Gourmet products local specialties and wines Pyrénées-Orientales

Gérard Gauby is an exceptional winemaker with an international reputation. Very early on, he was convinced that a natural ecosystem had to be created and preserved. He kept half of the 85 hectares of the estate in woodland, meadows and scrubland, and then quite naturally converted to organic farming. Biodynamic farming was added to the list shortly afterwards. Lionel, his son, who fell in love with grapes at a very young age, accompanies his father today. Rarely do you come across people who speak with such love and respect for nature and their profession. An unmissable domain on the Olympus of the vine.

Another one who is in the news, what a life of a pig! Ronan raises hardy Duroc pigs in the Vallespir region. The animals grow slowly, fed mainly on acorns which they find under a 23 ha forest. And that changes everything! The pigs are raised with respect and animal welfare. You can find his products (fresh meat, cured meats: refined ventrèche, copa, white ham without nitrite salts) in various markets near Céret. The best tables have bet on him. Ronan's pork products are a delight!

In the heart of the old village of Eyne, Amandine and Aurélien welcome you to their little shop in the honey house. You will of course find their honeys (our preference goes to the mountain honey - rhododendron) and the products of the hive: propolis, soap, comb honey... Very committed to the environment, they will tell you why it is necessary to save the bees and stop using pesticides at all costs. Less resistant than militant, this couple in love with the region (the valley of Eyne is one of the most beautiful of the Pyrenees), travels the markets of the region.

Yum yum by Caro and Léo is a bit like an Ali Baba cave. They do a bit of everything: grocery store, wine cellar and restaurant. But with a focus on fine, high-quality products. The dishes are a treat and great care is taken with the presentation. The kitchen is open non-stop from morning to night. Caro and Léo, very dynamic, organize many events, and you can find all the news on their Facebook page. They also offer a catering service. A nice and friendly address to taste local food... of course!

6 hectares of south-facing vines on the foothills of the Pyrenees, in an idyllic setting at the crossroads of Mediterranean and mountain climates. That's all it took to create a unique wine. At Olivier, we don't blend our cuvées. Here, we're dealing with a purist who wants to live off the land and with the land: "the winemaker must take a back seat to the grape variety and the terroir; he's only an instrument, not an end in itself". This rebellious spirit is reflected in his growing methods, and the result is a delicious nectar, natural with zero sulfites, but straightforward and structured!

One place, two wonders: high quality wines conceived and matured by winegrowers respecting an "eco-phyto" charter and a superb cellar to visit. 80 wine growers and a dozen vintages for all palates and budgets. Renovated a few years ago, the building's former unloading docks have been transformed into a tasting room. The highlight of the visit is undoubtedly the ageing cellar for the natural sweet wines located on the first floor. Enchanting!

At the end of the road, at the start of the hiking trails to the springs of Tech and the famous peak of Costabone, there is a small farmhouse of character, beautifully restored. The site is splendid, we are at an altitude of 1150 meters, in a high mountain in a small corner of paradise. The farm of Plana Nera is 60 ha of pastures (up to 1500 m) where dairy goats and young goats graze. Their milk is processed into tomme and lactic cheeses (fresh, semi-fresh and dry, yoghurts). The little extra is the charming mini-camping set up on the land.

Initiates, amateurs or curious, you will find your happiness at Côté Cave. A beautiful and warm place that remains simple and friendly. The proof is that workshops are regularly organised to introduce you to the secrets and magic of fermented fruit: "bar-cocktail, sommellerie, in search of the nuggets of Languedoc..." (details on the regularly updated website). And the icing on the cake, every Saturday morning, market day, the owners bring in a winegrower who offers tasting of his wines. Epicureans without moderation!

Yves and Sophie are committed to organic farming, whose values and principles they defend. They have chosen to breed hardy and resistant cows that are well adapted to our mountains and climate. The range of their production is wide: tomme, soft cheese, fromage frais, fromage blanc, mató, milk jam and blue cheese. Everything is delicious and made with love. An important detail: Sophie transforms the milk in a huge copper cauldron. An alliance of tradition, love of work and sustainable development; everything is said!

This family has been farming organically for several years and raises Montbéliarde cows. As in many farms in rural areas, milking, processing and selling are done on the spot. All the products are delicious (tomme, soft cheese, faisselle, fresh cheese), as you can imagine. The reception of the public is done by appointment but know that you are invited to the milking of the cows every day at 7 pm in summer and 6 pm in winter.

