In the heart of the famous village of Grignan, the Hôtel Le Clair de la Plume enchants lovers of unique experiences. Its Michelin-starred restaurant, with a menu co-created by three-star chef Glenn Viel, is well worth a detour on your travels through Provence.
The Renaissance castle of Grignan, with its lavender fields in bloom in mid-June, is a picture-postcard image that instantly captivates visitors… far from the hustle and bustle of the world. In the village of Grignan, located in the Drôme Provençale, literature plays an important role with the 29th edition of the Festival de la Correspondance, which will once again be presided over by Eric-Emmanuel Schmitt from June 30 to July 5, 2025.
Why a cultural event to celebrate the art of letter writing? Madame de Sévigné is being honored because she frequently stayed at the Château de Grignan with Françoise-Marguerite, her beloved daughter, who was married to Count François Adhémar de Monteil de Grignan. When the Marquise was painfully separated from her, she wrote her beautiful letters that have survived the centuries.
In the streets of this pretty village, you may come across writers Sylvain Tesson and Pierre Assouline this summer in a relaxed atmosphere. Nothing like the Cannes Film Festival!
The Main House facing one of the most beautiful neoclassical wash houses
At the foot of Grignan Castle, built on a rocky outcrop, nestles the four-star hotel Le Clair de la Plume, housed in a17th-century bourgeois mansion. Before entering, you can admire one of the most beautiful neoclassical wash houses in Provence, built in 1840. It is an impressive centerpiece in this small village of 1,800 inhabitants.
The glass roof of the Main House, which overlooks the garden decorated with wisteria and rose bushes, houses the Michelin 1-star gourmet restaurant. It is a poetic place imbued with gentleness. It heralds a way of life where time stands still. In the Main House, formerly the residence of the Canons, as it is said, you will find the reception area, eight bedrooms and a suite furnished in the style of yesteryear, with luxury and finesse. At any moment, you could imagine your grandparents appearing in the glow of one of the rooms of this residence. A nostalgic charm.
Jean-Luc Valadeau, originally from Bordeaux, fell in love with this house and bought it 25 years ago from Lord Southam, Canadian Ambassador.
He is now the owner and talented “scriptwriter” of Clair de la Plume, which has been awarded the Teritoria label, formerly Châteaux & Hôtels Collection, grouped under the leadership of Alain Ducasse.
Le Clair de la Plume is proud to have been awarded a Michelin Key, placing it among the establishments in France that offer a “unique stay,” in contrast to the standardization of luxury accommodations.
And yes, Le Clair de la Plume is a very special place, one of a kind!
This boutique hotel with 29 rooms and suites is unique in that it is spread over six different locations within the village: three restaurants, two swimming pools, a Mediterranean garden, a boutique, and more.
“It is thanks to the support of a dozen friends that I was able to create and develop Le Clair de la Plume,” explains our host. Every day, my heart beats because what I do has meaning and brings color to my life.“
Bruno Durieux, another enthusiast, mayor of Grignan and former minister, is an ally of the entrepreneur-hotelier. The two men have contributed greatly to beautifying one of the ”Most Beautiful Villages in France.” It is worth noting that Grignan has been selected to compete for the title of “France’s favorite village” on Stéphane Bern’s TV show in 2024.
Meet the locals
The concept behind Le Clair de la Plume is innovative, to say the least. Here, guests do not live in a gilded cage, but can step outside the door or gate and blend into village life. Why not join the locals for a game of pétanque (or boules, if you’re part of another clan)? You’re welcome to join in!
It’s a great way to enjoy an extended vacation at Clair de la Plume, beyond the usual two-night weekend in a luxury hotel.
You’ll be happy to leave your car in the parking lot. Let’s go on a tour of the village with the owner of Clair de la Plume!
300 meters from the Main House, the Mediterranean Garden is a haven of peace with an exceptional view of the heights of Grignan. It’s a great place to relax on a deckchair before taking a dip in the natural water pool (no chemical treatment). You might bump into Chef Benjamin Reilhes picking rosemary, as this is where Le Clair de la Plume has created its vegetable garden. The Pavillon des Amoureux, with its charming little garden, is a refuge for those who want to get away from it all.
But that’s not where we’ll be sleeping. We need to drop off our luggage at La Maison Privée, known as Le Grand Faubourg. It has six rooms and suites, accessed via a monumental staircase.
Here we are in the Wilfried suite, which is very comfortable and charmingly decorated in 19th-century style. Heavy curtains hang at the windows, sky-blue carpets cover the red terracotta floor, and there are period armchairs and an antique mirror. An old trunk on wheels serves as a coffee table in the living room. The bedroom is cozy and charmingly decorated with Apache-style tapestry. Montélimar nougats (a regional specialty!) are placed on the king-size bed. In the evening, guests have the pleasure of closing real shutters.
In the heart of the historic village, Le Café des Vignerons, a former salt warehouse, is the place to go for wine tasting in a friendly atmosphere. It offers around 100 wines from the Grignan-Les-Adhémar AOC. “Given the success of the tastings, we have also directed customers to our shop, Le Caveau des Vignerons, which sells wines at producer prices,” says Jean-Luc Valadeau. Indeed, the shop is always busy… A fitting tribute to the region’s winegrowers!
