Real Food is the basis of Lozère cuisine
Some 90% of fresh produce actually carries an AOC (Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée) label guaranteeing authenticity. The AOC label applies equally to cheese, charcuterie, meat, confectionery and more. You will find that it is produce from the ‘terroir’ (i.e. local area) that fills the market stalls, village and high street shops, and is at the very heart of Lozère’s gastronomic traditions. The reasons are simple - microclimates, the soil itself, traditional methods of cultivation and distance from field to table, shape the final outcome.

Aligot - a traditional dish symbolising conviviality
One of the great classics and a challenge to any cook. This is a dish that is real food, slow food in every sense of the word - there’s no hurrying it and ingredients are all local. Its origins go way back in time, to the many lonely months shepherds spent in their huts, with home grown potatoes and Tomme cheese forming their staple diet. During the era of the great pilgrimages to Santiago de Compostela and Crusades to the Holy Land, travellers were fed this wholesome staple by monks and innkeepers alike. Today, aligot is served mainly at fêtes and celebrations. By the way, it’s totally vegetarian - Tomme cheese, potatoes, garlic and crème fraîche. And it’s totally delicious too!

Cheese in abundance
Goats cheese. Cheese from ewes’ milk (producing Roquefort) and from cows’ milk. Today, age-old traditions of cheese-making still thrive, and most cheese is made by artisan producers, for best results. Lozère’s five AOC cheeses are Bleu des Causses, Laguiole, Pelardon (mentioned by Pliny the Elder!), Bleu d’Auvergne and Roquefort.

And of course there’s all that charcuterie too!
It’s a tough choice what to take on your picnic, whether you’re going rambling or cycling or just wish to linger and contemplate the view. Most charcuterie you find in Lozère is made from meat that has been reared locally. The choice is wide - cured and naturally dried ham, sausages (saucisses and saucissons!).

Cruelty free beef
Look for this label - it’s the guarantee that the beef is entirely from the Lozère - born and bred here. Totally organic, fed only with natural produce from our rich pastures in centuries-old traditions. A special charter ensures that the animals are treated as humanely as possible, with every care taken to minimise stress and fear.

How do you like your chestnuts?
Chestnut groves flank the hills and mountain terraces of Lozère where the climate is ideally suited to their cultivation. The fruit is painstakingly selected. After picking, they are ‘peeled’ over an open fire and then hand sorted for quality and flavour. The result? Chestnut-based products that win top prizes each year at top gastronomic shows - jams, honey, fruit juice, vinegar.

These make perfect gifts to take home (or simply to take home and indulge!).In fact the chestnut was considered as "the bread tree of the Cévennes". The sweet chestnut was the fundament of the nutrition for both human and animals. As an appetizer, for dessert or to accompany your meat, poultry or any others dishes. Find out more about the local producer Verfeuille which is both a trademark of local quality products and the name of the private company preparing them. Do you want to order online chestnuts products?. We offer you a large choice of quality products from many different regions in Lozère and we deliver worldwide. bienmanger.com

Farmers markets in Lozère
The tradition of the local market and farmers market thrives in Lozère. All towns and villages (well, the majority) have their weekly market which is a cornerstone of the local community. A visit to the market is a must on any French holiday! They usually start early and finish about midday.
Mende: Wednesday and Saturday
Meyrueis: Wednesday and Friday
Chanac and Florac: Thursday
Le Rozier: Friday
La Canourgue and Ispagnac: Tuesday
La Malène: Monday

There are often additional market days too in July and August. Many traditional ‘fêtes’ and festivals are held in the summer months too, but several carry over into the autumn - notably, chestnut and mushroom festivals