The distinct looking 'Pic St. Loup' hill top is a great place for a wine tour. The domaines are close enough together to make visiting easy and scenery in the area makes the cruising around all the more agreable. Everybody loves AOC Pic St. Loup wine. They were one of the first recognized champions in the drive for higher quality wines in Languedoc. The micro climate in the stretch between Hortus and Pic st. Loup lends its distinct flavour. Naturally, their prices have gone up but they are still low in comparison to most reputed wines outside of Languedoc.
The following is a list of vinyards I recomend visiting:
Gaffinel- Domaine Valcyre
http://www.chateau-valcyre.fr
This vintner is quite happy to give you lots of information and explanation and have you taste all of his wines. He has quite a range as he is unafraid of experimenting and going outside the AOC guidelines. The result is a number of tasty inexpensive non AOC alternatives.
Domaine de L'Hortus
This is the most well known and its Bergerie L'Hortus is now a classic. For visiting this one is a little more large and anonymous. You won't be likely to talk directly to the vintner.
Domaine Villeneuve
Another producer that has a wide range of interesting and affordable wines. You can also do a honey tasting after the wine tasting at this domaine.
http://www.domaine-de-villeneuve.com/produits.htm
Mas Bruguière
http://www.mas-bruguiere.com
Chateau Cazeneuve
www.cazeneuve.net
Chateau Peuche Haute
http://www.chateau-puech-haut.com
more expensive and more aggressively commercial than most of their neighbours but their wine is truly awesome.
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
Sunday, July 19, 2009
Underestimated Beziers
It is easy to take a disparaging view of Beziers. There is a faltering economy, no nightlife to speak of and a disproportional density of the extremely aged. The flipside of this situation is affordability, authenticity and a lack of tourists. The Biteroise (people from Beziers) are more likely to be genuinely unpretentiously knowledgeable about regional wines than their younger hipper counterparts in Montpellier. The selection at wine bars, restaurants and even cafés reflects this. Of course they are closer to the heartland of quality Languedoc wine production, being amidst Saint Chinain, Minervois and Corbièrs amongst others. Being a smaller city with a population of 54000 they have remained more agricultural in their bent than the much larger Montpellier. Agricultural patches are still visible from several places in the city center.
Climb the endless stairs of my favourite French cathedral to the musical accompaniment of the perhaps the most dramatic organist anywhere and take in the best view of the town and its surroundings at the 'Cathederal St. Nazaire'.
Get fantastic organic bread at 'Le Pain des Moissons' (67 Ave: Marechal Foch). http://paindesmoissons.free. This one of only 3 locations in France where the baker mills his own gourmet flour on the premises and if you are lucky he might even give you a tour and explanation of the process. Another aspect of this bakery that makes it a relative rarity is that it produces top quality breads AND pastries. Generally, I have found that if a bakery masters one they tend to only churn out the other as a concession to people who want to buy both breads and pastries at the same location. This may hearken back to the era when bounlangerie, patiserie, choclatisserie, were all separate shops and the modern effort to consolidate them to compete with super markets has meant sacrificing one or the other of the specialist trades.
For the best stock I have ever seen at any wine bar go to 'Le Chameau Ivre' -the drunken camel (15 place Jean Jaures). You can peruse their large catalogs or just stagger around astonished studying their shelves to see all the wines they have on offer. Their prices often match that of the producer which is cool because they also serve as a 'caviste' so you can order bottles to take home.
Next door is another Frères Pourcell restaurant that experiments with a little Asian fusion, I was sceptical at first but everything that I have tasted from their 28 Euro menu was bang on. I can hardly fault the quality of this location of 'La Compagnie Des Comtoirs'. www.lacompagniedescomptoirs.com
For more classic fare try 'La Raffinerie', my Biteroise friend's still swear by it though they concede it is a notch below its previous standards since a recent change in ownership.14 Avenue Joseph Lazare. www.laraffinerie.com
Climb the endless stairs of my favourite French cathedral to the musical accompaniment of the perhaps the most dramatic organist anywhere and take in the best view of the town and its surroundings at the 'Cathederal St. Nazaire'.
Get fantastic organic bread at 'Le Pain des Moissons' (67 Ave: Marechal Foch). http://paindesmoissons.free. This one of only 3 locations in France where the baker mills his own gourmet flour on the premises and if you are lucky he might even give you a tour and explanation of the process. Another aspect of this bakery that makes it a relative rarity is that it produces top quality breads AND pastries. Generally, I have found that if a bakery masters one they tend to only churn out the other as a concession to people who want to buy both breads and pastries at the same location. This may hearken back to the era when bounlangerie, patiserie, choclatisserie, were all separate shops and the modern effort to consolidate them to compete with super markets has meant sacrificing one or the other of the specialist trades.
For the best stock I have ever seen at any wine bar go to 'Le Chameau Ivre' -the drunken camel (15 place Jean Jaures). You can peruse their large catalogs or just stagger around astonished studying their shelves to see all the wines they have on offer. Their prices often match that of the producer which is cool because they also serve as a 'caviste' so you can order bottles to take home.
Next door is another Frères Pourcell restaurant that experiments with a little Asian fusion, I was sceptical at first but everything that I have tasted from their 28 Euro menu was bang on. I can hardly fault the quality of this location of 'La Compagnie Des Comtoirs'. www.lacompagniedescomptoirs.com
For more classic fare try 'La Raffinerie', my Biteroise friend's still swear by it though they concede it is a notch below its previous standards since a recent change in ownership.14 Avenue Joseph Lazare. www.laraffinerie.com
Thursday, June 18, 2009
An overnight trip in either direction.
Overnight Trips (possibly by train)
Arles
This is a typical small city in Provence. Lots of left over Roman influence, Colosseum, theatre and plenty of medieval French churches and stuff. The architecture is different from Languedoc Roulssion. The climate is milder and the agriculture more generous and easy. Keep your eyes open for lavender and sunflower fields on the way in and out. People in Provence have always had an easy and good life, it is a place to live of the beauty and fat of the land unless you live in Marseilles or Toulon (tough port cities). I recommend just walking around and exploring.
I stayed at Hotel Acacias
2 Rue de la Cavalerie
04673788
http://www.hotel-acacias.com/
If you are lucky you can maybe get a room with a view of the amphitheatre.
