News from Caussi.com

Barcelona and Caussi - Perfect Yin and Yang

Hi Susan- we are at JFK, waiting for our last flight home from Caussi and Barcelona and I wanted to tell you what a wonderful week we had at your  charming and cozy home in Caussi.  It was a perfect time with lots of wine, good food, most of which we prepared ourselves, incredible views, many of which Sam painted, trips to Roquebrun, Fos, Pezenas, Bedarieux, a great hike up Mt. Caroux, and much more.  

 We spent all day Saturday in Pezenas and appreciated the extra day at your house which allowed us to enjoy the day there at the market.  Then, yesterday, we left for Collioure, which was awe-inspiring both in its magnificent coastline and castles, and the fact that we were seeing the same views that Matisse, Picasso and others painted.

 We loved Barcelona as well, and with our trip to Caussi, it was the perfect combination of yin and yang.

 I wanted to mention the restaurant , O Bontemps, that we really loved in Magalas.  It was very contemporary French, in an attractive, minimalist, modern room.  The food was lovely, the owner spoke English, but what made it really work for us was that he was willing and able to accommodate my husband's dietary issues, and we both enjoyed a wonderful meal.

 So, again, thank you for sharing your fairy tale village with us.  It was a vacation we will always remember.

 All the best,

 Bonnie and Sam (Oct 2011)

Les Palmiers restaurant, Pezenas

Les Palmiers restaurant in Pezenas, Languedoc is probably one of the best mid-priced  restaurants in Pezenas. The restaurant is set in an open-air courtyard in the heart of the old windy streets of Pezenas' historic quarter. You literally dine out under the stars, beneath 3 huge cream canopies strung in between the two adjoining properties.

 The restaurant is set on 2 different levels - the higher terrace being very popular in Summer. From mid-May through to September, it is probably one of the best places to eat in the hot South of France evenings. There is of course the obligatory Palm tree inside. What is most imperssive however is  the kitchen is open on view to all.

 The menu changes daily and is displayed on a big blackboard that is brought to your table. The food is simple and uncomplicated, but extremely well prepared.  Les Palmiers restaurant, 10 bis rue Mercière, Pézenas, Languedoc. Tel: 04 67 09 42 56. The restaurant is closed on Sundays.

Cessanon - Loved Restaurant de l'Orb

Restaurant Recommendation from Jowa and Matthew (summer 09):

On our last night in Caussi we had a nice meal in Cessenon sur Orb, a charming medieval town overlooking the Orb River (not far from Roquebrun) at the  Restaurant de l'Orb: good food and great location for the kids as it was on the central plaza so the kids played hide n seek between the parked cars.

Here's a review of the Restaurant de l'Orb (see the resaurant's web site for hours and the current menu):

A must visit if you want a fabulous evening of proper French and international cuisine with the chef's own English twist is dinner at Restaurant de l'Orb The cooking is totally innovative using fresh and even home grown produce even gathering herbs straight from the local hillsides. The service is very friendly with French and English spoken. A lovely atmosphere at very reasonable rates.

A great kid-friendly vacation in Caussi...

Here are Dylan and Zelda enjoying dinner on the terrace (Aug 08)...The kids loved all the beaches...we went to Serignan Plage (a favorite), Roquebrun (kids loved the stones and cool, clean water).  Cap d'Agde beach has a great kiddie play/water park.
    We found lots of playgrounds as well...one right by the Bedarieux market.  Amazingly, they loved wandering around Pezenas with all the fun shops and the ice cream shop that delivers your ice cream cone shaped like a rose!  We ate at La Tartine in Pezenas...recommend it.
  Instead of driving from the UK, next time we may try the train or Ryannair to Beziers...

Auberge de l'Abbaye - Villemagne

From the Kilbreth family (May 2008): we really enjoyed  the Auberge de l’Abbaye in Villemagne. It was exceptionally good—and the wine they  recommended was from Caussi!  You can get menus starting at 27 euros and going all the way to about 58, so you can make it as pricey as you want. But it’s a lovely spot in a spectacular 17th century Abbey with 1 star cuisine, all based on fresh, local ingredients.

From a French guide book:

Charmante petite auberge de campagne, située dans un village classé, au coeur du Parc Régional du Haut Languedoc. Utilisant une petite partie d'une ancienne abbaye cistercienne, cette auberge bénéficie d'un cadre exceptionnel, voûtes du XIIéme siécle, mobilier en bois massif. Vous y goûterez une cuisine originale et inventive élaborée exclusivement à base de produits frais et locaux.

Spécialités : Roulades de Foie Gras aux Figues et Magret sur son croustillant, Etoile d'Anchois de Sète avec sa Poivronnade à boire.

AUBERGE DE L'ABBAYE
Place du Couvent
34600 VILLEMAGNE L'ARGENTIERE
Tél : 04.67.95.34.84
Fax : 04.67.95.34.84

Excellent Casual Restaurant in Pezenas

Our friend and Marseilles native Marion Dubois strongly recommends La Flambee in Pezenas (27, rue de la Foire) for its warm, casual atmosphere accompanied by a simple menu of homemade pasta, house pizzas, grilled shrimp, and salads, all of incredibly high quality.  Very welcoming ambience.

