Would you like to have a picnic with local products with your family, friends or partner?
We have selected for you the best places to spend a convivial moment together.
Treat yourself at home or on the road!
We have selected for you the best places to spend a convivial moment together.
Treat yourself at home or on the road!
What are the local products? Eat "real", shop local!If you come to the destination of the Minervois au Caroux, we recommend that you try the classics:
- Chestnuts and marrons, and derived chestnut cream, châtaignons... roasted during traditional festivals (a treat for young and old).
- Cherries (the Jaur Valley is decorated with cherry blossoms in season).
- The onion of Tarassac.
- The turnip of Pardailhan (A little treasure of our land "Le Noir Long de Pardailhan").
- Trout from the Moulin de Napoléon fish farm in Mons.
- Honey and its sweets.
- Olives (oils, tapenades...).
- Goat's cheese.
- Arbouse.
And all the surprises of nature according to the season...
But also taste the nectars of the producers:
- The AOC wines,
- The muscat AOC Saint Jean de Minervois,
- Local beers,
- Syrups/Fruit juices,
-herbal teas and infusions.
Find this products at our growers', in their shops or on the markets...
Information about our partners
- Chestnuts and marrons, and derived chestnut cream, châtaignons... roasted during traditional festivals (a treat for young and old).
- Cherries (the Jaur Valley is decorated with cherry blossoms in season).
- The onion of Tarassac.
- The turnip of Pardailhan (A little treasure of our land "Le Noir Long de Pardailhan").
- Trout from the Moulin de Napoléon fish farm in Mons.
- Honey and its sweets.
- Olives (oils, tapenades...).
- Goat's cheese.
- Arbouse.
And all the surprises of nature according to the season...
But also taste the nectars of the producers:
- The AOC wines,
- The muscat AOC Saint Jean de Minervois,
- Local beers,
- Syrups/Fruit juices,
-herbal teas and infusions.
Find this products at our growers', in their shops or on the markets...
Information about our partners
The must-sees that we recommend:
- Taste a Muscat de Saint Jean de Minervois as an aperitif, this sweet natural wine of controlled origin is produced only in the commune.
- If you are in the Olargues area, try the little wonders of the bakery Chez Vivien et Rébecca: chestnut bread, fougasse with olives (gold medal Hérault Gourmand trophy) and "La Minuetie" a bread with a yellow crumb, made with corn flour (silver medal Hérault Gourmand trophy).
- If you are in the Olargues area, try the little wonders of the bakery Chez Vivien et Rébecca: chestnut bread, fougasse with olives (gold medal Hérault Gourmand trophy) and "La Minuetie" a bread with a yellow crumb, made with corn flour (silver medal Hérault Gourmand trophy).
While in the Minervois, stop by Le Pain Levain in Azillanet. Stéphane uses certified organic flours and his breads and pastries are baked in his wood-fired oven! You may be lucky enough to taste his chestnut bread!
- - A classic for a picnic or an aperitif: the bougnette! (a fried bread with pork to be cut into thin slices). Depending on the season, you can find them at the butcher's shop Dubois in Olargues. Also take a slice of Patrick's chestnut pâté with you!- No salmon here but trout! A classic for a nice starter or for an aperitif, filleted or rolled, you will be a hit with your guests!
Order from the Moulin Napoléon fish farm in Mons or from the Vival grocery shop.
More of a sweet tooth?
- Try the arbouse jelly or the hay syrup for a change from the traditional syrups and jams!
- If you like chocolate, we recommend "Les sainponiens", statues of menhirs that are just waiting to be crunched! You can find them at the Bistronome shop or at the Tourist Office in Saint Pons de Thomières.
- "Poumpet"! Best known in Tarn, this dessert made with lemon zest covered with sugar on its pastry can be found in certain bakeries, particularly in Saint Pons de Thomières.
- Try Nadine's "safralou", a yellow bread with saffron available on order in her shop "La maison de l'Epice Lou Berlou" in Roquebrun.
The perfect picnic:
Pack your picnic with what you like. Choose local products, here is an example: good bread, delicious olives, charcuterie, wine and some sweets!
All you have to do is take out your basket, your best mat, sack or backpack, remember to take your cutlery, glasses and an essential: your corkscrew! Small pleasures are the best!
Respect nature and take your waste with you.
Best picnic places:
Treat your taste buds.. but your eyes too!
