Creating memories
In the kitchens of Lou Calen, the local region and its produce comes to the fore. Chef Benoit Witz and his team explore seasonal foods with dishes that celebrate the bounty of Provence. Between the elegance of the Jardin Secret restaurant, awarded a Michelin green star, and the cheerful spirit of the Bistrot restaurant at Lou Calen, each meal becomes an experience where tradition and creativity meet. Furthermore, the tacos at the La TUF microbrewery, as well as the oysters and tapas at the O’Fadoli pastis bar, offer even more new gourmet experiences. Here at Lou Calen, dining is an art, and every meal a celebration!
Upcoming workshops & events
From 13 Feb. To 31 Dec.
Every Saturday lunchtime, lobster takes centre stage. Hot or cold, simmered, sautéed or flame-grilled, Benoit Witz cooks it in line with the kitchen garden and market. A four-course set menu, renewed weekly, ending with creations from our pastry chef.
Location:
Day :
Saturday
Hours :
12 pm to 2 pm
Price:
84€ (excluding drinks)
Booking:
Mandatory, limited availability
Sunday 4 October
Move and eat well: two simple pleasures come together one Sunday a month at Lou Calen. A Pilates session with Fabé Dia, former Olympic athlete, awakens the body and releases tension, before enjoying the Bistrot’s generous buffet.
Location:
Schedule :
11 am to 12 pm
Price:
Pilates only : 25€ ; Pilates + Brunch : 76€
Booking:
Mandatory, limited availability
Friday 16 October
To mark Vignobles en scène, wine takes a playful turn in cocktails. Alongside Thomas, our mixologist, follow the Spritz through time, lifted by Prosecco bubbles, then create Negroni variations by playing with the aromas of vermouth. A different way to appreciate wine’s nuances.
Friday 16 October
To mark Vignobles en scène, Jardin Secret welcomes Clos de Caille, a family-run, certified organic estate in Entrecasteaux. Benoît Witz has created a four-course menu centred on autumn produce, paired with three wines introduced and served at the table by Guillaume Galliano.
Location:
Schedule :
From 7 pm
Price:
105€ (wine pairings included)
Booking:
Mandatory, limited availability
Saturday 17 October
To mark Vignobles en scène, wine takes a playful turn in cocktails. Alongside Thomas, our mixologist, follow the Spritz through time, lifted by Prosecco bubbles, then create Negroni variations by playing with the aromas of vermouth. A different way to appreciate wine’s nuances.
Past workshops & events
Monday 21 September
Who will be named Cotignac’s best mixologist? For the inaugural Cotignac Cocktail Challenge, Lou Calen is challenging professional bartenders and cocktail enthusiasts alike to reinvent pastis or absinthe. To enter, send us your recipe by 19 September.
Saturday 19 September
For their second four-hands dinner, Benoît Witz and Théo Sanchez continue to explore the many facets of plant life. Leaves, flowers, seeds, branches and fruits picked at different stages of ripeness become the ingredients of a cuisine where fermentation reveals unexpected new flavours.
Location:
Schedule :
Please arrive at 7:30 pm
Price:
120€ (5-course) – Wine pairing: 30€
Booking:
Mandatory, limited availability
Wednesday 9 September
Step behind the bar with Thomas, our mixologist, and explore two cocktails with plenty of character: James Bond’s iconic Dry Martini in several guises, and a Moscow Mule made with ginger beer prepared in-house. Shaker in hand, it’s your turn to mix… and taste!
From 4 Sep. To 5 Sep.
Monty Python legend Eric Idle is coming to Cotignac for a very special weekend. Open-air film screenings, a signing of his book Idle in Provence, an aperitif and dinner at Le Bistrot will mark this unique opportunity to meet the British comedian, who has been in love with the Var for more than fifty years.
Location:
Friday :
From 8.30 pm
Saturday :
From 3 pm
Price:
Friday : 12€ / Saturday : 68€
Booking:
Mandatory, limited availability
Monday 17 August
Step behind the bar with Thomas, our mixologist, and learn to create two cocktails with plenty of character: a Chameleon Mojito that changes colour before your eyes and a perfectly balanced, tangy Cosmopolitan. Shaker in hand, it’s your turn to mix… and taste!