While you are in Provence you may want to try Ratatouille, Daube (braised beef stew), Aioli (garlic laden oil/butter) and some famous wines like Chateau Neuf de Pape, Gigondas, Coti-Roti, Cotes du Rhone or Vaqueyras.
Carcassone
This is mediaeval walled castle city. Very impressive at night and fun to hike around. There are plenty of overdone shops for the tourists, that’s unavoidable but where else can you go and find such a perfectly maintained medieval castle city on such a scale. It is good to eat Cassoulet which is a sort of bean and sausage stew that is famous in the region. It goes very well with Fitou wine, as does sanglier (wild boar) if it appears on your menus. Enjoy the sights in the old town but do your business in the lower ‘’new’‘ town. The ‘’new’‘ part serves locals at local prices. There is a highly recommended generous and inexpensive restaurant on the outskirts of the city called ‘Chateau de Cavennac’. For directions check www.chateau-de-cavennac.fr.
Arles
This is a typical small city in Provence. Lots of left over Roman influence, Colosseum, theatre and plenty of medieval French churches and stuff. The architecture is different from Languedoc Roulssion. The climate is milder and the agriculture more generous and easy. Keep your eyes open for lavender and sunflower fields on the way in and out. People in Provence have always had an easy and good life, it is a place to live of the beauty and fat of the land unless you live in Marseilles or Toulon (tough port cities). I recommend just walking around and exploring.
I stayed at Hotel Acacias
2 Rue de la Cavalerie
04673788
http://www.hotel-acacias.com/
If you are lucky you can maybe get a room with a view of the amphitheatre.
While you are in Provence you may want to try Ratatouille, Daube (braised beef stew), Aioli (garlic laden oil/butter) and some famous wines like Chateau Neuf de Pape, Gigondas, Coti-Roti, Cotes du Rhone or Vaqueyras.
Carcassone
This is mediaeval walled castle city. Very impressive at night and fun to hike around. There are plenty of overdone shops for the tourists, that’s unavoidable but where else can you go and find such a perfectly maintained medieval castle city on such a scale. It is good to eat Cassoulet which is a sort of bean and sausage stew that is famous in the region. It goes very well with Fitou wine, as does sanglier (wild boar) if it appears on your menus. Enjoy the sights in the old town but do your business in the lower ‘’new’‘ town. The ‘’new’‘ part serves locals at local prices. There is a highly recommended generous and inexpensive restaurant on the outskirts of the city called ‘Chateau de Cavennac’. For directions check www.chateau-de-cavennac.fr.
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
Languedoc wine survival tips
Some Wines to know.
The region has several sub-regions and classifications which can be very complex for an outsider.
The main regions:
(These are primarily known for their reds and occasional rosés)
Corbiers, Fitou, Minervois, Saint Chinian, Montpeyroux, Pic St. Loup, St. Georges d’Orques
St. Saturnin, Coteaux de Languedoc, Faugères, La Clape, St. Drézury
Costiers de Nimes
To tell you which to drink is like telling someone that has never eaten anything before which one or two foods they ought to try. Try them all, compare and taste the difference. There can be good and bad from each one but, if you want to know which I tend to personally enjoy more, I would put Minervois, Pic St. Loup, St. Drezury, Saint Chinian, Faugères and Fitou at the top. Coteaux de Languedoc makes so many different wines and incorporates so much terroir it is difficult to generalize.
St Saturnin, La Clape, Corbiérs and Costiers de Nimes on a lower tier and the rest in the middle. I have had pleasant surprises with my lower ranked wines here but generally they are made on a greater scale and sold to grocery stores for people who just want a cheap drinkable glass of wine for familial consumption.
Languedoc is not famous for its white wines but they make some decent ones. Pic Poul de Pinet is the most popular because they only make white in this region, it is inexpensive and they are supposed to go with the local shell fish.
Don’t turn up your nose at Rosé if you have time. While it may not be a very serious meal wine it can be a refreshing change on a hot afternoon. There are a variety of rosés out there which are very different in taste. It is not made, as some people believe, by mixing red and white wine together. There are different techniques for making rosé including the processing of red grapes as if they were white and separating the skins immediately so the tannins have very little impact on the end product.
Muscat is a sweet white that is particularly popular in the South. There are 3 main regions for muscat: Frontingan, Lunel and Rivsaltes. They each have their disciples, I am not amongst any of these camps. I can attest to the fact that when you taste them together there are discernable differences but I can never remember what they are, Rivsaltes more mineral? Frontingan sweeter? Typically it is taken as an ‘’apertif’‘ before a meal or with foi gras in the same way as Bordelaise take Sauterne with their foi gras.
Banyuls. I have friends that practically sing sonnets at the sight of Banyuls. Each of these sonnets would contain reference to the ‘’chemical marriage’‘ of chocolate and Banyuls. Many chocolate afficionados take their intense chocolate appreciation to another level with a small glass of Banyuls. In my experience this sweet port like drink has never failed to make desert more special.
Don’t forget there are good individual domains in areas that don’t have the big reputations and there are under-performing, over- priced bottles from domains that are coasting on the reputation of their region.
General Tips
Domains usually run off a range of offerings of differing quality and price. Often there will be a "grand cru" (although they may not always call it that) this is the wine they are staking their reputation on and it is the most expensive from each year and often requires the longest aging, an AOC (more about that later), something for more pedestrian consumption, often sold young and then maybe an experiment with some different varietals. Then they may offer a white and a rosé.
Don't look for ''monocépage'' or single varietal wines though some vintners have started puting out all merlots for tourists and the foriegn market and some experiments with all carignan wines have yielded some pleasant results. Generally the wines you find in France and all the AOC wines in the South, as far as I am aware, are blends. The blends used in particular regions are largely predetermined by centuries of oenology determining which local varietalls on certian soils blend most harmoniously. The regional AOC determines what those blends are.
AOC or appelation d'orgine controlée,
means less and less for the consumer. Basically it ensures that the wine was made in a certain region conforming to whatever rules that AOC has established for its wines. Which is not to say that a wine that does not earn the AOC lacks quality, it may be that they used different percentages of varietals than what the local AOC stipulate, or it may be that they are new in town and their grandfather never owned a domain. Hopefully it is a guarantee of a certain level of quality or it won’t be a very good reflection on the region.
Vin de Pays
This is another distinction that some wines get when they are recognized by an outside body for being good regional wine and certain guidelines are followed. This used to be considered inferior to AOC but that is no longer the case. One can find certain vin de pays priced in 100s of Euros now and probably more.
