In September we were lucky enough to visit the gorgeous Languedoc-Roussillon region of France. We stayed in the lovely Gite Wisteria in Mazamet, Southern Tarn. Within an easy driving distance of Carcassonne it was an ideal base from which we could explore.
Despite the drizzle on the first couple of days we ventured on a day out to Carcassonne, and our first meal out. Squished in a corner in a rustic restaurant we enjoyed a set menu which included goats cheese salad, cassoulet and lemon tart, washed down with a carafe of red wine.
After getting a flat tyre in the isolated village of Cebazan we got our first taste of Blanquette, the region’s answer to champagne. After the car (and my parents) had been towed to Beziers we found a wine warehouse and treated ourselves to a bottle of the local tipple. According to legend Blanquette was the world’s first sparkling wine, pre-dating champagne. Blanquette is a dry, creamy bubbly with a lovely finish. It is arguably as tasty as champagne and comes with a much smaller price tag – needless to say this was the first of many bottles consumed.
We had to journey out to Beziers a couple of days later to retrieve the car and decided to make a day of it. After a walk around the city we enjoyed lunch at Le Cristal restaurant. The streets were bustling and the restaurants were full of happy customers enjoying their lunch. The French seem to hold a much better attitude to lunch time then many of us Brits. Whilst we sit and eat a hurried sandwich at our desks they take a full lunch hour and take time to enjoy their food. It leads me to think that taking the time out of your working day to make sure you eat a proper lunch must surely be beneficial to your health?
We returned home a week later with some delicious edible souvenirs and some great memories. I would highly recommend a trip to this region of France, its food and drink culture is exciting and diverse, leaving you with lots of tasty treats to try.
