The food, cuisine & restaurants of Languedoc Roussillon, South France

Many people come to Languedoc Roussillon, south France, to sample the region ’s cuisine, restaurants and food. Although the cuisine of Languedoc is arguably not French cooking at its most creative, it is nonetheless fresh, tasty and exceptionally good value for money.

Languedoc cuisine relies heavily on local produce: olive oil, tomato sauces, herbs from the wild garrigue landscapes of the region such as thyme, rosemary and sorrel. If you’re expecting rich sauces laden with cream and calories then think again.

It’s rare to find sheep and cattle grazing in the fields in this part of France, hence dairy products are often absent from menus, with the result that heart disease in the south is much less prevalent than in northern France where butter and cream are used much more widely.

Good food is extremely important to the people of the region. Work stops for a couple of hours at lunchtime as colleagues or family members get together to “break a crust”. Eating is an extremely social affair in Languedoc – meals can often take in several courses and can last for hours as bits of news and gossip are exchanged around the table.

Eating on the hoof -- rushing out of the office to grab a sandwich -- is not the done thing in this part of France. Food is for savouring and is part of life in the south. Sit down, take your time and enjoy.