Vin de Table
This is generally not a good sign. This is basically a ‘’fit for human consumption’‘ label. Its like an advertisement saying ‘’guaranteed not to make you go blind’‘.
Other things you can look for as potential indications of quality:
If the bottle has an indented bottom.
This is a more expensive bottle type than the flat bottom and it is more suited for aging wine. The logic is that if they bothered to put it in this type of bottle they thought it was reasonably worthwhile.
‘’Recoltant’‘ written at the top of the bottle.
This means the grapes were hand picked. The logic is that the grapes going in had better quality control.
Chateau, Mas or Domain name
They are clearly identifying themselves as the producers so family credibility is on the line.
Mis en boutielle sur la Domain/Chateau
They did everything on the spot and presumably quality controlled and take responsibility for the whole shebang.
The region has several sub-regions and classifications which can be very complex for an outsider.
The main regions:
(These are primarily known for their reds and occasional rosés)
Corbiers, Fitou, Minervois, Saint Chinian, Montpeyroux, Pic St. Loup, St. Georges d’Orques
St. Saturnin, Coteaux de Languedoc, Faugères, La Clape, St. Drézury
Costiers de Nimes
To tell you which to drink is like telling someone that has never eaten anything before which one or two foods they ought to try. Try them all, compare and taste the difference. There can be good and bad from each one but, if you want to know which I tend to personally enjoy more, I would put Minervois, Pic St. Loup, St. Drezury, Saint Chinian, Faugères and Fitou at the top. Coteaux de Languedoc makes so many different wines and incorporates so much terroir it is difficult to generalize.
St Saturnin, La Clape, Corbiérs and Costiers de Nimes on a lower tier and the rest in the middle. I have had pleasant surprises with my lower ranked wines here but generally they are made on a greater scale and sold to grocery stores for people who just want a cheap drinkable glass of wine for familial consumption.
Languedoc is not famous for its white wines but they make some decent ones. Pic Poul de Pinet is the most popular because they only make white in this region, it is inexpensive and they are supposed to go with the local shell fish.
Don’t turn up your nose at Rosé if you have time. While it may not be a very serious meal wine it can be a refreshing change on a hot afternoon. There are a variety of rosés out there which are very different in taste. It is not made, as some people believe, by mixing red and white wine together. There are different techniques for making rosé including the processing of red grapes as if they were white and separating the skins immediately so the tannins have very little impact on the end product.
Muscat is a sweet white that is particularly popular in the South. There are 3 main regions for muscat: Frontingan, Lunel and Rivsaltes. They each have their disciples, I am not amongst any of these camps. I can attest to the fact that when you taste them together there are discernable differences but I can never remember what they are, Rivsaltes more mineral? Frontingan sweeter? Typically it is taken as an ‘’apertif’‘ before a meal or with foi gras in the same way as Bordelaise take Sauterne with their foi gras.
Banyuls. I have friends that practically sing sonnets at the sight of Banyuls. Each of these sonnets would contain reference to the ‘’chemical marriage’‘ of chocolate and Banyuls. Many chocolate afficionados take their intense chocolate appreciation to another level with a small glass of Banyuls. In my experience this sweet port like drink has never failed to make desert more special.
Don’t forget there are good individual domains in areas that don’t have the big reputations and there are under-performing, over- priced bottles from domains that are coasting on the reputation of their region.
General Tips
Domains usually run off a range of offerings of differing quality and price. Often there will be a "grand cru" (although they may not always call it that) this is the wine they are staking their reputation on and it is the most expensive from each year and often requires the longest aging, an AOC (more about that later), something for more pedestrian consumption, often sold young and then maybe an experiment with some different varietals. Then they may offer a white and a rosé.
Don't look for ''monocépage'' or single varietal wines though some vintners have started puting out all merlots for tourists and the foriegn market and some experiments with all carignan wines have yielded some pleasant results. Generally the wines you find in France and all the AOC wines in the South, as far as I am aware, are blends. The blends used in particular regions are largely predetermined by centuries of oenology determining which local varietalls on certian soils blend most harmoniously. The regional AOC determines what those blends are.
AOC or appelation d'orgine controlée,
means less and less for the consumer. Basically it ensures that the wine was made in a certain region conforming to whatever rules that AOC has established for its wines. Which is not to say that a wine that does not earn the AOC lacks quality, it may be that they used different percentages of varietals than what the local AOC stipulate, or it may be that they are new in town and their grandfather never owned a domain. Hopefully it is a guarantee of a certain level of quality or it won’t be a very good reflection on the region.
Vin de Pays
This is another distinction that some wines get when they are recognized by an outside body for being good regional wine and certain guidelines are followed. This used to be considered inferior to AOC but that is no longer the case. One can find certain vin de pays priced in 100s of Euros now and probably more.
Vin de Table
This is generally not a good sign. This is basically a ‘’fit for human consumption’‘ label. Its like an advertisement saying ‘’guaranteed not to make you go blind’‘.
Other things you can look for as potential indications of quality:
If the bottle has an indented bottom.
This is a more expensive bottle type than the flat bottom and it is more suited for aging wine. The logic is that if they bothered to put it in this type of bottle they thought it was reasonably worthwhile.
‘’Recoltant’‘ written at the top of the bottle.
This means the grapes were hand picked. The logic is that the grapes going in had better quality control.
Chateau, Mas or Domain name
They are clearly identifying themselves as the producers so family credibility is on the line.
Mis en boutielle sur la Domain/Chateau
They did everything on the spot and presumably quality controlled and take responsibility for the whole shebang.
day trips from Montpellier
Day Trips
Nimes
This is France's most well preserved Roman city. Amazingly it has become a sort of forgotten and bypassed Southern French city. The ampitheatre , la maison carré, the jardins de la Fontaine and the modern art museum (carré d’art) are all quite remarkable in their own right. You don’t necessarily need to go inside the stadium it is most impressive from outside. The maison carré often has interesting interactive displays on Roman history worth checking out. The modern art centre (carré d'art) can also be interesting but not the most vital if you are short on time. You should at least go to the café on its top floor. The gardens are a must visit. It is quite surprising that they are not more famous or popular with tourists. There is also a tower that over looks everything which if you happen to be walking up that end of the garden could be worth checking out called ‘LaTour Magne’. The downside of Nimes is that it is not the most welcoming nor lively place in the evening so I recomend it purely as a day trip.
