A pretty café-restaurant, Le Pavillon des Canaux is another great project with an artistic edge and a stimulating community feel to it. Set in an old two-storey house overlooking the Canal de l’Ourq and its houseboats, Le Pavillon is bright, colourful and peaceful. Ring the doorbell and smiling staff welcome you into a large living room with a doll’s house feel to it – all plush armchairs, mismatched furniture, floorboards, teapots, plants and even a birdcage. Large wooden tables are great for a big group, or you can head upstairs and dine in the living room, the pink bedroom or even the bathroom. On a sunny day, you can sit outside at a table by the water.
The lunch menu offers salads, soups, curries and quiche slices – on our visit we tried a colourful plate of quinoa, grapefruit, avocado, rocket and crayfish salad (€8) and a generous serving of the chicken korma (€10). The dessert menu includes a delicious moist carrot cake (€5), scones, cookies or banana and pecan cake. Drinks include freshly squeezed orange juice, beer and wine, coffee by Café Lomi, chai latte and herb teas...
As well as food and drink, the house offers plenty of workshops, art projects and cooking classes. Not only is the staff friendly and the food pleasing, but the setting unique. It’s just a shame that the rooms aren’t for rent.