WINTER 2011I sea&iI63couturecuisineLE SAINT-MARTIN It inspired Chagall, Braque, Miró and Matisse, and today theregion in which the Château Saint-Martin & Spa estateluxuriates continues to draw connoisseurs of the finer thingsin life. In the very heart of the Côte d'Azur, balanced betweenthe sea and the mountains, and just five minutes from thehistorical centre of Vence, Château Saint-Martin & Spa servesup a generous taste of the good life, and nowhere more so thanat its very core at Le Saint-Martin restaurant. Proud owner of two Michelin stars, the restaurant is helmedby Yannick Franques - protégé of Alain Ducasse, ChristianConstant and Eric Frechon. The food is suitably adventurous,coquettishly presented, and a feast of colours and flavours. Fora starter you may find yourself dipping into Franques''mysteryof the egg' - beaten and served with briochewrapped in crusty breadcrumbs and highlighted with blacktruffle. To follow, you might treat yourself to pigeon â la royalewith truffled celery root and spaghetti sauce thickened withspiced dark chocolate. Or perhaps you'll savour the red mulletin a white-bread crust with cucumber, fennel and spring onions,served with traditional saffron rouille. Franques describes hisstyle as traditional French cuisine that revisits the classics, andthe ambience of the restaurant reflects this philosophy. Décoris simple and tasteful to create a comfortable, cosy atmosphere,leaving the exterior view over the Mediterranean to steal thelimelight - at least, that is, until the food arrives.nMICHELINSTARS: **SEATS: 35RESERVATIONS: at least one week in advanceCONTACT: www.chateau-st-martin.com

64Isea&iIWINTER 2011HIGH EXPECTATIONSSpace travel has traditionally been the preserve of moviesand schoolboy dreams; a fantastical journey into theunknown, a noble mission to explore where few humanshave ever been, and the surreal experience of being able to lookdown through a starry sky and see the softly illuminated curveof the Earth far beneath you. For those who love adventure,there is no comparison, and now, for the first time in history,there is no need to simply dream or flick 'play' on the DVD - space travel for the everyday adventurer has finally launched. The company paving the way in offering private trips is SpaceAdventures, based in Virginia, US. Founded in 1998, the companyhas long worked with professional astronauts and cosmonautsin the US and Russia to deliver the safest, most excitingThe earth may be well-trod terrain, but the sea and sky offer infinite possibilitiesfor intrepid discovery. sea&iexplores options on a spaceship, a superyachtand a submersible to bring you the most exceptional travel experiences ByKate RigbyUltimate travel sea and space