00:00Join me on Grand Voyager as I travel from Qatar and beyond to uncover the secrets of the iconic cities.
00:09I'm Sarah Hedley-Hymers, a global solo traveler.
00:12I discover untold stories and hidden gems in luxurious destinations,
00:18unlocking adventure, activities, culture and more.
00:23Solo doesn't mean alone. My passport is ready. Let's go.
00:30Today, I'm heading to the land of glamour, colour and culture, just a seven-hour flight from Qatar.
00:41This region has long attracted artists, travelers and movie stars.
00:47Bonjour and welcome to the south of France.
00:51In this episode, I'll explore the glamour of the French Riviera, the flavors of Provence and the natural wonders of Verdun Gorge.
01:00I begin my journey here in Cannes, a star of the Côte d'Ivoire.
01:05Each spring, La Croisette, Cannes' famous three-kilometre boulevard,
01:10becomes the beating heart of world cinema during the Cannes Film Festival.
01:16At the centre of the boulevard stands the Carlton Cannes Hotel,
01:20an icon of hospitality that plays host to visiting stars.
01:25Imagine who's brushed shoulders with the lobby's majestic marble columns.
01:31From Hollywood legends to today's box office headliners.
01:36Today, I'm checking into one of the hotel's premier suites.
01:40This is the Katara Suite, one of the most luxurious suites in the hotel, named after the Qatar-based owners.
01:50Let me show you around.
01:51It feels like its own world.
01:54There's a grand lounge and dining area, perfect for living the Riviera lifestyle.
01:59The bedrooms are cosy havens, with en-suite bathrooms boasting freestanding tubs.
02:06And there's even a private sauna for added indulgence.
02:10My personal favourite space is the balcony.
02:16The views are simply iconic.
02:21Katara Hospitality restored and reopened the hotel in March 2023,
02:27following a two-year renovation that modernised the landmark,
02:31while preserving its belle-époque façade and historic charm.
02:35The gardens now frame the hotel with colourful flowers,
02:40peaceful seating enclaves and a sparkling pool.
02:44And the terraces are home to some of Cannes' finest restaurants,
02:48offering a front-row seat to La Croisette.
02:52Riviera is the place to see and be seen.
02:56It's casual dining, but with ultra-luxury ingredients.
02:59And I strongly recommend the pinza, topped with premium French truffle.
03:05Beyond the glitz of the boulevard lies a nulla side of Cannes, the old town.
03:11A hillside of cobbled streets and okra-washed houses
03:15that rises to offer sweeping views across the bay.
03:20Further afield, in the flower-coated hills north of Cannes,
03:24lies the perfume capital of the world, Grasse, home to Molinard.
03:29Founded in 1849, the legendary perfume house
03:33has been run by five generations of the same family.
03:37Its original farmhouse is now a museum
03:40where visitors can learn the secrets of centuries of French fragrance making.
03:46Molinard's Astrid Nicoud offered to show me around.
03:51Welcome to the distillery.
03:52Oh, it's like the Willy Wonka of perfume in here.
04:00The distillery room houses antique copper machines
04:03used to extract oils from flowers to create perfume.
04:07Can you tell me about the typical flowers that you would find here
04:13in the south of France as popular crops used for perfume?
04:16Of course. Directly in Grasse, ten minutes from here,
04:20you've got the Scentifolia Rosa
04:21that only picks up here in Grasse by hand.
04:26And every day we pick it up and then we distillate it directly.
04:30Jasmine also is the most important one.
04:33So if I'm making a perfume with you today,
04:36jasmine would be the most important one to use.
04:39Yeah, exactly.
04:39Okay, that's good to know.
04:41So when I'm trying to bottle the south of France,
04:44that's where I start.
04:44Yeah.
04:46If you'd like a souvenir fragrance from the south of France,
04:50Molinar's workshop is the perfect place to create it.
04:55Welcome to the prestige workshop.
04:57Frantavi, you've got the formula with the top notes,
05:01heart notes and base and fixative ones.
05:03When sampling perfume,
05:05the top notes are the first scents you notice.
05:07The heart notes give a perfume character
05:10and the base notes are the ones that last the longest.
05:13So these are my top notes going in.
05:18And I picked this one because of the cute name,
05:21Blackcurrant Bug.
05:22And I'm adding this finally to my very complex mix of fragrances,
05:31which I can already smell it and I'm quite proud of it.
05:35Let's try it right now.
05:37Now my bespoke scent is complete.
05:40It's time to inhale.
05:41Mmm, beautiful.
05:44Yeah.
05:45What do you think about it?
05:46Really good.
05:47Great.
05:47I really like that.
05:48Congratulations.
05:48That is, that will remind me of my holiday.
05:52I hope so.
05:53Thank you.
05:53Great.
05:54This is a little piece of the south of France in a bottle.
06:02Inland from the Riviera,
06:04Provence is the land of fertile fields
06:07where citrus trees thrive in the sun.
06:10And at its heart lies its most celebrated culinary treasure,
06:15the truffle.
06:16Chez Bruno is a renowned truffle restaurant in Laugue
06:20founded in 1983 by Clement Bruno
06:24and now run by his sons.
06:26Hello, Samuel, Benjamin.
