferent sometimes.
Other
recommendations a bit further afield
Cannes
- chose one of the beach restaurants where you can hire sunbeds
and while away the afternoon after lunch. We like the Okey Beach,
which is on the road out towards Antibes, park in the old part of
Cannes and walk along the front in that direction. Again cheap and
very cheerful service, with huge salads and lots of moules/frites
in delicious sauces.
St
Tropez
Club 55 is apparently good, fashionable, and on the beach, but expensive
and needs to be booked in advance in season - 04 94 79 80 14.
Le
Café in the Place des Lices is cheap and cheerful and very good
local atmosphere - 04 94 97 44 69
Mougins,
near Cannes
Go to the Moulin de Mougins for a gastronomic experience, where
they park your car for you and replace your napkin if you get up
from the table! Set in a 16th century oil mill, it is 2.5 km south-east
of the village off the D3. Book well in advance - 04 93 75 78 24.
Festivals
There is a wide range of festivals and events throughout the year
in the region, from local dances in the village to the Cannes Film
festival! Events include: the truffle festival in Aups at the end
of January; carnival in La Palud and Aups in March; the Cannes film
festival in May; Spring fairs in Riez and Aups in May; the harvest
festivals around Riez in July; a host of firework displays around
the area on 14th July for Bastille Day; the flower parade in Nice
in July; a fete in August in Aups and a wine, mushroom and cheese
festival in Riez in October. A local English speaking magazine,
the Var
Village Voice, lists current events.
Calendar of events
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