In Matemale, where an authentic mountain village atmosphere still reigns, Aurélia, Claire and Jean-Pierre welcome you to present their delicious goat cheeses, and invite you to a seasonal milking demonstration between 6 and 7 pm. The range of cheeses on offer is extensive: faisselle, lactic, perfumed goat, smoked goat and, last but not least, tomme. At an altitude of 1,500 m, on rich, pollution-free mountain pastures, it's hardly surprising that quality is the order of the day, and that awards have been won at agricultural competitions.

For the record, in the 19th century, Arles had 7 chocolate factories. Contrary to traditional chocolate making, which involves roasting the beans at high temperatures, Florence Losa's cocoa is ground by hand at low temperatures, thus preserving all of its beneficial substances for the health. Florence then shapes her product without refined sugar and adds various local and organic ingredients according to her imagination and the seasons. Simply delicious!

At Marlène and Jérôme's, the cheese is made according to an ancestral method where the milk is brewed by hand, without any mechanics, "only tradition". The visitor is welcomed in a renovated building where stone and wood are honoured. The maturing cellar cannot be visited for reasons of hygiene, but it can be admired behind a large glass window. And the cheeses are just like the two farmers who love their land and work well done. The place is a bit out of the way, but it's really worth making the detour to Aytua.

In the Pérarnaud family, we are proud to be farmers from father to son with the same concern to perpetuate a tradition that is part of modernity. At the farm, we offer you succulent beef and veal (we're not lying to you, we've tasted it!) retail or in parcels, raw milk and fresh cheeses. As tourism has become an economic engine of agriculture, the Pérarnaud farm opens its doors to you every day at the time of milking the cows to let you discover this peasant world from the inside. A beautiful journey to the land of authenticity.

Jean-François is a beekeeper in Serralongue on a wild and wooded territory. The honey house is located on the family property in the small hamlet of Galdarès. It is not very large but as he says himself, "I like to welcome people and talk to them about my job". The product harvested is the image of this passionate nature lover: a unique organic honey that often wins prizes. Do not hesitate to go and meet him, he will show you his honey house, taste his treasures and maybe reveal some secrets.

A shop as we like them, in a real arched cellar, finely decorated, well filled and with a lot of diversity and choice. You can find everything among the local artisanal products: honey, jams, anchovies, local beers... A beautiful summary of Catalan flavours. Want to have a snack without further delay: know that all the products on sale can be enjoyed on the terrace! A great place to have a drink with local products or spend the evening with friends on a pretty square away from the main road.

Pascale and Antoine's organic goat farm offers tome, crottins and fresh cheeses, not forgetting a small production of raspberries that you can come and pick on the spot, or buy in jam or vinegar. And in the words of the Futé, the marriage between goat's cheese and raspberries is a delight! Children will also be delighted as they will come across chickens, pigs and horses on the farm. Pascale and Antoine also offer camping on the farm. In such a bucolic and enchanting setting, we love it.

Do you like ice cream? But not just any ice cream, the ones made with a little sheep's milk and above all a lot of love and tenderness! Organic, creamy, soft, easy to digest and egg-free. Whose fault is that? A breed of Corsican sheep chosen for its rusticity and the richness of its milk. There are ten or so exquisite flavours to choose from, all of which will make your mouth water. And the icing on the cake, because the love of a job well done always pays off, is that you will find the "frozen stars" of La Bergère on the best tables of the department.

In a Catalan farmhouse perched on a soulane (south-facing slope) Ghislaine and Yves raise dairy sheep and produce a cheese with an excellent reputation. The 120 Lacaune ewes produce exceptional milk which, once transformed, is available in tome, cremons (crottins), and fresh cheeses, curds, mato and brousse. The work of the Coste family is regularly rewarded in trade shows. Our shepherds and master cheesemakers also offer a gîte for two people to rent. A great idea for a gourmet and relaxing holiday!

Sébastien Ponramon, Master Chocolatier creates pieces that are true works of art. And it is sincerely painful to bite into his subjects. But greed is stronger than feelings and true cocoa lovers no longer ask the question. Purists will be happy with the percentage of cocoa ranging from 67% to 75%, but it also offers 85% for connoisseurs. And that's not all, because he has created a chocolate with Byrrh, it must be said that his shop is just opposite the cellars, it's a "killer"!

Florence and Dominique welcome you to their farm to help you discover the happiness of seasonal fruits, with the same priority of respecting nature. And there is a choice according to the season: cherries, apricots, nectarines, peaches, apples, pears, nashis and persimmons. Our two friends also offer processed products: juices, compotes, coulis and cherries in syrup. Let's eat! If you have a little time, they will invite you to take a walk on their land among the orchards for a real ecological and educational visit!

