Not surprising after the experience! at the Villa de Lys the night before, I slept like a rock until 10 am and woke up rested, headache-free but not very hungry. I planned to do a bit of shopping in the morning and then take the train out to St. Raphael to visit Lord and Lady Arran and swim up an appetite in their pool. My hotel's very hospitable receptionist wouldn't let me start the day without a cup of coffee, a glass of juice and a croissant and I even managed a pain au chocolat for dessert. I was in France after all ! 

The train ride along the lovely coast from Cannes to St. Raphael brought back fond memories of many holidays I had spent in the region in my late teens and early twenties. Back then things were considerably more frugal of course, but sleeping on the beach and living on croque monsieurs and  Kronenbourg was a very different but outmost enjoyable experience as well.

Lord Arran was waiting for me at the St. Raphael train station from where we drove to his awesome villa located directly by the ocean. After the feast the night before, 100 laps in the pool would have been in order but we somehow got stuck in the NASA-like computer room and spent most of the afternoon burning CDs and playing around with the machines. We did eventually manage to swim a few lengths and probably burnt away the calories of half a friandise. 

Lord and Lady Arran's Villa Toscana

An oasis outside of the desert

Just at the moment our chauffeur arrived (we did this in style in case you didn't notice ) it started to rain. L'Oasis is not only famous for it's food but also for the beautiful garden where one usually dines in summer. The downpour had apparently caught them by surprise as we were met by staff hastily bringing in chairs and flower arrangements back into the dining room. As we waited for our table in the reception area, tantalizing smells from the nearby kitchen wafted through the room and irrevocably bought back our appetites.

We all decided to take it a bit easier and to certainly drink less than the night before. Lady Arran and I decided on the five-course fusion menu L'Orient while Lord Arran opted for the La Mediterranee menu. As the pink Laurent Perrier had been so pleasing the night before, we ordered it again and the one bottle was sufficient for the entire meal although I did sneak in a glass of Crozes-Hermitage with my main course.

Lord and Lady Arran

L'Oasis bread selection. That and a little cheese and a little wine and I would have been happy

Amuse bouche L'Orient, an egg filled with all kinds of wondrous things

A creamy soup was the amuse bouche of the La Mediteranee menu