Pézanas
This is a Renaissance city that was made famous by Moliere. Everywhere you go it’s Moliere this and Moliere that. There is a plaque just about everywhere Moliere had a pee. They have some interesting buildings that are free to visit but you must find them on your map or keep your eyes open when you walking around town to find them. It is different enough from the other small cities of France to merit some time walking around. They have a lively market on Saturday and several good restaurants, many of which stay open for Sunday lunch. As usual, you should stay off the main square if you want to find the good value places. I remember the name of one of these good restaurants ‘après la déluge’. There is an impressive biscuit and candy shop on the main street which is part of a small and successful chain called 'La cure gourmand'. A number of faux renaissance games, toys and costume shops populate much of the rest of the central streets.
Their gastronomic speciality is called the pate de Pézanas. It is a Cornish pasty meets southern French lamb and honey with a hint of Indian spices. The story is that a Major in the British army, previously posted in India, retired in Pezanas and brought with him his Indian cook. He asked his cook to reproduce the Cornish pasty that he remembered fondly from his boyhood holidays. The Indian cook used local French ingredients and hit upon a local success with his trybrid pre-fusion cuisine invention. Now the local French pastry chefs have made it there own. There are still tons of retired English people living in Pézanas, they can’t seem to get enough of it.
Séte/Agde
These are fishing ports that have become tourist draws. Tons of Seafood restaurants, too many to list. It is sometimes called the Venice of France because of its rivers everywhere and Italian influence. You will see the image of Georges Brassens with his signature moustache and pipe all over the place. Brassens was a famous French folk singer and native son. Tielle is what poor fishermen traditionally ate here. Tielle is a squid and tomato pie. The oysters and other shell fish are equally famous. Rouille de sieche is another tomato and squid based dish that is delicious when done well. Picpoul de Pinet is the cheap white wine people drink with the seafood in this region. There are essentially three routes of interest in Sete. Along the canal and coast which is line with restaurants and will eventually take you past a fortress where they host concerts and then to a little beach where you take a refreshing dip if it is a hot day. The route that which leads to the train station and has a couple of café brasseries with open fronts that are offer nice places to stop for a pastis or a muscat on a hot day. Alternate routes less frequently explored by tourists are the streets that go upwards, to where the locals have their residences. There is a lovely little park, a bar for jousters with a view of the Sea and strange combinations of architecture reminisent of many different Mediteranian cultures. Apart from the tourists Sete is a noisy working class town or hearty Seaferring third generation French Italians and former colonists kicked out of Algeria called ‘’Pieds Noir". Due to the Italian influence Sete also has some good spots for gellato.
Agde is smaller, less industrial and Phoenician in origin. The buildings are made of black volcanic rock, which gives it it’s nick name ‘’La perle noire". It is Sete’s rival town for the canal jousting and tourism. The jousting is done from large dory style boats with a team of rowers and a jouster armed with a lance and a shield on a platform at the back who attempts to knock his adversary in the canal. It is a worthwhile spectacle if you happen to arrive on a jousting day.
Narbonne
Great covered market. Lovely walks along the canal. A mixture of interesting architecture dating from many different periods including a bit of left over Roman road and an impressive Gothic cathedral. Narbonne is generally very quiet with the exception of certain times: when there are bull fights or championship rugby games at the stadium.
St. Bauzille du Putoise
http://www.canoe-herault.fr/From here you can rent some plastic kayaks, pack a full gourmet picnic (no scrimping this is important), and have the best day of your life. The more lavish and impractical the picnic you pack the better. I have been with friends who have actually produced decanters and long stem glasses in tact even after flipping their kayak and riding several rappids. There is amazing scenery, as much exercise as you like, plenty of lovely spots to stop for a refreshing dip or to go around exploring. A perfect day. Just don't forget to seal your water-proof drums as tightly as you can.
Marseillan
There are two lovely restaurants in this little port.
La table d'Emilie -reservations a must (the restaurant that really puts this former fishing village on the map). Apparently the restaurant you must go to if you only go to only one in Marseillan. I still haven’t gone but everyone tells me it’s great, so it is high on my priority list. The more affordable way to go is at lunchtime on weekdays, open Tuesday and Wednesday for lunch. Don’t forget to make reservations.
La Chateau du Port- run by the Pourcell brothers who own several influential restaurants from NYC to Tokyo. This is one of their more subdued ventures, essentially a family run restaurant that has been there for a long time that they bought out while retaining the family as employees. Some think the prices are inflated on this side of the port and it's better to walk 20 metres to the restaurants on the opposite side. Lunch and dinner prices vary greatly, make sure that you are looking at the right menu. This is true for restaurants anywhere in France.
There are two good wine cellars. One on the port offers a variety of regional wines. Another which is two blocks away sells its own and their stuff which seems to get better and better every year.
Noily-Pratt is a very old very classic vermouth distillery on the port. They have their own museum with tours in English. I recommend both their classic and amber vermouths as a fresh apero alternative. Nice with a bit of ice on a hot day facing out towards the med.
There is an outdoor covered market in the village square on Tuesdays and Saturdays.
Nimes
This is France's most well preserved Roman city. Amazingly it has become a sort of forgotten and bypassed Southern French city. The ampitheatre , la maison carré, the jardins de la Fontaine and the modern art museum (carré d’art) are all quite remarkable in their own right. You don’t necessarily need to go inside the stadium it is most impressive from outside. The maison carré often has interesting interactive displays on Roman history worth checking out. The modern art centre (carré d'art) can also be interesting but not the most vital if you are short on time. You should at least go to the café on its top floor. The gardens are a must visit. It is quite surprising that they are not more famous or popular with tourists. There is also a tower that over looks everything which if you happen to be walking up that end of the garden could be worth checking out called ‘LaTour Magne’. The downside of Nimes is that it is not the most welcoming nor lively place in the evening so I recomend it purely as a day trip.
Pézanas
This is a Renaissance city that was made famous by Moliere. Everywhere you go it’s Moliere this and Moliere that. There is a plaque just about everywhere Moliere had a pee. They have some interesting buildings that are free to visit but you must find them on your map or keep your eyes open when you walking around town to find them. It is different enough from the other small cities of France to merit some time walking around. They have a lively market on Saturday and several good restaurants, many of which stay open for Sunday lunch. As usual, you should stay off the main square if you want to find the good value places. I remember the name of one of these good restaurants ‘après la déluge’. There is an impressive biscuit and candy shop on the main street which is part of a small and successful chain called 'La cure gourmand'. A number of faux renaissance games, toys and costume shops populate much of the rest of the central streets.
