La Maison Pic: Boutique Hotel in Harmony

Nestled in the bucolic Drôme region, an hour south of Lyon and flirting with the edge of Provence, is the charming city of Valence. Known as “The southern door of France”, Valence peacefully sits in the middle of the well-known vallée du Rhône. As we discovered last week, the main attraction of Valence is of course if you are a gastronome (food aficionado), Le restaurant Pic which is under the direction of the only female, 3 Michelin stars chef in the world. But there is more to La Maison Pic than just a gastronomical restaurant. It’s also a boutique hotel member of the prestigious Relais & Châteaux chain, a cooking school and an elegant bistro.

Walking around the property, you can definitely sense a feeling of harmony thanks to the skillful work of the architect Bruno Borrione. Following its awarding of a third Michelin star, La Maison Pic has undergone a serious transformation over a 2 year period. During that time frame, the 15 hotel rooms, salons, seminar rooms and the two restaurants have all been renovated to better translate the personality and style of its new star: Anne-Sophie Pic. All this work translates in a very cohesive and tasteful style all across the establishment. The choice of texture and colors conveys a soft and modern feel while the earth tones, punctuated by some splash of pink, gently remind us that a woman leads the boat.

The two bedrooms we booked were bright, comfortable and elegant. In chamber #14 (Deluxe room), we enjoyed the large bathroom appointed with a beautiful oval bath and a rain shower. Chamber #12 (Superior room) was a bit smaller, ideal for a single person, but came with an ingenious bathroom system hidden behind a glass wall. Since we checked in around 4pm, we were welcomed with a delicious patisserie from the restaurant pastry chef Philippe Rigollot. What a better way to start this culinary journey.

Simple and elegant décor that recall the dining room color palette (Deluxe room)


The bathroom in the deluxe room showcases modern and elegant features


Each room is decorated with some colorful exotic blooms


The ingenious bathroom system in the superior room


The pink sofa is creating a stunning color contrast


A little box of chocolate will be waiting on your pillow before you fall asleep

In 2008, La Maison Pic opened Scook, L’école de Cuisine (The Cooking School). Located down the road, a few hundred meters away, Scook offers an amazing array of cooking tools and signature ingredients as well as cooking and wine classes. The school is open to all: professionals, amateurs and kids thanks to a great selection of classes. If you don’t have time for a cooking class, several cook books written by Anne-Sophie Pic are available in the store as well as online. 

Like Alice Waters’ crusade for a better food, Madame Pic is also very engaged in transmitting her passion for food and authentic taste to the new generation. She has written many cook books for children and also launched a foundation “Donnons du goût à l’enfance!” (Let’s give taste to childhood). Her work includes various workshops and projects to familiarize kids with real foods as well as nutrition. It is so inspiring to see great chefs devoting time for such causes.

The main entrance showcases a giant picture of Anne-Sophie Pic


The modern kitchen were the cooking classes are given

Another restaurant named “Le 7, Bistro Chic” is also part of the hotel. More casual than its famous neighbor, Le 7 offers a simple and refined cuisine in a modern setting. The name and décor of this bistro are honoring the Route Nationale 7 (Road 7) that was for many years before the highways were built, “la route des vacances” (The vacation road), the only way to access the French Riviera from Paris. Due to this reason, many good restaurants including several 3 Michelin stars restaurants found a natural fit with la Nationale 7, making it a real gastronomical road.

The kitchen under the direction of chef Stéphane Rossillon, offers traditional French dishes with a modern twist. Because our stay was only overnight, we did not have the chance to enjoy Le 7. But without any doubt, this modern bistro is probably one of the best “hot spot” of Valence.

Hidden behind the main building is the garden and swimming pool area. The place is very peaceful with cozy lounge chairs resting under a big olive tree and inviting us for a nap. The intimate dimension of the hotel and garden area really makes you feel like at home.

Entrance of “Le 7, Bistro Chic”


The swimming pool and garden area

Le petit-dejeuner (breakfast) was a wonderful culinary experience. Called “Matins de Pic” (Mornings from Pic), they can be enjoyed in the salons down stairs or in the comfort of your bedroom. Since we selected the later option, we were greeted with an enormous wooden tray carried by two smiling women. Discovering all the homemade goodies included in this breakfast was really part of the pleasure. Great detail and attention was given to the composition of this tray: fresh viennoiseries and bread, homemade jellies and marmalade, fresh fruits, Panna cotta, and a brioche conveniently wrapped and ready to go with you.

