Dining At A 'Private Table' In Provence

In a renovated hunting lodge on a gorgeous Provençal property originally owned by his grandfather's grandfather, chef Jean-Baptiste Bert has opened Le Relais du Castelet, welcoming the public for lunch and dinner on weekends and private groups the rest of the week. He's cooking from old family recipes, using serving pieces that have been in the family for years, and working with a small group of friends and family, all of which creates a festive, party-like mood. Rather than a restaurant, he calls it a "table privée" — a private table.

Located just over four miles from Arles, between the village of Fontvieille and the Abbaye de Montmajour, the 124-acre property known as Le Castelet has a remarkably rich history dating to prehistoric times. Locals all know it as the site of the Hypogée (or Hypogeum) du Castelet, an overgrown stone trench dating to the Megalithic period. In the first century AD, limestone quarried here was used to build the famous Roman amphitheatre in Arles. The property was mentioned in the stories of both Frédéric Mistral and Alphonse Daudet, two of the area's most-beloved authors. (Daudet's famous windmill, from Letters from My Windmill, is just down the road in Fontvieille.)

In July of 1888, while living in Arles, Vincent Van Gogh found his way to Le Castelet and painted "Coucher de Soleil à Montmajour" ("Sunset at Montmajour") here. A letter on Bert's restaurant wall, from the curator of the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam, authenticates this fact, while a print of the painting sits on the hearth, alongside historic photos.

The fifth generation to grow up here (his son, Marcel, aged 2, is the sixth), Bert left home at 16 and went off to Portugal to learn horse -raining. He came home and then left again, this time for food and wine jobs in London. He returned to Provence in 2007 and settled in at the Bistro du Paradou, a well-known and wildly popular local restaurant, working in both the dining room and the kitchen.

Eventually, he decided he wanted his own place and that his family land — with its rustic relais or hunting lodge at its center — would be the perfect setting. From what Jean-Baptiste says it was more like a shack than a lodge, a simple place where family, friends, and neighbors hung out to eat and drink before and after hunting. "And it was really more dirty than rustic," he says with a laugh.

Bert and his family — including his girlfriend, Fanny Martin, Marcel's mother — completely redid the place in May 2016, using traditional Provençal materials and pretty furniture bought at local antique markets. (Martin's grandfather founded the well-known Provençal food company Jean Martin in 1920; today she runs the family's large boutique in the nearby village of Maussane.) The couple started hosting private functions that summer and expanded to more traditional dining this summer. A large open kitchen lets guests see all the action and perfumes the dining room with fantastic smells. Tables are indoors and out, the terrace is strung with pretty lights, friends pop in and out of the kitchen, kids run around, and the vibe is totally relaxed.

Meals are prix-fixe: 37€ ($43) at lunch (starter, main, dessert) and 40€ ($47) at dinner (starter, main, cheese, dessert). There aren't a lot of choices, but the blackboard menu changes just about every day so you'll be eating what's in season, what was best in the market that day, and what Bert was most in the mood to cook!

Popular starters include crab soup, mussel soup with saffron, stuffed vegetables, and traditional Provençal soupe au pistou, which you serve yourself from a lovely tureen on your table.

Main courses might be a rich daube (the beloved local bull-meat stew) served with wild red rice, suckling pig, roast leg of lamb, or a fish such as red mullet or salt-crusted sea bream. On special request, Bert will make a bourride or a bouillabaisse, using his grandmère's recipe.

Popular desserts include poached peaches with verbena syrup and almond biscuits, saffron pears with roasted hazelnuts and green tomato jam, chocolate mousse with walnuts, a simple apple crumble with vanilla ice cream, and tarte tatin.

Wine and other drinks are extra; there's an impressive cellar, a full bar, and knowledgeable help to guide you.

Before or after your meal, you're welcome to wander the beautiful property, where you'll see 2,000 or so olive trees, a large vegetable garden, horses, and all sorts of wildlife, ranging from rabbits to game birds to wild boar.

Want to hang out here a while? You're in luck: there's a large vacation villa, La Bergerie, for rent on the property that's available for weekly rental year round. Crafted from an eleventh- or twelfth-century sheepfold, it was fully rebuilt and renovated in 1984. It has three bedrooms, a huge dining room, an original fireplace, stone archways, a summer kitchen, a large pool, an outdoor living room, and drop-dead views.

For the time being, Le Relais has the delicious feel of an insiders' secret — that place that's sort of private but not really because they'll let you in if you know how to ask. There's no website and no Facebook page; it's not on Trip Advisor or La Fourchette, and a sign on the road (the D17) is easy to miss. Still, the Berts know everyone and the word has spread and the dining room is full and event bookings are strong. So far, they've hosted weddings, birthdays, business meetings, winemaker dinners, a truffle dinner, and "lots of people who just wanted an excuse to share a moment with family and friends," Bert says.

Last fall, a Chicago chef friend of mine, Carrie Nahabedian, came to Provence with a group and their tour guide, Sébastien Lopez, arranged a lunch party at Le Relais. "Our afternoon was beyond stunning!" Carrie remembers. "Just so flawless and so Provence! Such idyllic surroundings...an amazing lunch in an incredibly memorable setting. We were overwhelmed with the French hospitality and the lusciousness of the food! I can still taste that crab bisque with croutons. I wish I were there right now..."