Wines and spirits Haute-Loire

Gérard Mondon left the hotel business over 30 years ago to pursue his passion for fine wines. His nephew Raphaël shares the same passion, and together they offer the finest French vineyards for sale, with a fine selection of wines and champagnes. On the spirits side, the cellar is particularly well-stocked with whiskies, but also with some very interesting old cognacs. In addition to the wide choice of references, the excellent advice and the warm welcome, there are also numerous events throughout the year.

A wine merchant from generation to generation, Guy Marcon in turn passes on his know-how and secrets to his children. Very professional, they are not stingy with their knowledge - and they have a lot of it. The region's restaurateurs call on them to study their wine list as fervent defenders of the wines of the Languedoc and the Rhone Valley, associating typical and original wines with the various dishes of these establishments. Don't hesitate to go down to the tasting cellar, which is very convivial and houses some great wines.

Discover the best of Ireland and the best of what the Irish love! Here, the focus is on Celtic, Scottish and English products. The tour begins with a selection of collector's whiskies. For example, Eddu, created in Brittany, is the only whisky in the world made exclusively from buckwheat. There's also a vast selection of rums and beers from Ireland, England, Scotland and Brittany. A fine selection of teas, and typical garments such as the famous Irish sweater. A fine collection of rugby polo shirts.

Alexandre opened his microbrewery offering only 50cl beers to be shared by 2. He wanted to identify his blonde, brown and amber beers with fun names like Petit Mousse, Capitaine Habbock and Capitaine Glouglou. He plans to work on more unusual products, trying to produce a white beer with ginger, to offer ephemeral products, to make things more diversified, and a little more fun. He is present at local farmers' markets and offers a home delivery service.

Vellavia revives the region's brewing past, producing an average of 500 hectolitres. In 1870, the Velay volcanic plateau was recognized as a prime area for growing the barley needed to make beer. Farmers grow ponote, an ancient variety of coarse-grained barley rich in kernels. Its unroasted malt gives the beer a beautiful golden color. It is available in blond, brown and white versions. At the end of the tour, there's a store where you can sample this local nectar.

Vincent Decroix and Sébastien Linger opened their craft brewery in Monistrol-sur-Loire at the end of 2018. All the brewing equipment is installed in the back shop. At the front, a large L-shaped bar allows the sale of their beers by the bottle. White, blond, red, brown, Christmas beer, spring beer... all are made with organic barley and wheat malts grown between the Haute-Loire and the Puy-de-Dôme. The perfect place to relax with friends.

Since 2018, Reine des Vertes has been crafting spirits with artisanal methods. Handmade, from cultivation to bottling with the base of 100% natural. It is alcohol, organic cane sugar, fruits or plants and ancestral know-how. Mint, wild sloe, pear, angelica... the choice is there. For the summer season, the farm offers, starting from the campsite, a new discovery trail to the fields of crops for all with a pony ride for children. A bucolic and gustatory discovery at the store.

If the name Motueka refers to a New Zealand town, Florent Gillot's brewery is local, even ultra-local! The hop producers Florent works with are from Auvergne. The first one is in Haute-Loire, the second in Puy-de-Dôme. As for the barley, 50% of it is produced by Florent's uncle. The same idea for the packaging, since the bottles are French and the labels are produced in the Haute-Loire. This attention to the ingredients and this know-how can be felt during the tasting (possible on site)!

For three generations, the Maison Molière has had a solid regional reputation for quality and service. It has three floors of storage, two of which are air-conditioned for the proper conservation of the wines, and two cellars in the basement with a more confined atmosphere for paid tastings in the evening, for individuals or groups. The shop has about 650 references representing the whole of the French vineyard, retail wines and some wines of the world, champagnes and spirits, as well as gift boxes and accessories.

It is part of the Vedrenne group, which comprises several French distilleries and liqueur distilleries emblematic of their respective terroirs. The Pagès distillery specializes in the production of the region's emblematic plant liqueur, Verveine du Velay. Founded in 1859, it has been perpetuating its traditional know-how and recognized expertise ever since. The Pagès distillery works in close collaboration with local producers, favoring sustainable farming practices. The fruit used in the production of our liqueurs is selected from the best local varieties and picked when perfectly ripe. The Pagès distillery also offers other emblematic products, such as crème de Cassis de Bourgogne, liqueurs and quality fruit syrups.

Charlie and his team brew a craft beer, La Damoiselle, in blond, white, amber and brown versions. It is a place of meetings and exchanges, where various exhibitions and concerts take place. It is also an opportunity to discover new products, such as the famous rye winter beer. As for the Auvergn'ale, it is a light blonde beer with the particularity of being prepared in the same way by 6 breweries throughout the region (hence its name). If you really can't make it to Blesle, you can find them at La Cave Gourmande in Brioude.