Chefs en Provence smallYou might not expect to find a gastronomic restaurant at a provincial airport but Marseille has an exceptional one, Chefs en Provence, a showcase for leading local chefs and designers.

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Chefs en Provence opened in 2013 as part of the big push to raise the profile of the region during Marseille-Provence's year as the European Capital of Culture. The concept behind it: every three months a different chef devises a new seasonal, locally inspired, gourmet menu.

And we're talking top-of-the-range, Michelin-starred chefs here. In the past, these have included: Guillaume Sourrieu of L'Epuisette, Michel Portos, of Le Polpe, René Bergès, previously at the Relais Sainte Victoire, and Lionel Lévy, formerly of Une Table, au Sud and the InterContinental Hôtel Dieu in Marseille.

Most of them are from Provence and members of the Aix-based cooking academy, La Villa des Chefs, although occasionally there's an equally distinguished guest chef from outside the region.

The chefs aren't dropping their own restaurants in order to toil in the kitchens at the airport, of course. But they are devising the menus and keeping a close eye on quality.

Chefs en Provence airport restaurant signChefs en Provence is on the first-floor level of Terminal 1 in Marseille-Provence airport at Marignane. It's near the departure gates, but located "land-side", i.e. it's open to non-passengers. You don't need to have a boarding pass or to go through airport security to dine there.

What's more, you can get free parking during your meal at one of the airport's (otherwise quite pricey) car-parks as part of the deal. Leave your car as usual, then get a special exit pass from the waiting staff when you pay your bill.

The restaurant's super-retro design is meant to reflect Marseille-Provence airport itself. Destroyed during the Second World War, Terminal 1 was rebuilt in 1961 by Fernand Pouillon.

He was the hugely prolific architect who recreated vast areas of the Old Port after the war and designed the elegant building which currently houses Marseille's Musée Regards de Provence.

Influenced by Pouillon and Le Corbusier, Chefs en Provence has a period look that floats somewhere between the 1950s and 1970s, with a bright orange and lime green colour scheme, lots of pendant globe lights and Eames-style furniture.

The restaurant is divided into three parts. There's a little bar-sitting area at the entrance where you can order an apéritif or a coffee. Then comes a brasserie section which serves the basic permanent menu of snacks and classic French dishes.

Chefs en Provence airport restaurant entranceAt the far end is the "upscale" bit, an open mezzanine where the tables have linen cloths and the fancy accoutrements of a smart restaurant.

Some of them look over the airport's light-filled terminal and through its windows to the front of the airport and surrounding hills (there are no views of the runways, however).

We've been to this restaurant quite a few times now and have been impressed on each occasion. The first visit was during France's annual Fête de la Gastronomie, when there was an amazing special deal on.

But prices all the year round are still very modest for a restaurant of this category. You normally expect to pay more than average at an airport restaurant, but Chefs en Provence is actually cheaper than many comparable places in town.

You can order up a conventional two or three course lunch, but there are also numerous flexible "snacking" / tapas options for diners in a hurry and a daily special.

On some visits we ordered combination plates, which were both copious and delicious. Provençal cuisine dominates, of course, but you will find oriental and Spanish dishes too.

We won't review our particular meals in detail, given the constantly changing line-up of chefs. But this is a flagship restaurant, so you can pretty much bet that whatever you get will be of very high quality.

The short wine list, almost all from local vineyards, is top value too and there's always a very good "wine of the month" served by the glass.

The service is great too - though do be warned that it can be slow at busy periods, so leave plenty of time if you have a flight to catch!

The surprising thing is that Chefs en Provence is not better known. Many of our fellow diners seem to be either small groups of businessmen and -women or airport employees, making this probably the best company canteen in France.

Still, we are beginning to spot a few travellers with suitcases, so word seems finally to be getting out!

Chefs en Provence is run by Autogrill, a multi-national catering operation which also presides over other, more profitable franchises at the airport such as Burger King and Starbucks on the terminal's ground level.

marseille chefs en provence It no doubt had to take on this high-end restaurant as part of its contract. Pictured: it would be easy not to notice Chefs en Provence, perched on the first floor above the fast food outlets in Terminal 1.

Chefs en Provence is open during the day only, seven days a week and all year round including Christmas and public holidays.

Visited September 2014, January 2017, March 2017, March 2018, November 2018, October 2019 and December 2021.

Where: Chefs en Provence, Upper Level, Terminal 1, Marseille-Provence airport, Marignane 13700. Tel: (+33) 4 42 14 21 79.

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