Their gastronomic speciality is called the pate de Pézanas. It is a Cornish pasty meets southern French lamb and honey with a hint of Indian spices. The story is that a Major in the British army, previously posted in India, retired in Pezanas and brought with him his Indian cook. He asked his cook to reproduce the Cornish pasty that he remembered fondly from his boyhood holidays. The Indian cook used local French ingredients and hit upon a local success with his trybrid pre-fusion cuisine invention. Now the local French pastry chefs have made it there own. There are still tons of retired English people living in Pézanas, they can’t seem to get enough of it.
Séte/Agde
These are fishing ports that have become tourist draws. Tons of Seafood restaurants, too many to list. It is sometimes called the Venice of France because of its rivers everywhere and Italian influence. You will see the image of Georges Brassens with his signature moustache and pipe all over the place. Brassens was a famous French folk singer and native son. Tielle is what poor fishermen traditionally ate here. Tielle is a squid and tomato pie. The oysters and other shell fish are equally famous. Rouille de sieche is another tomato and squid based dish that is delicious when done well. Picpoul de Pinet is the cheap white wine people drink with the seafood in this region. There are essentially three routes of interest in Sete. Along the canal and coast which is line with restaurants and will eventually take you past a fortress where they host concerts and then to a little beach where you take a refreshing dip if it is a hot day. The route that which leads to the train station and has a couple of café brasseries with open fronts that are offer nice places to stop for a pastis or a muscat on a hot day. Alternate routes less frequently explored by tourists are the streets that go upwards, to where the locals have their residences. There is a lovely little park, a bar for jousters with a view of the Sea and strange combinations of architecture reminisent of many different Mediteranian cultures. Apart from the tourists Sete is a noisy working class town or hearty Seaferring third generation French Italians and former colonists kicked out of Algeria called ‘’Pieds Noir". Due to the Italian influence Sete also has some good spots for gellato.
Agde is smaller, less industrial and Phoenician in origin. The buildings are made of black volcanic rock, which gives it it’s nick name ‘’La perle noire". It is Sete’s rival town for the canal jousting and tourism. The jousting is done from large dory style boats with a team of rowers and a jouster armed with a lance and a shield on a platform at the back who attempts to knock his adversary in the canal. It is a worthwhile spectacle if you happen to arrive on a jousting day.
Narbonne
Great covered market. Lovely walks along the canal. A mixture of interesting architecture dating from many different periods including a bit of left over Roman road and an impressive Gothic cathedral. Narbonne is generally very quiet with the exception of certain times: when there are bull fights or championship rugby games at the stadium.
St. Bauzille du Putoise
http://www.canoe-herault.fr/From here you can rent some plastic kayaks, pack a full gourmet picnic (no scrimping this is important), and have the best day of your life. The more lavish and impractical the picnic you pack the better. I have been with friends who have actually produced decanters and long stem glasses in tact even after flipping their kayak and riding several rappids. There is amazing scenery, as much exercise as you like, plenty of lovely spots to stop for a refreshing dip or to go around exploring. A perfect day. Just don't forget to seal your water-proof drums as tightly as you can.
Marseillan
There are two lovely restaurants in this little port.
La table d'Emilie -reservations a must (the restaurant that really puts this former fishing village on the map). Apparently the restaurant you must go to if you only go to only one in Marseillan. I still haven’t gone but everyone tells me it’s great, so it is high on my priority list. The more affordable way to go is at lunchtime on weekdays, open Tuesday and Wednesday for lunch. Don’t forget to make reservations.
La Chateau du Port- run by the Pourcell brothers who own several influential restaurants from NYC to Tokyo. This is one of their more subdued ventures, essentially a family run restaurant that has been there for a long time that they bought out while retaining the family as employees. Some think the prices are inflated on this side of the port and it's better to walk 20 metres to the restaurants on the opposite side. Lunch and dinner prices vary greatly, make sure that you are looking at the right menu. This is true for restaurants anywhere in France.
There are two good wine cellars. One on the port offers a variety of regional wines. Another which is two blocks away sells its own and their stuff which seems to get better and better every year.
Noily-Pratt is a very old very classic vermouth distillery on the port. They have their own museum with tours in English. I recommend both their classic and amber vermouths as a fresh apero alternative. Nice with a bit of ice on a hot day facing out towards the med.
There is an outdoor covered market in the village square on Tuesdays and Saturdays.
wine, coffee, beer in Montpellier
Cafés, Bars aux vins, Bar aux bierres
If you have heavily indulged at lunch and you don’t want too much for dinner a good alternative is a wine bar. They generally offer a cheese plate, charcuterie plate, a tapenade plate or a mixed plate. Usually that is enough for two people that aren’t exceptionally hungry.
L’esprit Vins
A wide variety of local wines from 2.80 -6 Euros a glass.
They have the best mixed plates with plenty of vegetable which will feed two for 12 Euros.
Probably best to sit outside in the evenings because the sound system can be loud inside. The bar opposite, which has an adjacent seating area at the place around the fountain, is rubbish. But don’t let that deter you from esprit vins - which is excellent.
Times Café
Near St. Roch
Great, friendly, knowledgeable staff, great wines, heaps of praise written up in just about every wine publication, tough to find a seat.
Mi Bario
Near St. Roch, opposite l’agricole and next to le bouchon de saint roch
Very casual, but the only one to actually include wines from outside the region on his list.
Milles et une bouteilles
Rue Faubourg St. Jaumes, just beyond the beer bar and stadium.
Way downscale, friendly, incredibly cheap. You can sit at a plastic table and buy rosé at 1 euro a glass while you inhale complimentary olives, chips and peanuts.
There are too many good cafés too name them all and sometimes the best is one you ‘’discovered’‘ but here are a couple that are certain to give you good coffee.
Lattitude
place canourgue
run and operated by twin brothers which can be very confusing. There coffee is a little more expensive but their terrace is beautifully situated and everything is of high quality.
Café Bibal
Rue Jaques Coeur, just off Rue de la Loge, just before the central square place de la comedie.
Quality selection of coffees and hot chocolates and hot chocolate coffees. It is, however, in a crowded area.
