The creme brulee can be made the night before; reserve the sugar for the topping and torch it just before serving. The delicate tuiles are best baked just before serving so they stay crisp.

Rose is the perfect wine to pair with many of the southern French dishes here. Deputy editor Betsy Andrews has a selection of seven great roses to go with everything from socca to steak tartare. See Our Rose Recommendations »

You can read about writer Sylvie Bigar's culinarily-minded road trip in her article The Road to Paradise. For more about where to eat and what to do along this stretch of highway, see The Guide: France's Route 7.

For a mix of French tunes to go with dinner, see our playlist on Spotify »