Upscale holidays on menu at Club Med resort in Provence

Club Med regulars know the French resort chain prides itself on offering some of the best cuisine in the all-inclusive business. But can any resort -- even one with Club Med's top-of-the-line, "four trident" rating, complete with stellar dining -- compete with the glorious eateries of southern France?

That was the question nagging me as I arrived at the refurbished Club Med Opio, which reopened in Provence in June after some $40 million in renovations, the largest such undertaking in the company's history.

The 124-acre resort village sits on a bluff overlooking Provence countryside; yet despite the serene, bucolic setting, it's just 14 miles from Nice's international airport.

Accommodations are modest in size but hip and contemporary, with pure white duvets on the beds, tiled bathrooms with glassed-in showers and small terraces.

After check-in, I dropped my belongings in my room and set out immediately in search of lunch, which, it turned out, was served al fresco in a shaded olive grove.

Bon appetit

Dozens of tables covered in white tablecloths groaned under the weight of grilled vegetables, fruit tarts, carved-to-order meats and poultry and a dizzying assortment of breads and cheeses. Wine and bottled water were served at tables, including the chilled rose for which the local region is famous.

However, most meals were served in the main rooftop dining room. There, dishes are presented buffet-style but prepared to order as guests file in. The buffet comprised a more "French" array of dishes than do Club Med's Caribbean and Mexican villages, but there was plenty of choice for guests who like their food plain and sauce-free.

To satisfy guests with a craving for reservations and full table service, there is an alternative restaurant on the golf course.

"Guests like the option of a sit-down restaurant, but we will never stop serving our buffet," said Paula Hayes, senior vice president of sales. "We are very proud of it, and now that we are preparing food at the tables, guests can see how fresh it is."

Also new are once-weekly wine and food pairings, where diners are given a glass of an appropriate wine at each food station by the chef who is preparing that dish.

The attention to upscale dining is not only a survival tactic -- many guests are French, and competition from hotels with Michelin-star restaurants is fierce -- but it also marks a move by Club Med toward more high-end experiences, said Chairman and Managing Director Henri Giscard d'Estaing. Opio has been designated a "four trident" village by Club Med, meaning guests can expect a high level of luxury, ambience and service.

The resort spa, for example, boasts seven treatment rooms, steam room, sauna and indoor pool as well as a state-of-the-art fitness center. Spa treatments range from run-of-the-mill facials and massages to a 90-minute Siam Hot Pad Ritual, using Thai spices and priced at just over $200, and a 90-minute Gourmet Aztec Ritual chocolate body wrap, for about $182. There is also a nine-hole, on-site golf course where guests enjoy complimentary rounds and lessons.

All in the family

While Club Med Opio is decidedly chic, it is at the same time very family-friendly.

"The most prevalent misconception Americans have about Club Med continues to be its image as 'Sun, Sex and Sea of the '70s,' " said Hayes. The reality is, however, that family product accounts for 85% of Club Med's vacation village portfolio.

Opio has been chosen as the pilot site for a new design concept in children's clubs. This includes a tree house decor for the Mini Club, for kids ages 4 to 12; a nature theme for the Petit Club, for those 2 to 4; and a dandelion theme for the Baby Club, for infants from four to 23 months.

Kids are welcome most places in Opio, save the tranquility pool adjacent to the olive grove, but they tend to be less visible at dinner. That's because they can eat at their own restaurant, complete with a small buffet and kid-size tables and chairs.

To further attract families to the village, Club Med is introducing a new price structure this year. From Nov. 5 to April 25, kids under age 2 fly and stay free, those 2 and 3 stay free, and those age 4 to 12 receive discounts that vary by date.

The great 'dehors'

Club Med Opio offers an excursion desk where guests can arrange outings and activities. We participated in a day trip to Cannes, one of my favorite French Riviera towns.

In Cannes, the guide showed first-timers how to find the flea market, the pedestrianized Old Town and high-end shopping on Rue d'Antibes, and then left us on our own. We also took a morning excursion to Grasse, where we enjoyed a perfumery tour; lunch at La Jarrerie, an eatery housed in an old monastery; and free time in Grasse and nearby St. Paul de Vence. Excursions cost from $20 to about $65 per person, and include kayaking, mountain biking and go-karting.

To contact reporter Felicity Long, send e-mail to [email protected].