Les couleurs des bierres
Rue Faubourg St. Jaumes
A temple to beer. Any type (not necessarily brand) of beer imaginable. Francis, the patron, is an encyclopaedia of beer knowledge. If you get dizzy you can take pizza from next door into the bar. He usually stocks over 700 different beers at one time. I recommend the Belgian and French micro brew sections.
If you have heavily indulged at lunch and you don’t want too much for dinner a good alternative is a wine bar. They generally offer a cheese plate, charcuterie plate, a tapenade plate or a mixed plate. Usually that is enough for two people that aren’t exceptionally hungry.
L’esprit Vins
A wide variety of local wines from 2.80 -6 Euros a glass.
They have the best mixed plates with plenty of vegetable which will feed two for 12 Euros.
Probably best to sit outside in the evenings because the sound system can be loud inside. The bar opposite, which has an adjacent seating area at the place around the fountain, is rubbish. But don’t let that deter you from esprit vins - which is excellent.
Times Café
Near St. Roch
Great, friendly, knowledgeable staff, great wines, heaps of praise written up in just about every wine publication, tough to find a seat.
Mi Bario
Near St. Roch, opposite l’agricole and next to le bouchon de saint roch
Very casual, but the only one to actually include wines from outside the region on his list.
Milles et une bouteilles
Rue Faubourg St. Jaumes, just beyond the beer bar and stadium.
Way downscale, friendly, incredibly cheap. You can sit at a plastic table and buy rosé at 1 euro a glass while you inhale complimentary olives, chips and peanuts.
There are too many good cafés too name them all and sometimes the best is one you ‘’discovered’‘ but here are a couple that are certain to give you good coffee.
Lattitude
place canourgue
run and operated by twin brothers which can be very confusing. There coffee is a little more expensive but their terrace is beautifully situated and everything is of high quality.
Café Bibal
Rue Jaques Coeur, just off Rue de la Loge, just before the central square place de la comedie.
Quality selection of coffees and hot chocolates and hot chocolate coffees. It is, however, in a crowded area.
Les couleurs des bierres
Rue Faubourg St. Jaumes
A temple to beer. Any type (not necessarily brand) of beer imaginable. Francis, the patron, is an encyclopaedia of beer knowledge. If you get dizzy you can take pizza from next door into the bar. He usually stocks over 700 different beers at one time. I recommend the Belgian and French micro brew sections.
Southern French restaurant tips
Complete menus are often displayed outside of restaurants to help the customer decide. There is usually a significant difference in price between the lunch (déjeuner) and dinner menus so don't fall into the evening trap of deciding based on the wrong menu and associated prices.
A ''formule'' is generally the best way to go. Individual servings are generally small and ''formules'' are invariably better value and a better, more authentic all around French dining experience than ordering ''à la carte''. Some ''formules'' are 3 or more courses and include wine and or coffee and others consist of only two dishes. If there are only two it is often a choice between starter -main or main - desert. The starter, main and wine are generally ordered at once and they will come back later to ask you what you want for desert, or more likely tell you what is available.
One good thing about French meat is that antibiotics, hormones and steroids are illegal. If you are buying your own at the grocery store look for the labels that confirm ‘’née. et élevé en France’‘ to make sure it wasn’t born and raised in Poland with lower standards and then shipped in to a French abattoir to serve the European market with a false pedigree.
It is inconceivable for the French that you might be hungry outside of 12h -13h30 and 19h -22:00 besides they need time to visit a dozen different places to sample, discuss and negotiate their food, that could involve a few drinks with the wine merchant or vintner, some heated arguments from the back of their overloaded scooter in traffic and an illicit affair in a store room. Generally you should be aware of restaurants that serve outside these times because their clientele are tourists so the overall quality is considerably reduced. They know they won’t see most of these people again and they will keep coming and mostly loving it too because these Americans are undiscerning and, whatever they have, it’s probably already better than the drivel they were eating at home. Fewer of the ''insider secret'' kinds of restaurants, bakeries, butcher's shops or bars are open in August or on Mondays or Sundays.
Niceties
The TVA included your bill (l’addition) is your standard tip (built in), whatever you add shows your pleasure.
Women are served first but usually the most senior man or the guest of honour does the wine tasting unless he defers this honour to someone else. (there is no tasting for the pichet wine).
Theoretically, you should hold your glass by the stem or base but people no longer strictly observe this custom. If you are clinking glasses with a French person you must look them in the eye or it is seven years of bad sex.
You are usually asked if you would like an ‘’appertif’‘ or ‘’appero’‘ to start, which is traditionally a pastis or muscat in the South but beer is becoming more popular. In some regions there are other traditional drinks like Noilly Pratt vermouth or Byrh in Catalan country.
It is unlikely that you will be given butter with bread unless it is breakfast or you are having nothing else as it is considered to be something which deadens the palate.
Coffee comes after the desert and not with it unless you specifically ask for it.
You generally have to ask for the bill yourself. It is considered bad manners for them to bring it to you automatically when you get to your last crumb of cake. Service is generally slow in the South, they don’t see things in terms of the same commercial relationships as we do. They won’t kick you out of a café for spending 3 hours reading a book over a tiny espresso and they won’t trip over themselves to please someone else because they bring more money or want to make more noise. This is also true in shops. Generally liberty and leisure are given precedents over monetary gain but they are not communists, status is still very important and internally restaurants, particularly larger ones, are probably an extreme example of French hierarchy.
A ''formule'' is generally the best way to go. Individual servings are generally small and ''formules'' are invariably better value and a better, more authentic all around French dining experience than ordering ''à la carte''. Some ''formules'' are 3 or more courses and include wine and or coffee and others consist of only two dishes. If there are only two it is often a choice between starter -main or main - desert. The starter, main and wine are generally ordered at once and they will come back later to ask you what you want for desert, or more likely tell you what is available.
One good thing about French meat is that antibiotics, hormones and steroids are illegal. If you are buying your own at the grocery store look for the labels that confirm ‘’née. et élevé en France’‘ to make sure it wasn’t born and raised in Poland with lower standards and then shipped in to a French abattoir to serve the European market with a false pedigree.