Le Petit-déjeuner Matins de Pic: A gourmet breakfast enjoyed in the room


Homemade marmalade and Jellies


Homemade Brioche

A visit at La Maison Pic should be included in every traveler’s bucket list. We enjoyed every aspect of our stay, from the food to the amenities, without forgetting the warm and professional team that welcomed us. Le Restaurant Pic was truly a culinary experience of a lifetime, and hopefully we’ll have many more opportunities to enjoy Madame Pic’s cuisine.

For more information

Maison Pic
285 Avenue Victor Hugo
26000 Valence
France
Tel: +33 4 75 44 15 32
Website

Rates
Superior room starting at €290 per night
Breakfast: €28
Special offers including dinner at the gastronomical restaurant are available on the website.


Le 7, Bistro Chic
Open everyday lunch and diner
Menu starting at €28 for a three servings menu
France
Tel: +33 4 75 44 53 86


Scook, L’école de Cuisine (The cooking school)
243 Avenue Victor Hugo
26000 Valence
France
Website  (Classes and website are only available in French)





Interactive map

Check out our interactive map of Provence to see where I took all the pictures featured in this article.

Bridal bouquet with purple dahlias

Lavender blooms may be not the most popular choice for bridal flowers. However, they are certainly worth considering. Lavender is a very romantic color which symbolizes sensibility, nobility, and creativity ... qualities that are a propos on a wedding day. Using lavender color may be tricky as it tends to be overpowered by surrounding hues. To easily make the color stand out on its own, I mixed the lavender with white and some splashes of purple, and ended up with a stunning creation.

On the practical side, this wedding bouquet is designed on a base of white hydrangeas. Hydrangea is a very friendly flower when designing hand-tied bouquets. It not only quickly adds a beautiful mass, but also acts as a support for other blooms. The drama and interest in this creation were provided by the gorgeous purple dahlias which are in full bloom right now. The other reason we used the robust blossom, is because it effortlessly adds a touch of informality, which is what we were looking for.

Finally, I included the lavender button mum to conceal the bouquet as well as defining its main color theme by using this bloom predominantly. The multi stems nature of the button mum also helped to add some depth in this design.

All the flowers were bought in a retail shop, and the total cost for this bouquet was less than $20.

Materials
3 stems white hydrangeas
10 stems purple dahlias
10 stems lavender button mums
1 1/2 yards (150 cm) of accent ribbon (purple)

The stunning shape and color of these dahlias are creating several focal points on this bouquet

Anne-Sophie Pic: Shining star in the Michelin universe

Far from the glitz and glamour of the big cities is where you can sometimes find some unexpected gems. Unexpected is certainly not the case of La Maison Pic which has been reigning over Valence (in the Drome region) since 1889. Four generations of great chefs have successfully succeeded to each other within the same Pic Family. The last three generations of this incredible line of chefs have all been awarded with the most prestigious culinary award that exists on earth … a three Michelin stars rating. André Pic (the grandfather) won the distinction in 1934, Jacques Pic (the father) in 1973 and last but not least, Anne-Sophie Pic in 2007 who at the same time, was elected the “Chef of the Year” by the 8,000 chefs listed in the Michelin Guide. At 37, Anne-Sophie Pic was the first female chef to be awarded three stars since Lyon’s Mère Brazier in 1933.

The bond between the famous red guide and the Pic family is quite obvious as demonstrated by the long display cabinet showcasing all the Michelin Guides Rouges since 1900 in the hotel’s lobby. However, the family bond is even more striking. When her father suddenly died in 1992, Anne-Sophie had just quit the management school she was attending to start her cooking apprenticeship. At the age of 23, and with barely any experience, she took over the family business. Although the pressure could have been more than challenging, Anne-Sophie followed her heart and “made her way into the kitchen” thanks to her complete devotion, hard work and the support and complicity of her husband David Sinapian. 

During all these years, nothing was more important for her than winning back the three stars, a way to honor her culinary heritage. When that happened in 2007, it was with great emotion that she dedicated her third star to her father. Still today, 3 classics invented by Jacques Pic such as the “Sea Bass with Caviar” are still present on the menu. 