It’s worth noting that Le Café des Vignerons is a clever alternative for satisfying your appetite after trying the gourmet restaurants of Clair de la Plume. À la carte: Caesar salad, beef carpaccio, Ardèche charcuterie platter, and cheese…
Jazz music on the terrace of La Ferme Chapouton, an 18th-century building converted by Jean-Luc Valadeau into a 13-room hotel and restaurant with a swimming pool. That evening, we watched the moon rise over the Château de Grignan. Magical! The song “Au clair de la lune” (In the moonlight), which inspired the name of the entire estate, tickles our ears.
History is everywhere. As an anecdote, the painter Nicolas de Staël married Françoise, a Chapouton girl, in his second marriage. He used to spend his vacations at this farm.
The atmosphere is cosmopolitan. La Ferme de Chapouton is a meeting place for foodies from the region and beyond. Our table neighbors are a group of cheerful Germans who arrived in vintage Porsches. “About half of our customers are foreigners,” says the owner, who is delighted to have one of the first restaurants to be awarded a green Michelin star for sustainable cuisine.
In the Bistro kitchen, the precocious chef Jeremy is surrounded by a team of experienced and trainee young people. They are participating in the “Peace and Work” program set up by Teritoria, the world’s first voluntary chain for monitoring quality at work.
Collet champagne (also served at will at breakfast!) has been selected by the Maison. It is served well chilled with black olives from Nyons. The cold pea soup with fresh goat’s cheese cream is a delight. And how can you resist the fillet of beef with truffles and purée, reduced to a creamy consistency? In Grignan, black truffles are the iconic local product. The country bread is perfectly crispy. The lamb shoulder, confit for twelve hours, melts in the mouth. Simple, effective, succulent. As for the desserts… but we’ll save those for the gourmet restaurant.
With the arrival of Glenn Viel, three-star chef at Baumanière, Le Clair de la Plume has been given a new lease of life with a revamped menu. Jean-Luc Valadeau has risen to the challenge: the Michelin star has been retained following the departure of Julien Allano, who has opened his own restaurant, Ju, in Bonnieux, in the Luberon.
Since 2023, chef Benjamin Reilhes has been working in the kitchen with pastry chef Cédric Perret, who is a pillar of the establishment and oversees all the kitchens. Glenn Viel and his two accomplices have devised and co-signed the menu at Clair de la Plume.
Mimicry? Like Glenn Viel, the “rock star” of Top Chef, Benjamin Reilhes sports a beard and ponytail. He responds with amusement: “With Glenn, I’m growing both culinarily and spiritually. We show that we take our work seriously without taking ourselves too seriously.” Aged 31, he trained at Gordon Ramsay’s Pressoir d’Argent in Bordeaux and at La Table du Lausanne Palace with Franck Pelux. The future looks bright for him.
The dining room, with its magnificent veranda overlooking the garden, has tables set with white tablecloths. We love the timeless, traditional decor, which is understated and elegant. Handbags are placed in charming wicker baskets, a reminder of the bucolic atmosphere of the place.
The art of the table enhances the dining experience. We notice the coat of arms stamped “C’est mon plaisir” (It is my pleasure) on the plates and cutlery. They have been generously provided by the family of a friend of the restaurant, Thierry Simon de Kergunic, who sadly passed away.
We opt for the “reasonable” three-course lunch menu, but gourmets can enjoy four, six, or eight courses in the evening. Sandrine offers to surprise us. We decide not to read the menu. Everything here exudes courtesy and kindness.
Served in cups, the detox drink before the aperitif is a clever idea. The amuse-bouches are a nod to the region: tartlets with Comté cheese and truffles, pissaladière made with brioche bread, black Nyons olive pulp, smoked anchovies, and caramelized onions.
The starter, “L’Asperge blanche épure” (pure white asparagus), is presented simply on the plate. Its iced broth enlivened with horseradish sets it apart from all the other asparagus dishes tasted this season. The chef’s goal of “favoring taste and balance of flavors over spectacular visuals” has been achieved.
The “slightly fatty red mullet” (that’s the exact name!) plays in the big leagues, while the “beef salad” has an almost bistro-style flavor.
Cédric Perret transforms himself into “Perrette” with his pot au lait and surprises with an iced Saint Marcelin. “La Matriochka” amazes the palate with its citrus fruits and black olives. Meanwhile, “Le chocolat herbacé” keeps the pleasure on a leash. A real treat!
This lunch confirms the restaurant’s stylish cuisine with a solid focus that doesn’t waver to catch the latest trend.
The art of making “good, beautiful, and kind” is here at Clair de la Plume.
Shall we go?
Le Clair de la Plume
Place du Mail
26 230 Grignan
Rooms from $115
Suites from $495
Tel: + 33 4 75 00 01 01
Read also > INTERVIEW – Jean-André Charial, entrepreneur, chef, and winemaker, is the soul of Baumanière
Featured photo: The Main House at Clair de la Plume, a four-star hotel and Michelin-starred restaurant ©Alain Maigre