After 1 km of rather passable track, you are at the end of the world, at Kevin and Jonathan's farm, on the banks of the Lamanère stream, near the old mill. Starting from nothing (the building was a ruin), they now raise 12 dairy cows of the Montbéliarde and Brune des Alpes breeds that graze in the undergrowth and meadows. When you taste their products, it's not surprising that they were the winners of the Agricultural Dynamics Award in 2017. Everything is a treat: raw cow's milk, faisselle, tommes, yoghurts. The only thing missing is the barrel of wine!

To be enjoyed without moderation: sardines, mackerel, tuna, fish soups... Originality has not been forgotten as we also find on the menu preparations for sandwiches, small pots to be reheated and some really surprising boxes. And it's delicious! The boxes are of all the colors (one would think in a jewellery store), the reception is always with a smile and in bonus one can taste the products. A little air of Brittany in the Mediterranean!

Charles Perez, artisan winemaker, runs his 25 ha vineyard according to the principles of organic agriculture, vinifying his wines with the aim of minimizing inputs and mechanical processes. Charles' stoutness and bonhomie are the image of his wines: round, sincere and generous! To put it simply, there are two ranges of wines at Mas Becha: the "family portraits", and the plot-based wines with a very small production, generally dedicated to fine dining. And both are regularly praised by the specialized press. We love it!

A few km after Corsavy on the Batère road, the Bergerie de la Cazette is easy to find, it is the first and only farm on the right hand side. What a panorama on the border with Spain and the peaks of the Alta Garrotxa! It must be said that we are more than a thousand metres above sea level here. In the sheepfold under the house you can choose between tomme, soft cheeses and fresh cheeses: mato, yoghurt and brousse. The cherry on the cheese is the visit of the small maturing cellar where the tommes are lined up on spruce boards.

What has made the reputation of this family farm, is the choice to offer for sale only seasonal fruits and vegetables. Forget the ratatouille in winter if you shop there! Just look at their rich and colourful stalls in summer, or turning to beige and brown in winter. As far as the environment is concerned, the Mas Blanc team has chosen to use integrated pest management. Selection of local products (wines, cheeses...)

At Mas Pujol, a young team is taking over while preserving the values of the elders. They are shaking things up a bit with a new range of wines that emphasize finesse and elegance: the Pinta, Nina and Santa Maria trilogy brings out the purity of grenache, century-old carignans and syrah. L'Originel is a sulfite-free cuvée that gives the impression of biting into a grape. Mas Pujol regularly organizes wine and pig events that are celebrated in the estate's superb tasting cellar.

We offer you this nugget on the border of the Aspres and Vallespir where Laurent grows saffron at the foot of the Canigó. Attached to his land, proud of his work, Laurent will tell you about the saffron from the picking, through pruning and drying. But also its medicinal use since 8 000 years, antidepressant, antiseptic, healing, aphrodisiac, anti-carcinogenic... A real "alicament". He will give you some recipes such as tiramisu with saffron, saffron crème brûlée and will make you taste his honeys and citrus fruits.

In the heart of the Aspres lowlands, Jonathan and Rachel cultivate 10 hectares of vines according to ecological and sustainable principles with a nice "natural wine" touch. They claim a traditional and artisanal culture combined with the latest technologies, and it pays off! They are regularly awarded and quoted in major international magazines. But don't think that the Treloars have a big head. You only have to go and meet them at the winery to be convinced. They are people as natural as their wines and they are happy to receive and share their passion.

A village fishmonger's shop that is becoming more and more popular. No secret : arrivals from Brittany and of course from the Port-la-Nouvelle fish market : sardines, anchovies, monkfish, bass, red mullet... Depending on the season, you will also find tellin, violets or eels from the Etang. A pure delight and it is ultra fresh! The establishment also prepares seafood platters to take away. Gourmets will not be disappointed. And let's not forget Sylvie's precious advice, who will let you in on some of her fishmonger's secrets, always with a smile.

On a landscape of successive terraces of rolled pebbles typical of the Aspres lowlands, Jean-Sébastien (a great defender and admirer of natural wines) relies on low and concentrated yields, hand-picking and trusting in indigenous yeasts to produce a 100% ecological natural wine. The result is a little marvel of suppleness and delicacy in the mouth. To all those who believe that the wines of Roussillon are full-bodied and tannic, come and taste the wines of the Potron-Minet estate, it is like silk that slides under the palate!

