L'Ousta de Baumanière

The famous restaurant and hotel L'Ousta de Baumanière in the Vallon de la Fontaine - or, to be more exact, its founder Raymond Thulier - has an astonishing history. Having grown up in a railroad restaurant at Privas in Ardèche run by his mother, Thulier entered the insurance profession in Paris. His hobby was cooking, but he was 50 before he devoted himself full-time to the culinary arts and 80 when he became the doyen of French master chefs. In 1945 he came to Provence and built his own restaurant in an old oil mill. The official opening was performed by a young official from the Ministry of Tourism, the former grammar school teacher Georges Pompidou. In spite of its rather remote situation Thulier's cuisine was a success and the Michelin Guide awarded him three stars as early as 1954. Since then the business has expanded further, the Dèpendance Cabro d'Or was built. Thulier was also mayor of Les Baux.