The people of the Languedoc don’t eat late. If you’re eating out, most restaurants are at their fullest between 7pm and 8pm because, unlike in many other parts of Europe, there’s generally only one sitting. It’s not uncommon for diners to be turned away from an empty restaurant at 9pm, say, because the chef is packing up for the evening.

Whilst it’s true to say that’s there’s more flexibility around eating times in the cities, you should think carefully about what time you arrive at a restaurant when you’re in the countryside. Even the smallest village will have several places to eat, which will often range from a cheap and cheerful bar offering light dishes on the side to a much more upmarket option which will draw its clientele from a considerable distance.

Restaurants generally open for lunch around midday and will serve until about 2pm. They then close for the afternoon and tend to open for dinner around 6.30pm. Once you have your table you generally have it for the evening and you’re unlikely to be harried to vacate once you’ve eaten your fill – that’s not how things are done in this part of France.

Set menus are often the best value for money and it’s not hard to find a tasty three-course affair for around 15-20 euro. Of course, eating à la carte will push prices up but food in Languedoc is always exceptionally good value for money.