Back Roads of Provence: Part 6 – Bandol and “The Little Isle of Bendor”

Part 6 in the series, Backroads of Provenece
By Diane Covington

From Marseille, it is just a short drive up the coast to Bandol, back in the Var region of Provence. This lovely seaside village could be called the ‘undiscovered St. Tropez’ because of the huge yachts in the harbor.   But unlike St. Tropez, we might have been the only Americans there, which can be a treat.

Though Bandol itself has a lot to offer in beaches and resorts, we were going on an adventure across the harbor to a tiny island, L’île de Bendor.

Just seven minutes by ferry across the harbor, the island is called the ‘place where time has stopped’.  Such a tranquil place to stop and catch a breath, unwind and enjoy the sun sparkling off the Mediterranean.

The brochure for this island says:  “La belle a toujours une âme” – the beautiful always has a soul.  It feels like this tiny island does have a soul, and a lovely one.

The ivy-covered Hotel Delos welcomed us and the view from our balcony looked back toward Bandol and out to sea. We loved the feeling of space, being on an island surrounded by vibrant blue waves.  We sipped some excellent Côtes de Provence chilled rosé wine and watched the sailboats drift by.

For dinner, we just ambled downstairs one floor to the hotel’s excellent restaurant. The chef is renowned in France, which says a lot.  Our dinner was a succulent piece of beef with mushrooms and truffles.  (Pièce de boeuf et sa tartine de pain à la moêlle et truffes.)  So delicious, especially when paired with a hearty red wine from the Pibarnon winery, of the Bandol region.

Dessert was a Tart Citron or lemon tart. a perfect ending to this memorable meal.

After dinner, we drifted off to sleep with the sound of the sea lapping on the rocks below our balcony.  The next day, after a leisurely morning that included a brisk dip in the Mediterranean, it was time to head back across the harbor to our next stop, a tiny village just up the road, through the vineyards of the Bandol region, to another hotel with another renowned chef and a one star Michelin restaurant.

So stay tuned.  More adventures just around the bend.