06:30Welcome, Ed Bruno.
06:32Show me around.
06:34This Michelin-starred restaurant is a hotspot for celebrities,
06:37but behind its star appeal lies a proud family passion.
06:42Please.
06:44Samuel took me on a tour of the restaurant
06:46drenched in rustic charm.
06:48There are private dining areas and secluded spots.
06:53This is the VVV IP table.
06:56And in the surrounding grounds,
06:57the family grows fresh vegetables
06:59that go straight to the plates.
07:02But before I sample the food,
07:04it's time to join head chef Benjamin,
07:07truffle hunter René,
07:08and his dog Baloo in search of truffles.
07:12Truffle dogs like Baloo are specially trained
07:15to sniff out the scent of truffles
07:17hidden beneath the soil.
07:19And today, we are in luck.
07:22Baloo has uncovered several.
07:25This is a nice truffle.
07:27It just smells very sort of potato-like.
07:29Yeah.
07:30And when we see the inside,
07:32and now you have to smell again.
07:34And it's a completely different smell.
07:36Oh, yeah, now it's coming through.
07:38Also because it's saving all the taste inside.
07:41So does that mean this will be extra flavoursome
07:44when we get it on the plate?
07:45Yes, exactly.
07:46With the truffles gathered,
07:48I'm keen to learn the secrets
07:49of the restaurant's signature dishes.
07:51Our speciality is the potatoes,
08:00signature dishes of the restaurant.
08:01It's simple, but really, really intensive in taste.
08:05The humble potato is transformed
08:07using a few simple ingredients.
08:10Is that olive oil?
08:11Olive oil.
08:12And salt?
08:12Sea salt.
08:13Sea salt and pepper.
08:14This restaurant uses more than 5,000 kilograms
08:18of truffles each year,
08:20making up one of the largest consumers
08:22of truffles in the world.
08:25I do not want to think how many calories
08:27are in this bowl of truffle cream with potato.
08:30We don't have to talk about calories today.
08:32We don't.
08:33It's France.
08:33We don't speak about calories.
08:35We don't speak about calories.
08:36We speak about pleasure.
08:37Mmm.
08:38Besides Benjamin's sublime potato dish,
08:41just about every ensemble on the menu,
08:44is loaded with fresh truffle.
08:46From truffled hummus to lobster with truffle,
08:49the menu is truly decadent.
08:53Clearly, Chez Bruno isn't a restaurant.
08:56Oh, no.
08:57It is a temple of truffle worship,
09:00a sanctuary for truffle enthusiasts,
09:03paying homage to Provence's black diamonds.
09:09In nearby Cotignac,
09:11under the watchful shadow of its ancient caves,
09:14weekly markets transform the medieval village
09:17into a Provençal feast.
09:20Today, local cave home dweller Damien
09:22is going to show me where to pick up
09:24the best local produce.
09:27So, Damien, you're a local history enthusiast.
09:31Yes.
09:31What kind of things can we buy on the market?
09:34Market day, it's something quite unique.
09:37Especially in the season, it's much bigger.
09:39It's the best place to get healthy food.
09:41Fresh, local produce is everywhere,
09:44and I couldn't resist picking up a few treats.
09:48Before leaving Cotignac,
09:49Damien invited me to share
09:51a rustic Provençal breakfast outdoors.
09:54A simple, yet delicious spread
09:56of olives, goat's cheese,
09:58white fig jam,
09:59and crusty bread.
10:01Now I've had a hearty French breakfast,
10:03I'm ready for an adventure,
10:05and Cotignac is famous for being
10:07the gateway to Verdun Gorge,
10:09which is dubbed
10:10the Grand Canyon of Europe.
10:12My guide today is Swedish national Håkan,
10:21who relocated to Provence
10:23to run a bed and breakfast
10:24in nearby Montfort-sur-Argin.
10:27He offers his guests tours of Provence
10:30in his vintage citron.
10:33And so the adventure begins.
10:37Håkan's unique tours
10:38give visitors a chance
10:39to experience Provence
10:41at a fast pace.
10:43Today we're heading to the dramatic cliffs
10:45of Verdun Gorge.
10:47This natural wonder
10:48is Europe's deepest canyon,
10:50stretching 25 kilometers,
10:52with cliffs that rise up to 700 meters.
10:56If you're in the south of France,
10:59it's a must-see destination.
11:01As a B&B owner,
11:03this is one of the excursions
11:04that you recommend to your guests.
11:06Why is it one of your favorites?
11:08It's easy to get here
11:10and you can make it in half an hour
11:13or five hours.
11:14It's called Gorge de Verdon
11:16and also the Grand Canyon of France.
11:20Okay, let's go and take a look around.
11:22Oh, yeah.
11:26What an amazing journey this has been.
11:29The epic views of the gorge are breathtaking.
11:32What I've come to realize
11:34about the south of France
11:35is that even though it's known
11:37as the playground of the rich and famous,
11:39the real luxuries here
11:41lie in the simple pleasures,
11:43like the beautiful scenery
11:44and the joie de vivre
11:45of sharing a good meal
11:47with new friends.
11:48Just seven hours from the gulf,
11:51I'll certainly come back
11:52in a heartbeat.
11:54But for now,
11:55a bientot.
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