We had the chance to visit La Maison Pic in early June. We enjoyed the hotel’s amenities as well as the famous Restaurant Pic. During our stay, a television network was conducting an interview of the world-renowned chef and with great surprise, we discovered a very simple and down to earth person who came to greet us as we were leaving the hotel and enquired about our stay. We were quite lucky to see Madame Pic as since April 2009, she is also the consulting chef at the Beau-Rivage Palace, a deluxe hotel in Lausanne Switzerland.

The lounge has a modern and sophisticated but still cozy feel

Mise en bouche

We choose the “Menu Actualités” (News Menu - €195), which comprises 8 servings. This menu changes often according what is “d’actualité” or in season and most of the produce are sourced locally. Taking a long and elaborated menu is always a challenge. It is hard to say if we will have enough “space” to truly enjoy it all. It is so disappointing, especially in a three stars restaurant, not being able to finish a meal because too many items were on the menu. This did not happen here. La cuisine d’Anne-Sophie Pic was an amazing concert of authentic flavors and lightness."My cooking has never been complicated. I thrive toward more simplicity and authenticity, while having "le goût" (the taste) as my main priority."

Her feminine signature was definitely present in every dish, so was the inspiration she got from her trips to Japan. Delicate, creative and zen. In many aspects, La cuisine d'Anne-Sophie reminded us of Le Bernardin (Eric Ripert) in New York City. Every little bite was a “pure delice” better enjoyed with the eyes closed. Surprisingly, we left the table delighted and light.

The dining room has recently been revamped (2010) by the architect Bruno Borrione, an ex member of the Philippe Stark team. Like the food, the décor is a delicate balance of feminism and modernism, a declination of brown and beige with some splashes of pastel. On the table, heavy baccarat water glasses and beautiful C+B Lefebvre knives, especially made for Anne-Sophie Pic, were elegantly balanced with a simple stem of pink hydrangea. Every element, from the menu to the décor, worked extremely well together. This was sincerely, one of the best culinary experience we ever had. “Chapeau bas!” (Hats off!) Madame Pic, you truly deserve your reputation.

Les Morilles Fraiches (Fresh Morels served with with Reggiano parmesan, morel cream and tarragon)



Madame Pic has a penchant for creating delightful dishes with sea ingredients. Top (One of Madame Pic's signature dish): Le Turbot Côtier (John Dory from our local coast: steamed over, crunchy and fine cucumber puree foamy butter flavored with green anise). Bottom: Les petites langoustines bretonnes (Brittany Small Prawns:
cooked with fava beans from our local producers,“consommé” flavoured with orange blossom)


Palate cleanser et Pre dessert


Desserts are the creation of award-winning Chef Patissier, Philippe Rigollot. Top: La rhubarbe et le Chocolat Jivara lacté (Rhubarb and Milk Jivara:
chocolate marshmallow cube stuffed with rhubarb). Bottom: La cazette et le citron bergamote (Cazette hazelnut and summer lemon: cazette hazelnut cream on a shortbread, summer lemon emulsion and confit).

La Maison Pic is more than just a gastronomical restaurant. It’s also a boutique hotel member of the prestigious Relais et Châteaux chain, an elegant bistro, a cooking school and a culinary boutique. As a mother, Anne-Sophie Pic is also very involved in transmitting her love and the fulfillment she gets from cooking with real and flavorful ingredients to the younger generation. Next week, we will explore more in details the hotel and beautiful rooms of La Maison Pic.

For more information

Le Restaurant Pic
Open for lunch and dinner - closed Sunday and Monday closed 3-26 January
285 Avenue Victor Hugo
26000 Valence
France
Tel: +33 4 75 44 15 32
Website

A la carte, 2 diner menus (€195 and €320) and a lunch menu €84 - Our bill for 3 persons was €827 which included 8 services, wine and coffee.

Anne-Sophie Pic at the Beau Rivage Palace
Open Tuesday to Saturday
Place du Port 17-19
CH 1000 Lausanne 6
Switzerland
Tel: (+41)21/613 33 39
Website

Biography
If you are interested in knowing more about Anne-Sophie Pic and you can read in french, you may be interested in the book she published in 2004 “Au nom du Père” which describes her journey and her gratitude towards her family, especially her father.

Interactive map

Check out our interactive map of Provence to see where I took all the pictures featured in this article.