It is inconceivable for the French that you might be hungry outside of 12h -13h30 and 19h -22:00 besides they need time to visit a dozen different places to sample, discuss and negotiate their food, that could involve a few drinks with the wine merchant or vintner, some heated arguments from the back of their overloaded scooter in traffic and an illicit affair in a store room. Generally you should be aware of restaurants that serve outside these times because their clientele are tourists so the overall quality is considerably reduced. They know they won’t see most of these people again and they will keep coming and mostly loving it too because these Americans are undiscerning and, whatever they have, it’s probably already better than the drivel they were eating at home. Fewer of the ''insider secret'' kinds of restaurants, bakeries, butcher's shops or bars are open in August or on Mondays or Sundays.
Niceties
The TVA included your bill (l’addition) is your standard tip (built in), whatever you add shows your pleasure.
Women are served first but usually the most senior man or the guest of honour does the wine tasting unless he defers this honour to someone else. (there is no tasting for the pichet wine).
Theoretically, you should hold your glass by the stem or base but people no longer strictly observe this custom. If you are clinking glasses with a French person you must look them in the eye or it is seven years of bad sex.
You are usually asked if you would like an ‘’appertif’‘ or ‘’appero’‘ to start, which is traditionally a pastis or muscat in the South but beer is becoming more popular. In some regions there are other traditional drinks like Noilly Pratt vermouth or Byrh in Catalan country.
It is unlikely that you will be given butter with bread unless it is breakfast or you are having nothing else as it is considered to be something which deadens the palate.
Coffee comes after the desert and not with it unless you specifically ask for it.
You generally have to ask for the bill yourself. It is considered bad manners for them to bring it to you automatically when you get to your last crumb of cake. Service is generally slow in the South, they don’t see things in terms of the same commercial relationships as we do. They won’t kick you out of a café for spending 3 hours reading a book over a tiny espresso and they won’t trip over themselves to please someone else because they bring more money or want to make more noise. This is also true in shops. Generally liberty and leisure are given precedents over monetary gain but they are not communists, status is still very important and internally restaurants, particularly larger ones, are probably an extreme example of French hierarchy.
Montpellier Restaurants
La Grange
Rue Jean Jaques Rouseau, Montpellier
The chef, waiter, barman raconteur is exploding with culinary energy. You feel more like a guest in his home than a restaurant client but instead of family portraits on the walls there are lovingly framed photos of prized mushrooms. The patron is a mushroom fanatic and a variety of mushrooms figure on just about every part of his menu. On your way to the bathroom you pass through the kitchen where your omnipresent host will be happy to show you what he is simmering on the stove. He loves nothing more than seeing you enjoy your/his food and telling you its story and how it got to your plate. If he has not fished, raised, picked, shot, harvested, cured or cultivated it himself he can tell you what member of his immediate family or entourage has. Don’t miss his home made liqueurs. The six table, two room restaurant is a treasure trove of brick a brack with no apparent distinction made between country kitsch, antiques and folk and fine art. Shut weekends + hunting and harvest seasons or at the hint of any kind of holiday. The place is big on personality, charm and good ingredients if any reproach can be made it is that is a little short on the wine list. One can only hope that some more vintners penetrate the host’s personal entourage. Of that limited red wine list I suggest going for the ‘’pichet’‘ (house wine) or ‘’Malpere’‘. Evenings are less crowded and more personalized than lunches when the judges, lawyers and med school professors in the know make it their canteen.
I have left this restaurant with various blood- alcohol levels but I have never left the place in low spirits. I have no idea what it costs, I am usually having such a good conversation I don’t notice.
Le Grillardin
3 place Chapelle Neuve
Very high standards for upscale middle prices. As I understand it this restaurant is the product of a highly placed rising star chef that decided he could remain on a human scale and do what he loved doing most by dropping out of the dizzy competition for a place among the big names. So he moved to Montpellier from some more traditionally gastronomical part of France (Montpellier doesn’t even really compete when it comes to l’art de la table of some other regions of France) and he set up a small place with his wife. It is very professional yet somehow they manage to be genuinely friendly and down to earth. The chef and his little crew often come out and thank the diners at the end of service. Feel free to try something you have never had before on their menu, disappointments are practically unheard of. Le morteau avec camembert is excellent. They have a great wine list and they often offer to decant it for you if it is a particularly good wine. The ‘’fondant au chocolate’‘ desert is a must for chocolate afficionados. If I take people to one place to experience real French food in Montpellier I take them here. Menus start at about 28 Euros a person. -you will be very full.
Le Ban Des Gourmands
(not to be confused with Les Bains) tramway stop -place carnot
5 Place Carnot (angles between Boulevard de Strasbourg, rue H. René, rue Louis Figuier)
An unlikely rdv gourmand in a working class neighbourhood with lots of traffic and on the wrong side of the tracks. The menu is simple, you choose ‘’coté mere" or "coté terre". I am a carnivore so perhaps biassed however I think the latter menu is better value. Whichever you chose you will get a variety of very well prepared dishes on your plate. Coté terre is likely to have some duck, lamb and steak. Everything is done at a high level of quality. The chef takes great pride in perfecting traditional recipes and sourcing quality food that is controlled at every step of the process before it gets to your plate. He is happy to tell anyone about the breed of cattle he selects from a particular area which his butcher ensures are well fed, exercised and slaughtered. The influences come from all over France there is a particular Corsican touch which is evident mostly in the decor.
Menus are about 28 Euros.
Au Bonheur Des Tartes/du sud-ouest
4 rue des trésories de la bourse
This Toulousian bistro does a very filling lunch of the freshest savoury pies and salad but don’t be afraid of the boudin noir aux figues (blood pudding with figs) as an alternative to their staple pie fare. Expect great olives, salad with delicious herbs and quality charcuterie (cold cuts) This is family run and feels a little like a South Western French grandmother’s kitchen. Their wine list is good and varies from the usual stuff in Montpellier because they favour wines from the Toulouse region. Usually you get a one dish meal here (it’s more than copious enough) and they all contain three different savoury quiche type pies and salad with herbes, a slice of orange and some olives. The different selections are just to help you decide what you want with it, for example: goat’s cheese, sausage, foi gras, etc. The combos range from about 11 to 16 Euros depending on your level of decadence. You should try to book ahead or get there early, however you may also want to take advantage of the fact that this restaurant actually serves later in the afternoon whereas most French restaurants operate on strict opening and closing times.*
Cheapies.
There are numerous places where you can get a pleasant 3 course meal with a cup of coffee or a 1/4 bottle of wine for the equivalent of a Canadian 20$. Mostly this is at lunch but there are a few that offer the same service in the evenings. ‘’cheap and cheerfuls’‘ as mon ami Simon says.