- If you want to eat near the water:
If you are looking for a place to rest by the river, here are a few :On the banks of the Orb: the Pont de Ceps area, in Roquebrun...
On the banks of the Jaur: on the RD908, the Saint Vincent area, in Olargues...
Sitting on the beach, enjoy your picnic while admiring the Fréjo waterfall (frequented in season).
Take a break and enjoy your sandwich on the rocks of Boulidou in Agel or in the Gorges d'Héric, de Colombières
Between sand and greenery, the Lac de Vesoles is a perfect place to enjoy the beach and the nature that surrounds you. In summer, it is a very popular place for its coolness in altitude. Lying down on the grass, peace and quiet are guaranteed! Tables are at your disposal around the lake on the path.
Enjoy a fresh and bucolic setting at the source of the Cesse in Ferrals, you follow a small green path before reaching several tables located at the water's edge.
In the same vein, we recommend the source of the Jaur at Saint Pons de Thomières where you can find coolness on the heights of the Park in summer.
The Lac de Jouarres is the ideal place for a family picnic, in the shade under the pine trees, you can also enjoy the beach to bask in the sun and refresh yourself.
For the more romantic, it is also a privileged place to admire the sunset. The reflections on the lake are unique every evening.
If you prefer to walk along the Canal du Midi, choose to take a break near the Ecluse de l'Onion in Olonzac.
If you wish to picnic by a pond, take the road after the Col du Cabarétou in the direction of the Lac de Vesoles, in the middle of the forest, where there are picnic tables in the shade, and the Etang de l'Arn invites you to a beautiful country walk.
- In nature:
While walking along the Voie Verte, in the forest or on the hiking trails, you will find tables and nice spots with beautiful views or in the shade of the trees.
For sportsmen and women who love breathtaking panoramas: choose one of the most beautiful viewpoints on Hérault: the Caroux orientation table.
- In the vineyards:
From the earth to the glass!
During a walk or an oenorando, you have the opportunity to taste the nectar of the vintage before or after your passage in the wine growers, who are on your hike as on Les Mourels in Azillanet or near the orientation tables of Berlou, observe the vines and the landscapes which shaped this wine
- In a setting that inspires serenity:
We suggest the Centeilles chapel, in the shade of the pines, in front of the Boisset chapel or in a beautiful meadow like the one in front of the Notre Dame de Trédos chapel.
On the heights of the Moulin de Félines Minervois sitting on beautiful tables carved in the stone!
- In our authentic villages:
You can find picnic areas and tables in most of the communes (see map below):
In La Livinière, Beaufort, Aigues-Vives, Agel, La Caunette, Rieussec... take your lunch break in the heart of nature!
On the heights of Vieussan: a boulodrome, a barbecue and as a bonus: a panoramic view!
In Olargues, enjoy the green esplanades with a magnificent view of the village, sitting on the grass or on a table.
- Feel like grilling?
Here are some sites where a barbecue is available:
We remind you that it is forbidden to make fires elsewhere, be very careful.
- In the Font Salesse refuge on the PR du Caroux,
- Lac de Jouarres in Olonzac,
- Notre Dame de Trédos chapel,
- Vieussan (on the heights of the village),
- In the hamlet of Ceps (on the parking side after the bridge),
- Forêt Somail - Direction Lac Vesoles (Etang de l'Arn).
- Looking for a more unusual place?
For more peace and quiet, some places are less frequented like on the river, accessible only by canoe, they are perfect for your lunch break away from the crowd.
In the shade under the natural bridges of Minerve, to be done at the height of the season when the weather is warm.
In the trees! Enjoy an aperitif while watching the sun set over the vineyards and finish with a bivouac high up in the Minervois with Montagnes et Garrigues.
In the shade under the natural bridges of Minerve, to be done at the height of the season when the weather is warm.
In the trees! Enjoy an aperitif while watching the sun set over the vineyards and finish with a bivouac high up in the Minervois with Montagnes et Garrigues.
Think about the environment: take a bag for your waste and respect the recommended sites.
Shops of the Tourist Office du Minervois au Caroux:
Before leaving, if you are looking for ideas to please your loved ones or for your next picnic, you can find some essential products from our local producers (honey, jams, syrups, infusions, wines, muscats...) in the Tourist Office shops in Minerve and Saint Pons de Thomières.
A guaranteed treat!