Second year in Canet for Sabrina and Paul, trained by Isabelle Victor, the former owner, who taught the couple all the subtleties of homemade artisanal ice cream made with fresh fruit, continue the production of the 40 natural flavors offered for sale. The flavors are a treat for the taste buds. Served in bowls or crispy cones, the quality/price ratio is more than fair. Canet's indisputable ice cream parlour may have changed hands, but it remains an excellent, reliable address that has become a must for Le Petit Futé and its readers.

You are welcomed in the new majestic cellar, which cannot be missed from the road. The tasting room opens onto the vast ageing cellar that can be seen behind the glass (visit by appointment). 60 hectares of vines on black schist and granite soils (Maury and Lesquerdes), cultivated with respect for the environment and with a minimum of chemical inputs. Concentrated and rich top-of-the-range wines, which are a beautiful expression of this dense and fiery terroir. A particular favourite is the Amourette, an all too rare and delicious grey Grenache.

The beautiful Sud De France shop, which is next to the factory now visible through the windows, is a magnificent windows of our regional specialities. Nearly 200 references are represented, obviously all the sweet delights of the traditional sweets of Tech are there: chocolates, biscuits, will tourons, rousquilles... and recently the pastry chef with its Roger Martinez. But Sud De France products are also found there with small producers are known for their know-how. La Tour cafés with honey Rayon d'Or via the fleur de sel of the Salt Marshes, wines from Mas Camps or jam of Sournia, the shop of the Sweets of Tech offers gourmet sample of the department. More than 7,500 products are presented to you. You can enjoy them, you can explain it the exact origin, the ingredients and the process. An unavoidable place to discover for the delight of your tastebuds and the pleasure of the eyes; Hansel and Gretel could not have imagined fine residence more. You can make yourself weddings or choose products already very nicely varied. Ideas of gourmet gifts galore!

A real temptation for gourmets, Les Péchés Gourmands in Perpignan offers a delicious selection of handmade, natural sweets, highlighting the flavors of Provence and the Mediterranean. From berlingots from Carpentras to almond calissons from Provence, not forgetting mantecaos, navettes and rousquilles from Catalonia, it's a treat for the taste buds. Jérôme, the passionate owner, will guide you through this marvellous tasting of sweets, fruit jellies, nougats and other delicacies. It's an unmissable destination for lovers of authentic, gourmet sweets.

The temple of Catalan specialities! Sylvain Hénoc, trained at the Ferrandi School, offers you the creations made from the laboratory adjacent to the shop. You will find the unavoidable Catalan Turrón made of honey, sugar and dried fruits, but also the Rousquilles with lemon and vanilla as well as the Panaillets, small balls of marzipan with pine nuts. Two other specialities are to be discovered: bougnettes and Toledo Bread, as well as classic pastries.

A member of the Confrérie des Chevaliers de Taste Fromage, Andrée knows a thing or two about cheese! She lovingly selects farmhouse cheeses made from raw milk from France and Navarre, which she will introduce to you in small slices that you can taste with your fingertips, but not with your lips. The Reynal cheese dairy has been a family affair since 1948. Today, in the fourth generation, it is the son who is taking over. And he too knows a thing or two about cheese, just look at the wide range of local and artisanal goats.

Les jardins de Paille was born from a love story between a medicinal plants enthusiast and a doctor. The witch and the scientist have found harmony and offer you a thousand creations such as hydrolats, care products, essential oils... from their cultures. Original creations concerned with doing good to you and to the planet. The stock changes according to the season and the harvest to respect the earth. All the creation and the production are handcrafted. The infusions and the care are thought for your pleasure and your well-being.

A very young company unlike the recipes it offers. At Karine and Laurent's, the homemade cookies vary according to the season. You will be welcomed in a warm shop where customers can take a break and taste our biscuits with a coffee, a tea or an organic fruit juice. You will find tourons, croquets, palets... and delicatessen products such as olive oil, vinegar or jams, but our favourite is the rousquilles, the Catalan sweetness par excellence.

Corinne, Philippe, Stéphane and Charlotte raise beef and fat ducks in organic farming on their farm in Eyne, at 1,500 m altitude between Cerdagne and Capcir. This family of enthusiasts and epicureans is regularly quoted in the regional and national press, so much so that the conditions of breeding and the quality of the products are irreproachable. Cattle breeding is not limited to pure meat as these farmers had the idea of making charcuteries: veal cow sausage, dried meat... To be eaten without moderation.