Restaurant Cerdan
8 rue Collot (off place Jean-Jaurez)
-open evenings, closed sundays (everything is cheap for what they offer and they often throw in complimentary drinks and nibbles but the deserts are pretty mediocre)
Le Dauphin
23 Rue Chaptal
-open lunches, Monday to Friday only
a little bit off the beaten path but walkable
La bouchon de Saint Roch
and many more like it in the area around l’eglise de Saint Roch/ place Saint Roch
another really good one, (exceptional value) near saint roch is ‘L’agricole’ or ‘café Leon’.
There are a couple more hole-in-the-wall lunch spots of good value on rue Faubourg de Courreau. - which is a more African and Arab neighbourhood.
Good restaurants, bakeries and butchers are generally closed Sunday and Monday. If you see a lot of old people eating inside, it’s generally a good sign.
Rue Jean Jaques Rouseau, Montpellier
The chef, waiter, barman raconteur is exploding with culinary energy. You feel more like a guest in his home than a restaurant client but instead of family portraits on the walls there are lovingly framed photos of prized mushrooms. The patron is a mushroom fanatic and a variety of mushrooms figure on just about every part of his menu. On your way to the bathroom you pass through the kitchen where your omnipresent host will be happy to show you what he is simmering on the stove. He loves nothing more than seeing you enjoy your/his food and telling you its story and how it got to your plate. If he has not fished, raised, picked, shot, harvested, cured or cultivated it himself he can tell you what member of his immediate family or entourage has. Don’t miss his home made liqueurs. The six table, two room restaurant is a treasure trove of brick a brack with no apparent distinction made between country kitsch, antiques and folk and fine art. Shut weekends + hunting and harvest seasons or at the hint of any kind of holiday. The place is big on personality, charm and good ingredients if any reproach can be made it is that is a little short on the wine list. One can only hope that some more vintners penetrate the host’s personal entourage. Of that limited red wine list I suggest going for the ‘’pichet’‘ (house wine) or ‘’Malpere’‘. Evenings are less crowded and more personalized than lunches when the judges, lawyers and med school professors in the know make it their canteen.
I have left this restaurant with various blood- alcohol levels but I have never left the place in low spirits. I have no idea what it costs, I am usually having such a good conversation I don’t notice.
Le Grillardin
3 place Chapelle Neuve
Very high standards for upscale middle prices. As I understand it this restaurant is the product of a highly placed rising star chef that decided he could remain on a human scale and do what he loved doing most by dropping out of the dizzy competition for a place among the big names. So he moved to Montpellier from some more traditionally gastronomical part of France (Montpellier doesn’t even really compete when it comes to l’art de la table of some other regions of France) and he set up a small place with his wife. It is very professional yet somehow they manage to be genuinely friendly and down to earth. The chef and his little crew often come out and thank the diners at the end of service. Feel free to try something you have never had before on their menu, disappointments are practically unheard of. Le morteau avec camembert is excellent. They have a great wine list and they often offer to decant it for you if it is a particularly good wine. The ‘’fondant au chocolate’‘ desert is a must for chocolate afficionados. If I take people to one place to experience real French food in Montpellier I take them here. Menus start at about 28 Euros a person. -you will be very full.
Le Ban Des Gourmands
(not to be confused with Les Bains) tramway stop -place carnot
5 Place Carnot (angles between Boulevard de Strasbourg, rue H. René, rue Louis Figuier)
An unlikely rdv gourmand in a working class neighbourhood with lots of traffic and on the wrong side of the tracks. The menu is simple, you choose ‘’coté mere" or "coté terre". I am a carnivore so perhaps biassed however I think the latter menu is better value. Whichever you chose you will get a variety of very well prepared dishes on your plate. Coté terre is likely to have some duck, lamb and steak. Everything is done at a high level of quality. The chef takes great pride in perfecting traditional recipes and sourcing quality food that is controlled at every step of the process before it gets to your plate. He is happy to tell anyone about the breed of cattle he selects from a particular area which his butcher ensures are well fed, exercised and slaughtered. The influences come from all over France there is a particular Corsican touch which is evident mostly in the decor.
Menus are about 28 Euros.
Au Bonheur Des Tartes/du sud-ouest
4 rue des trésories de la bourse
This Toulousian bistro does a very filling lunch of the freshest savoury pies and salad but don’t be afraid of the boudin noir aux figues (blood pudding with figs) as an alternative to their staple pie fare. Expect great olives, salad with delicious herbs and quality charcuterie (cold cuts) This is family run and feels a little like a South Western French grandmother’s kitchen. Their wine list is good and varies from the usual stuff in Montpellier because they favour wines from the Toulouse region. Usually you get a one dish meal here (it’s more than copious enough) and they all contain three different savoury quiche type pies and salad with herbes, a slice of orange and some olives. The different selections are just to help you decide what you want with it, for example: goat’s cheese, sausage, foi gras, etc. The combos range from about 11 to 16 Euros depending on your level of decadence. You should try to book ahead or get there early, however you may also want to take advantage of the fact that this restaurant actually serves later in the afternoon whereas most French restaurants operate on strict opening and closing times.*
Cheapies.
There are numerous places where you can get a pleasant 3 course meal with a cup of coffee or a 1/4 bottle of wine for the equivalent of a Canadian 20$. Mostly this is at lunch but there are a few that offer the same service in the evenings. ‘’cheap and cheerfuls’‘ as mon ami Simon says.
Restaurant Cerdan
8 rue Collot (off place Jean-Jaurez)
-open evenings, closed sundays (everything is cheap for what they offer and they often throw in complimentary drinks and nibbles but the deserts are pretty mediocre)
Le Dauphin
23 Rue Chaptal
-open lunches, Monday to Friday only
a little bit off the beaten path but walkable
La bouchon de Saint Roch
and many more like it in the area around l’eglise de Saint Roch/ place Saint Roch
another really good one, (exceptional value) near saint roch is ‘L’agricole’ or ‘café Leon’.
There are a couple more hole-in-the-wall lunch spots of good value on rue Faubourg de Courreau. - which is a more African and Arab neighbourhood.
Good restaurants, bakeries and butchers are generally closed Sunday and Monday. If you see a lot of old people eating inside, it’s generally a good sign.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
