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Historic village houses
Bastides and 18th-century houses whose walls carry centuries of history.
Read our article on the history of Provençal houses.
Guide · Inland Var, Provence Verte, Dracénie
Unusual restaurant in the Var: what makes a table truly singular (and how to find one)
Old house, gallery-restaurant, secret garden, travelling menu: in the inland Var, some places tell a story before the first plate. Here's how to recognise them.
The gist in 30 seconds
- An unusual restaurant is one where the place, the concept or the story matter as much as the plate.
- What separates character from staging is coherence between setting, cooking and welcome.
- Example: Carnets de Voyage, an 1780 house in Lorgues, bookable by phone only on +33 7 88 88 89 60.
A place that tells a story
First things first
Why we look for 'unusual' rather than 'good'
Searching for an unusual restaurant is rarely just about eating well: it's about a place you'll remember. The inland Var, between Dracénie and Provence Verte, has plenty of them — and a few that only pretend.
Definition
What exactly is an unusual restaurant?
The word is overused; it helps to break down what gives a table its character.
The place before the plate
Old village houses, vintage furniture, a hidden garden: the building is the first character.
The concept: gallery, travelling menu, living space
Tables that double as galleries or flea markets, menus that travel: the meal becomes a visit.
Unusual is not a gimmick
Character means coherence between setting, cooking and welcome; staging is a striking set on an ordinary operation.
Typology
The main families of unusual restaurants in the Var
No rankings or names: a typology to know what you're really looking for.
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Gallery-restaurants and hybrid places
Local art and vintage finds share the stage with the plate — and some are for sale.
Our guide to flea markets & artists in Provence.
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Secret gardens and hidden terraces
Behind a quiet façade, a shaded courtyard and an olive tree.
An example: our restaurant with a garden in Lorgues.
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Country and wine-estate tables
Lunch facing the vines: space, light, a sense of being far from everything.
See also where to eat on a terrace in the Var.
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Kitchens that travel
Fusion cooking in a resolutely Provençal setting.
A real example
A real example: an 1780 house in Lorgues
Our own place, not as a sales pitch but because it combines several families and every detail is documented.
An 1780 house, a terrace and a hidden garden under the olive tree
Carnets de Voyage, founded by Jacqueline, occupies an 1780 Provençal house at 12 avenue Allongue, Lorgues.
It makes for a restaurant with a Provençal setting in the Var; details on the setting.
A gallery & flea market of local artists
Works by local artists and vintage finds you can buy directly.
France & World fusion, changing every week
Chef Benjamin cooks France & World fusion with a good share of homemade dishes; the menu changes weekly.
More on France & World fusion cuisine.
What the guides say
Recommended by Le Routard and Tripadvisor; Restaurant Guru Best Atmosphere 2025.
Before booking
How to spot a genuine unusual place before booking
A few simple checks separate a lived-in place from a façade.
Read guest photos, not professional ones
Guest photos show what you'll really experience.
The words that recur in reviews
'Atmosphere', 'place', 'story': when guests talk about the place as much as the plate, it's a good sign.
See our article on reading restaurant reviews.
A short, changing menu
A short menu that follows the seasons signals a living kitchen.
Signs of staging without substance
- A concept everywhere but on the menu.
- Reviews praising the setting, regretting the welcome.
Occasions
When to choose an unusual restaurant?
Whenever the setting is part of the memory.
Dinner for two
A vintage lounge corner or a table under the olive tree.
A birthday
A memory as well as a meal.
Read: birthday meal in Lorgues
A team meal
An old house and a garden change a group's dynamic.
Read: team or company meal
A weekend stop
The stop you still talk about afterwards.
Itinerary
A short unusual itinerary around Lorgues
Four neighbouring villages, four moods.
- 01 · Lorgues
Lanes, fountains and plane trees.
Restaurant in Lorgues - 02 · Le Thoronet
A quiet village known for its Cistercian abbey.
Restaurant in Le Thoronet - 03 · Cotignac
Houses set against a tufa cliff.
Restaurant in Cotignac - 04 · Salernes
The village of terracotta tiles.
Restaurant in Salernes
Your questions
FAQ on unusual restaurants in the Var
What is an unusual restaurant?
A table where the place, the concept or the story are part of the experience, with coherence between setting, cooking and welcome.
Where to find an unusual restaurant in the Var?
Mostly in the inland Var villages — Lorgues, Cotignac, Salernes, Le Thoronet. In Lorgues, Carnets de Voyage occupies an 1780 house.
Is an unusual restaurant necessarily expensive?
No. At Carnets de Voyage, the Friday lunch menu offers starter, main and dessert for sixteen euros.
Can we come as a group?
Yes, with notice; call us to arrange the date and space.
Do we need to book?
Yes, by phone only on +33 7 88 88 89 60 — there is no online booking.
Going further
From curiosity to booking
Drawn to old stone, the terrace and the garden? Our page Provençal setting restaurant Var has it all. Keep reading:
Shall we save you a table?
Booking is by phone only, no online module. Call +33 7 88 88 89 60.
Carnets de Voyage · 12 avenue Allongue, 83510 Lorgues