Located in one of charming historic buildings in the heart of Pezenas...Don't miss.

LA FLAMBEE – LES BABOUCHES DE MOLIERE
27, rue de la Foire 
PEZENAS

Tél : 04 67 98 09 19

closed Sunday evenings and Mondays

 

Walk to the top of Mt Caroux

One fall day in 2007, we headed by car to Lamalou-les-Bains and then up the mountain to the hamlet of DOUCH, beneath the summit of Le Caroux.  Douch is a perfect village where time seems really to have stood still. Half-a-dozen rough stone houses, inhabited by a handful of elderly residents, cluster tightly together for protection against the elements..  In the meadows below nestles a picturesque church with an ancient cemetery full of graves like iron cots.
From Douch follow the path south of the village to the popular, easy 2.5 miles ascent of Le Caroux (1040m), where you’ll find extraordinary views from the summit along the mountain ridge, south to Beziers, the Mediterranean sea and even the Pyrenees, on a clear day.  We could see the mountain goats scampering up and down over the rocks below.
Walking back through the fallen fall leaves was exquisite—and we stopped in the charming inn at Douch for tea before claiming our car in the parking lot. 
Driving back to Caussi, we chose the route through Rosis, where the road levels out into  a small mountain valley, whose slopes are brilliant yellow with broom in June, and then the village of Combes.  From Combes,  the D180 winds through cherry orchards to Le Pourjol 

The Auberges de Combes (tel 04.67.95.66.55.) offers a splendid meal in an exquisite gorgeous mountain setting (Closed Sunday evening and all day Monday).  Although we’ve driven by many times, we haven’t stopped for a meal yet.  The very first Caussi renters, the Hackman family of Kansas City, raved about their lunch at the Auberges de Combes so we recommend it.

Les Marronniers in Pezenas

After a day of antique shopping and a visit to the Saturday market, we had a great lunch at Les Marronniers in Pezenas in November...Set a 19th century mansion with a beautiful courtyard lined with chestnus trees and outdoor tables for the summer, the dining rooms are charming spaces carved out of the mansion's parlours. At lunch, the cuisine is French traditional featuring veal dishes of the Lyons region.....in the evening, tapas and Spanish cuisine are offered... This restaurant was a huge hit with our French friends..

Location: 6 avenue de Verdun, Pézenas. 04.67.90.13.80.  Closed on Mondays. For a full review (in French): http://restaurantsdumidi.midiblogs.com/archive/2007/04/17/ss.html

Oysters in Meze

We were enchanted with the Mediterranean village of Meze (near Agde) during a visit in November 2006.  Sitting in the bright sun, eating local oysters and fish stew in an outdoor cafe on the harbor was a highlight of our recent trip.  The spot is apparently known to visitors from northern Europe as we heard Swiss and German spoken around us but nary a word (as usual in Languedoc) of English.

Seafood lovers

From the Blattler family (August 2006):
We are lovers of any kind of seafood!  We ate great fruits de mer and oysters in Cap-d’Agde (restaurant La Reine des Mers) and at Valras-Plage. At St.Pons we enjoyed great local food at a lonely restaurant behind the main street (across the street from the little park at the head quarter of the Parc National du Haut-Languedoc Great place for a French lunch.

La Forge in Bedarieux

We loved La Forge in Bedarieux. It had excellent food at very reasonable prices.
from the Kogan family (August 06)

Where:
LA FORGE
                        22, avenue Abbé Tarroux, BEDARIEUX Tel 04.67.95.13.13.
Spécialités : Cassoulet de la mer aux pois chiche de Carlencas,
                        Menus de 15 € à 35€. Menu du terroir à 15 €.

Beziers Restaurants

Beziers, a city of about 40,000, is the nearest metropolis to Caussi (about 15 minutes away.) You don't need to go to Beziers to eat well but if you crave a bit urbanity, you can munch on mussels and local wine at one of the cafes in the central market. Or be extravagant and dine at L'Ambassade. Here Patrick Olry cooks ambitious food in an ultracool setting (4 67 76+ 06 24).  Framboisier is also good (we love the warm oysters in champagne sauce) (4 67 49 90 00). 

Although we haven't tried it yet, La Raffinerie in Beziers on the Canal du Midi comes with much praise.  One reviewer said, "Dine with style and good taste. The interior has been carefully designed to exude excellence.  Menus are original, with surprises both succulent and succinct. The wines are chosen well. The prices very reasonable, and the service gracious. What more could one want?!" (14, Avenue Joseph Lazare, 04 67 76 07 12)

Finally, a few miles north of Beziers, in the village of Maraussan, a restaurant called Parfums de Garrigue has a country feel (see doorway above).  It's surrounded by vineyards and, as at all local restaurants, the wine list includes selections from the best local winemakers. (4 67 90 33 76)