Séverine and Franck raise fattened ducks, guinea fowl and chickens on their mountain farm in the heart of the regional nature park. These poultry raised in "full Err" are fed in the rules of the art with a 100% vegetable food. The whole chain from breeding to sale is controlled - no intermediaries and above all, animal welfare is a point of honour. Thanks to complementary training (Séverine studied agriculture and Franck studied hotel management), this couple offers healthy and high quality products. The Petit Futé has cracked.

Situated in the heart of the Aspres, the estate covers 60 hectares of rolled pebbles and stony soils producing wines of character. Already prized in the 11th century at the court of the King of Aragon under the name of "laurinya", it now belongs to Domaines Paul MAS. The reasoned work of the vine, a cellar adapted to the modern techniques of wine making make the wines of Château Lauriga a pledge of quality. The interaction between the tramontane, the grape varieties and the terroir produces wines with subtle aromas.

The production of the Terrassous vineyards, with more than 90% of the Aspres vineyards classified as PDO, is about 30,000 hl each year. The wines of Terrassous are distinguished by the richness of their aromas and the finesse of their tannins. Whether they are fruity wines or wines made in barrels, they are always a pleasure to drink. The know-how of this cooperative is undeniable and its wines are highly prized by restaurateurs. Discover also the mythical Rivesaltes aged up to 40 years in oak barrels. Enjoy a visit and tasting all year round.

In the continuity of their "Master Trainer", Guillaume and his partner perpetuate the beautiful adventure of SAOR. Only one thing has changed: the name "SAORVY". Promoting their products (a beautiful range of 14 different juices) on fairs and markets, the young couple does not spare any effort... Always looking for producers like them, passionate about the real taste, the one from our childhood. So, applying the methods they have learned, they press their nectars without colouring agents or additives for our greatest pleasure. A real delight! A favorite of the Petit Futé.

In 2003, the passionate winegrower Olivier Castells took over the 25 hectares of vines of the family estate, which were vinified in a cooperative cellar, with the objective of making his own wines. He extends the exploitation to 30 hectares by leading his vineyard under the High Environmental Value certification, where he reconciles white and red wines. He brings together Maccabeu, Grenache blanc and gris, Muscats d'Alexandrie and à Petits grains as well as Sauvignon in the plain and gives birth to the reds by the alliance of Grenache, Syrah, Mourvèdre and Carignan.

Silos and Co is a bulk grocery store selling mostly local and organic produce. "Sick of packaging", say Alice and Matthieu. Of course, local products such as fruit, vegetables and cheese are given pride of place, but you'll also find everything in this Ali Baba's cave: pulses, rice, dried fruit and cleaning, hygiene and cosmetic products. When you do the math, it's cheaper to buy in bulk, and what's more, it's organic. An independent store, a place for exchange and responsible consumption

The Mas Baux is a 20 ha estate with 12 ha of vines planted among the garrigue. The 17th century building stands out from afar like a ship sailing on an ocean of vines. "The selection begins on the vine and continues until the bottling", insists Marie Pierre. Organic farming, hand-picking and harvesting in crates, a goldsmith's work, accepting slowness in order to obtain deep and expressive wines that are highly noticed by the specialised press. You will taste all these beautiful bottles in the cellar where contemporary equipment and century-old walls blend together.

The Domaine de la Mer Blanche has 3 hectares of organic land with 800 olive trees, one hectare of pomegranate trees and one hectare of fig trees. The Mer Blanche olive oil comes from the olive tree, emblematic of the Catalan region. It is a blend of black and green olives that gives birth to this oil, which is highly appreciated for its balance, its aromatic richness (especially tomato flavour) and its beautiful roundness in the mouth.

In the hamlet of Puigt, on the road to Rabouillet, this small processing workshop produces high quality certified organic jams. They are made in the pure tradition of artisanal jam making in a cauldron over a low heat with a minimum of 70% fruit. Most of the fruit used comes from a nearby farm that grows organically. Jams with cane sugar, fruit purees without added sugar, onion and fig jams...

The best of Catalan charcuterie is here, the reputation of this award-winning company founded in 1929..... Sausage, pa de fedge, terrines, fuet... Made with local ingredients and of high value of course. The Maison Paré also has a beautiful butcher's department with carefully selected meat and poultry from France. A selective and tempting choice that you can consume on the spot at La Fauceille in their restaurant adjoining the shop, which is a great success with lovers of good products.