In my summer 2024 roadtrip going north I stayed in the Mas de Boudan in Nîmes, France.
Booking
Nîmes was a convenient location in my drive north from Andalusia, so it was just a matter of finding a decent hotel in the region.
The hotel is really now a small extension of the restaurant of Jérôme Nutile (2011 col bleu-blanc-rouge, symbol of the Meilleurs Ouvriers de France). However, it was the 4-room hotel that was first opened in 2014 in a Provençal-style farmhouse. Then came the Bistr’AU, and in March 2015, he opened his 1-star Michelin gourmet restaurant Jérôme Nutile.
I hadn’t noted at the time of my visit that back in 2022, just round the corner, they had also opened an Italian restaurant called Georgi’AU.
My search criteria were 4-5 stars, +8 “score”, restaurant, shower, and secure parking. I confirmed the secure parking with the hotel.
Booking gave the 4-star hotel a 9.1 (Superb), based upon 142 reviews, whilst Tripadvisor considered it No.1 in the city, and gave it 4.5 (Excellent) based upon 42 reviews.
One semi-negative review noted that it was not easy to access the hotel entrance due to a one-way system, and that the reception was not easy to find.
Just a couple of minor points. The hotel sent me a confirmation about the secure parking, but wrongly addressed me a Hubert Smith. And secondly, despite booking it as a single room, the welcome card was addressed to Madame & Monsieur. Give that my wife had passed away recently, this was something I didn’t appreciate.
Finding the hotel
My car navigation system took me to very near the hotel. I had been warned that access might have been difficult due to a rather Baroque one-way system. It took me two attempts to get to the main entrance. I knew what to expect because I always check out the location on Google Maps.
The hotel is easy to find, and there is parking for 5 cars, and including charging points. It was satisfying to see the big gate, a sign that the parking would be secure, as promised.
The general location is around 2 km from the city centre, and the overall impression is one of a calm mixed residential-business zone. The hotel-restaurant looks to be situation in the business-park area, however the gardens of the gourmet restaurant do a good job in creating a peaceful space.
The reception
Entering a small open courtyard there are two options. The path leads to the wrong door, a back access to the gourmet restaurant. The reception is through a second smaller door over on the left. The door has reception written on it, but the real problem is that it is almost impossible to see.
The (back) door to the gourmet restaurant was locked, but someone was kind enough to open it and point me to the reception (the other door in the small courtyard).
The reception is a very small space, but the welcome was excellent. It is clearly indicated on the website and in the booking confirmation that rooms were only available from 16:30, and I was a bit early. The young lady on reception invited me to sit in the vestibule of the gourmet restaurant, and I was served a coffee with some delicious mignardises. As far as could see there were about 10-12 clients for lunch. Around 16:00 I was shown to my room.
The (old style) room key opens the locked back door to the gourmet restaurant (so it becomes the guests main entrance). The reception does not have direct access to the rooms. The rooms are on the first floor above the gourmet restaurant. The somewhat narrow access corridor to the rooms clearly highlights that we are in a converted farmhouse, where space is at a premium.
The hotel has four rooms, one of which can be accessed through a living room, making it a suite. My room was named Aphrodite.
I also confirmed with reception that I would be leaving early the next day and would not take breakfast. It was on offer for an additional €25, and several reviews praised the quality on offer.
The room
The room had all the modern conveniences that one might expect in a good 4-star hotel. I did feel that the room was perhaps on the small size, and I’m sure some people might complain about the lack of space for suitcases and hanging clothes.
I only stayed one night and I would stress that the bed and linen was very comfortable. The mignardises in the room were appreciated, as was the free water in the fridge. I used the wall safe, but was disappointed it was not fixed to the wall. I appreciated the separate WC, and the collection of small soaps, lotions, etc. but I would have appreciated a face cloth.
After a long days drive, a good shower was much appreciated, as was the comfortable bathrobe.
The brasserie Bistr’AU
There are two dining options on the site, the gourmet restaurant, and the Bistr’AU, which despite the pay on words, they call a brasserie.
A brasserie (also French for a brewery) is a type of French restaurant with a relaxed setting, which serves single dishes and could be expected to serve a large selection of beers. A bistro, in its original Parisian form, is a small restaurant serving moderately priced, simple meals in a modest setting. Today it’s often seen as the hallmark of the French lifestyle.
Both the restaurant and brasserie are part of the same building as the hotel, but the brasserie must be accessed through a separate entrance.
As far as could see the brasserie consists of a main dining area (above), a closed veranda (below), and a separate terrace with parasols.
I was less convinced with the main dining area, which to me looked a bit too much like a modernist take on a canteen. However, I had a table in the veranda, which was far more agreeable.
I was sat at a single table, which I found to be just a little bit on the small size. I had booked for 19:30, but it was a Saturday, and it filled up very quickly. It is clearly a very popular place.
There was a Saturday menu with three starters (entrée), a main meat or fish, and three desserts. Pricing was a very reasonable €34 for three dishes, and €24 for two dishes.
Starters were (and I simplify), soupe froide (cold soup), flan de courgettes (zucchini flan), or assiette de gourmandises (plate of little tasters). The main dish was between filet de Daurade (sea bream fillet) and paillard de volaille (poultry escalope). The dessert was cake citron (lemon cake), Dame Blanche au chocolate, or assiette de 3 formages (plate of 3 cheeses).
I saw the assiette de gourmandises go past, and it looked quite interesting.
I decided to not pick the fixed menu, but to go a la carte. This was mostly decided by the fact that I didn’t like the main courses on the fixed menu.
On the a la carte menu there were a few things I didn’t fancy, namely tartine pieds et oreilles de cochon (toast of pig’s feet and ears), the mix of tuna with foie gras poêlé, the poulpe, the oreille de cochon farce de tripes (pig ear with tripe stuffing).
I ended up with risotto de homard à la truffe de saison rafraichi au yuzu, emulsion de ses têtes (lobster risotto with seasonal truffle refreshed with yuzu, accompanies with an emulsion made from lobster heads).
I was advised that it was copious, so I didn’t need a starter. It was outstanding, certainly the best thing I’ve eaten in the last 12 months.
For dessert I decided on the cheese plate. I was impressed that they brought out a tray of cheeses, but I was a bit disappointed (as is often the case with cheese in restaurants). My disappointment was partly because of the cheeses I chose, and partly because they didn’t offer a more interesting selection of breads (I had just the usual bread role plonked on the table at the beginning of the meal). And some butter would have been nice.
I took a small beer with the main course, and a glass of local red wine with the cheese.
Whilst the Saturday fixed menu was only €34, the brasserie a la carte could quickly add up. Taking a nice starter, main and dessert could cost €70 or more, plus drinks.
In the gourmet restaurant, a 3-course taster menu was €125, 4-course at €150, and 6-courses at €195, plus drinks.
Conclusion
It’s not a fantastic hotel, but its certainly a very honest 4-star “city-style” hotel, with some important additional features (e.g. secure parking and a decent restaurant on-site). I would certainly consider using it again should I need to stop in the region of Nîmes.
