Lunch at Nossi Bé

Restaurant Nossi Bé, as recommended by Richard, our host, is the “best” place to eat in Auribeau sur la Siagne. We made 1:30 reservations for lunch, the latest time they served lunch on Sunday. Nossi Bé is on the hill in the old village. We were advised of a major activity occurring in the old village and to park at the school at the base of the hill and take the shuttle up to the restaurant.

After dressing for a fancy restaurant and the 30ºC summer heat, driving the hot car into a dead-end, going back once and losing our way twice, we parked in a large car park at what we hoped was “the school,” to wait for the shuttle bus which would take us up the hill to the old village of Auribeau sur la Siagne. We were going to be late if we didn’t get a shuttle bus soon. Or we could walk up in about 20 mins and arrive drenched in sweat. Normally being late for a reservation wouldn’t be a big deal, but after two phone calls, talking to three different people, to get our reservation, we wanted to be on time. With some trepidation we braved a conversation with the one other person waiting, a middle-aged woman dressed for the heat in pink shorts; she looked easy going. With a combination of several languages and hand signals we established that we were in the right place and that the bus would be here in 15 minutes. When her husband arrived to get her, she requested he drive us up to the restaurant in their car even though she had just descended the hill. We scooted into the car and he whisked us up the narrow roads to the top, letting us out right by our destination. The woman informed us that they were Italian tourists and wished us bonne vacation. Thus we arrived to our first meal in a fancy Provencal restaurant, on time and sans sweat. And we were seated on the terrace overlooking the valley to the north—just what we had hoped. Our meal was fantastic!!