Food & Lifestyle

Occitanie stands as France's premier producer of organic food and wine, offering an array of delectable local products waiting to be savored during your stay. Thanks to its Mediterranean climate, diverse soils, and unique position between mountains and sea, the region boasts an immense and varied terroir, offering local delicacies whatever the season.

Fruit and vegetables

The markets, the grocery store in Mons as well as farm cooperatives like SICA next to Intermarché in Villemagne L’argentière as well as roadside shacks will offer you plenty of seasonal options directly from the farmyard.

There’s a good Provenc’Halles in Bédarieux that offers some slightly more “cheffy” produce should you need it.

For general groceries, there’s the aforementioned Intermarché hypermarket, a Carrefour and a Lidl in Bédarieux.

TIP: most shops close for the siesta in the afternoon. This is typically from 1pm till 4pm but it depends on the shop and the season. Take a picture of the opening times in the shop window, as the hours on Google Maps or Facebook are not always up to date.

Meat and fish

Whilst the grocery store in Mons has a good selection of fresh sausages and vacuum packed meats from the nearby mountain farms, there are several excellent butcher stores nearby.

Patrick Dubois in Olargues has a very modest looking shop, but the dry aged beef especially is excellent. Closed on Sunday afternoon and Mondays.

Charcuterie Cabrié: family run charcuterie in Hérepian. Received the prestigious “Meilleur Ouvrier de France” honour in 2023. The smoked mountain ham is delicious, but do be adventurous and try some of the other specialties like bougnette or melsat.

Intermarché Villemagne l’Argentière: this hypermarket has a decent butcher's counter with competitive prices. Same goes for the expansive fish counter. Most products are sourced locally but when in doubt, check the label.

There’s also a mediterranean fishmonger in the Halles of Lamalou-les-Bains, which are open each Tuesday and Thursday morning. Catch of the day only, so best to get there early. Alternatively, most markets usually have a stall selling oysters and mussels from the Etang de Thau. Pay close attention wether the cooling system is adequate, especially on hot summer days.

TIP: if you can’t see what you like in the counter (mince, burgers, roast,...) just ask the butcher. The butcher will either get it for you from the back room or prepare it in front of your eyes.

Bread

There is a tiny bakery in Olargues, next to the butcher’s. It shuts as soon as it runs out of bread. This is common especially on Sunday mornings. The mie'nutie (a baguette born in the region in 2012 and made with durum wheat flour), is especially good.

Artisan Boulanger Chez Vivien & Rebecca on the roundabout to Bédarieux. Pie lovers, beware! This massive roadside shop has everything you can dream of. Very good bread selection. We tend to stock up on baguettes here and keep some in the freezer in case of an emergency.

L’Arbe à Pains in Faugères: a bit further afield but worth it for the sourdough bread (pain au levain in French). They also offer several types of non-wheat breads,like corn or flaxseed, for the gluten intolerant.

Markets

Bédarieux: Monday morning

Lamalou-les-Bains: Tuesday morning

Mons la Trivalle: Thursday morning

Olargues: Sunday morning

Information regarding all markets in the region:

https://www.jours-de-marche.fr/34-herault/#google_vignette

https://www.grandorb.fr/tourisme/Office-de-Tourisme/Les-marches.html

https://www.minervois-caroux.com/fr/savourer/calendrier-des-marches.html

https://app.saveurmarche.com/

Restaurants

Lo Tchapaïre: this restaurant in Mons la Trivalle sits in the shade of a thousand-year-old pine tree. Specialty of the house is charcoal-grilled meats and fishes, expertly prepared by the friendly owner..

L’atelier 7 (Colombières-sur-Orb): charming little restaurant run solely by its proprietor. Original and fresh French cuisine.

Les Fleurs d’Olargues (Olargues): owned by a delightful Danish-Filipino couple who practice the slow food principle with produce from their own kitchen garden. Arguably the most beautiful restaurant in the area, with stunning views overlooking Olargues.

La Mécanique des Frères Bonano (Colombières-sur-Orb): situated in a converted textile factory, we will let the Michelin star speaks for itself. Very knowledgeable sommelier.

L’Auberge de Combes (Combes): the parents of La Mécanique. Authentic and delicious Southern French food. Beautiful valley views.

L’Ocre Rouge (Hérépian): excellent French nouvelle cuisine with a focus on the terroir.

TIP: during the busy summer months and to avoid disappointment, these restaurants need to be booked well in advance.

We can assist you in making reservations.

Guinguettes and simple eateries

La Cabane d’Héric (Mons la Trivalle): an outdoor tapas bar with a focus on local organic produce. Open every day during the summer season.

La Baraquita (Mons la Trivalle): outdoor restaurant with hearty local fare. They host a number of concerts and karaoke nights during the summer months. Call ahead for reservations.

La Lampisterie: tasty pizza’s on the Passa Païs (behind the post office) in Olargues. Closed Tuesdays.

O’Malice: fresh and simple homemade food at the Tarassac campsite. Call ahead for reservations.

Le Funambule: humble yet highly enjoyable bar/restaurant in Olargues offering a simple local menu. Limited seating space.

Le Lézard bleu: Café de Pays in the village of Vieussan. Belgian beer on tap, tasty dishes and mezzes. Call ahead for reservations.

TIP: a lot of these places are seasonal and therefore don’t accept cards. The nearest cash point is on the main square in Olargues but it’s often out of stock. Plan ahead to avoid having to do the dishes!

Wine Country

Languedoc, once synonymous with cheap "vin de table," is still the world's largest wine-producing region. However over the last 30 years it's become a hub for young winemakers, experimenting and crafting modern wines at accessible prices, which has transformed its reputation.

Mons enjoys a prime location between two prestigious AOC's: Faugères and Saint-Chinian. While both regions boast exceptional wines, we have a particular fondness for the former due to the impact its unique rocky 'schist' soil has on the grapes.

Our lovely neighbour Wim Wagemans makes excellent and occasionaly funky natural wines which you can buy at the village shop - look for the “Le bouc à trois pattes” label.

With hundreds of caves and chateaux to explore, a good place to start is Les Grands Vins du Terroir in Faugères - a well staffed and stocked locale that also features a restaurant and tapas bar overlooking the vineyards. If you can't be bothered driving to the sea, this is a good place for a plateau de fruits de mer!

Additionally, the same building houses "L’Arbre à Pains", the aforementioned bakery, and an organic farm-to-table butcher's shop, adding to the area's culinary delights.

Feel free to reach out for personalized recommendations.

Brocante & Flea Markets

Keep an eye out for "Vide grenier" signs - these local flea markets pop up in villages during various festivities.

While hunting for treasures may seem like finding a needle in a haystack, the thrill of discovering a Gauloises ashtray or a Ricard pitcher makes it all worthwhile! Here are a few locations to explore:

Bédarieux: every Monday morning along the picturesque river Orb embankment.

Béziers: every Sunday morning on the outskirts of town; at the Decathlon car park, Stade Raoul Barrière, and Germinal Parc.

Marseillan Plage: every Saturday and Sunday morning at the Karting parking lot.

For slightly more elevated Brocante and Antiques, head to the following towns:

Pézenas: renowned for its "Route des Antiquaires" along the Avenue de Verdun. You can find more information about events and opening hours via this link: www.antiquaires-pezenas.com.

Béziers: there's a twice-weekly brocante market every Tuesday and Saturday from 8 am to 5 pm, located on the Allées Paul Riquet.

Sète: nautical themed flea market and brocante takes place every Sunday from 8 am to 6 pm on the Quai des Moulins.