As rue Saint Antoine winds its way up to Le Suquet hill overlooking Cannes, there are a number of shops and restaurants set up to tempt the tourists into stopping. You can bypass many of them but don’t miss Le Relais des Semailles if you have any interest whatsoever in fine dining.

The decor is cozy and traditional, perfect for a romantic dinner or a tete a tete among friends. Chef Bertrand Saint-Vannes marries fresh, local products with traditional classic preparation and the result is splendid. The soupe de poisson drew raves from around the table. Asparagus is in season now and was delightfully presented with truffle sauce and a poached egg. Yum. My main course was a free-range chicken with creamy polenta on the side. The light sauce gave the tender chicken a pleasing zing. The dessert was OK; fresh stawberries sat on a crumbly nutty cake with a slice of chocolate on the side. I very much appreciated the amuse-bouche at the beginning of the meal and the freshly-baked bread on the side.

The lunch menu is €34. A bargain! Read more about Cannes restaurants.