Travel + Leisure - India & South Asia
On a Vegan Quest in St Tropez
On her last visit to Saint-Tropez, RASHMI UDAY SINGH had two precise missions: meet the reclusive diva Brigitte Bardot and explore the town’s booming vegan culture.
Iam on a quest. To meet the Hollywood superstar of yesteryear, Brigitte Bardot. I’m in Saint-Tropez, the town she calls home. In the process, I eat my way through some amazing vegetarian and vegan food. Bardot, an animal rights activist, is also a vegetarian. I fall in love with tarte tropezienne, a creamy tart created by a Polish pâtisserie in her honour. The dish is addictive! While on this adventure, I also come across some interesting facts: not only is St Tropez Bardot’s residence, but the town’s popular Pan Deï Palais used to be the home of the Indian princess Bannou Pan Dei, who married a French General and moved here. Moreover, St Tropez is where the reigning Bollywood queen Deepika Padukone now stays regularly. It is at the beautiful palace of Bannou Pan Dei that I dine with my knowledgeable companions Claude Maniscalco and Jacques Silvant. We are surrounded by statues of Buddha, and paintings and antiques from India. Chef Quentin Durand’s delicious vegetarian starter made of artichokes, carrots, zucchini, and edible flowers comes out on top. Of the many vegan meals in St Tropez, the blue radish cannelloni at restaurant Les Toits at Hôtel de Paris surprises me the most. It is a balanced masterpiece of texture and flavour. Coconut cream and almond foam are skillfully used by Chef Damien Cruche. As Cruche points out, his inspiration is Provençal but the flavours are international, and the focus is on local, seasonal, organic products. My St Tropez journey ends without meeting Brigitte Bardot. But her gallant husband not only comes to see me with her greetings, but also joins me for a tasting of the famous tarte tropezienne. Now that’s what I call, having my tart and eating it too!