Friday 14 August
Medicinal plant, artists’ muse or notorious spirit? Vera, our herbalist, dedicates this new workshop to the fascinating world of absinthe. Discover its uses through the centuries and the secrets of its production before tasting two elixirs and exploring their full aromatic richness.
Thursday 13 August
For this four-hands dinner, Benoît Witz and Théo Sanchez make the tree the centrepiece of an original menu. Medlar, quince, mulberry, fig and apricot trees inspire a five-course culinary journey where wood, leaves, blossoms, fruit and young shoots reveal unexpected flavours.
Location:
Schedule :
Please arrive at 7:30 pm
Price:
120€ (5-course) – Wine pairing: 30€
Booking:
Mandatory, limited availability
Wednesday 12 August
This summer, as dusk settles over Lou Calen, the big screen comes to life. After dinner at Le Bistrot, the evening continues with a screening of *The Grand Budapest Hotel*, a whimsical comedy to watch, rewatch and share. An open-air cinema night where time happily slips away.
Location:
Schedule :
Dinner from 7:00 pm – Film at 9:30 pm
Price:
55€ (3-course menu + cinema)
Booking:
Mandatory, limited availability
Thursday 6 August
A few acoustic guitar chords set the tone for the evening as Provence wines accompany the aperitif. At sunset, Patrick Périe and Benoît Witz host a convivial dinner among the vineyard rows, celebrating the generous spirit of traditional Provençal feasting.
Location:
Schedule :
From 8 pm
Price:
150€ (Provence wines included)
Booking:
Mandatory, limited availability
Wednesday 29 July
This summer, as dusk settles over Lou Calen, the big screen comes to life. After dinner at Le Bistrot, the evening continues with a screening of *A Good Year*, a sun-drenched comedy to watch, rewatch and share. An open-air cinema night where time happily slips away.
Location:
Schedule :
Dinner from 7:00 pm – Film at 9:30 pm
Price:
55€ (3-course menu + cinema)
Booking:
Mandatory, limited availability
Wednesday 8 July
This summer, as dusk settles over Lou Calen, the big screen comes to life. After dinner at Le Bistrot, the evening continues with a screening of Life Is Beautiful, a moving film to watch, rewatch and share. An open-air cinema night where time happily slips away.
Location:
Schedule :
Dinner from 7:00 pm – Film at 9:30 pm
Price:
55€ (3-course menu + cinema)
Booking:
Mandatory, limited availability
Friday 3 July
This summer, as dusk settles over Lou Calen, the big screen comes to life. After dinner at Le Bistrot, the evening continues with a screening of .with a screening of Prête-moi ta main, a comedy to watch, rewatch and share. An open-air cinema night where time happily slips away.
Location:
Schedule :
Dinner from 7:00 pm – Film at 9:30 pm
Price:
55€ (3-course menu + cinema)
Booking:
Mandatory, limited availability
Sunday 26 April
How about a culinary getaway to Italy? On the last Sunday of each month, our chef prepares the very best of Italian cuisine: a generous antipasti board to share, delicious made-to-order pasta, and indulgent desserts. An irresistible invitation to savour la dolce vita.
Location:
Schedule :
7 pm to 9:30 pm
Price:
35€/adult ; 15€/child (<12 years)
Booking:
Mandatory, limited availability
Sunday 19 April
Final Asian stop of the season: a journey to Laos, with Chef Patrick Perie in the kitchen. 5€ per person will be donated to the Baraka association to support the “Book Boat” — a solidarity project that carries books along the Mekong to children in remote villages.
Location:
Schedule :
7 pm to 9:30 pm
Price:
45€/adult ; 20€/child (<12 years old)
Booking:
Mandatory, limited availability
Sunday 12 April
For lovers of good English grub and pub gourmet comfort food! Every second Sunday of the month, Lou Calen's Bistrot restaurant serves the traditional Sunday Roast: roast beef accompanied by all the trimmings: plentiful seasonal vegetables and a tasty sauce ate go with them.
Location:
Schedule :
7 pm to 9:30 pm
Price:
35€/adult; 15€/child (<12 years)
Booking:
Mandatory, limited availability
