Beery France 2022

[Trappist]

Hu guys,
We are safely back home from a splendid Holiday to France!
It sure has become more beery than last year 

https://goo.gl/maps/pstPe2k9CtAmavsc8

Clicking the link gives the detailed itinerary we've done.
The path starts at Hotel Inn Design Resto Novo, located at Montargis, south of Paris.
That's just an overnight staying to make the trip in two days. I didn't take the highway (toll), because I want to see France 
On our way back home, we took the same hotel. Easy.. peasy



Our first stay in south France, more precise at Saint-Rome-de-Tarn. That's next to the river Tarn.
Auberge de Saint Rome, a great hotel with a bar and restaurant attached.
It's good to have that parking space there on the right.



The bar beer selection! A lot of local French beers from the Aveyron region, where we are now!



A very nice menu was presented, incl. those tasty local dishes.
We sure had some great food there, mainly during dinner time.
Before eating, we choose the blanche de thé d'Aubrac (4.2vol%) from La Brasserie de l'Aveyron. https://www.brasseriedelaveyron.fr/
That was a nice refreshing wheatbeer with a hint of thé d'Aubrac, which actually is a small wild plant with pink flowers, growing there at Aubrac.



Two beers from https://www.facebook.com/Brasserie.lAstrolabe/ located at saint-Affrique close to our staying.
Left: Orion, a 7 vol% amber colored triple, made with buckwheat (sarrasin in French) ---> Very delicious sweet beer.
Right: from tap: from the same brewery: Andromède Pale Ale at 5.1 vol%. Actually, this is a hazy IPA. (citric hops)



That's the beer Katrien and I preferred, when visiting that lovely bar.
It's better to choose the bigger volumes -> for thirst-quench purposes ofcourse  and it's a tat cheaper too.
Somehow, I don't like to drink the small 25cl. volumes either. Where is the satisfaction degree then?



Around the corner is this lovely waterfall.



Saint-Rome-de-Tarn is a typical pittoresque small French village.
The old buildings and small alleys are so beautiful.

A visit to Saint-Affrique was done the other day...





Saint-Affrique is located next to the river la Sorgues. A really scenic village. Highly recommended to pay it a visit.

Walking makes one thirsty, especially when the temperatures raises towards 40° Celcius 
Alot of bars are there, but not really specialty beer bars. Here is the one we choose: Le Café Du Jardin

You really can't go more local than this one folks. No tourists, well except for us ofcourse.



To our surprise, they had La Chouffe from tap. That's the one Katrien went for.
I choose this local Templière ambrée (5.9 vol%), brewed at Brasserie de l'Aveyron.
A beer that reminded me of Palm. Not bad, but not that exciting either. €3.50.



Thanks to ABInBev, alot of their Belgian brews are distributed to France. That's actually a good thing.
For example, this Kwak was available.
Although poured into the wrong glass (Picon!), it tasted quite satisfying. That recipe hasn't been changed for an inch folks.

Time to head to our next hotel.....



http://www.chante-perdrix.fr/
We stayed at the top left room, with balcony. What a location!!!



We are in the centre of the "gorges du Tarn", more precise at the charming village of Sainte-Enimie.
A very interesting touristic environment.



The view from our room. Breath taking!!
Underneith, there is that river Tarn. You can't see it on the pictures, but it sure is there.



It's always heaven when opening a good bottle of wine (not always beer!) and some local delicacies, incl. the local Roquefort cheese.
We actually visited the caves at Roquefort-sur-Soulzon, where the famous blue-cheese is made, and matured.
It's essential to pay that a visit! Simply amazing.
Be aware that this picture looks very appetizing, but that bread was as hard as a stone!! ---  a tourist trap that sure was 



The beers of the moment at the hotel's balcony.

L'Aubracienne IPA and Rousse from brasserie Beau Soleil (https://www.labeausoleil.fr/)
Two nice beers, but again not that exciting. They are a good example for their style. But not more than that I'm afraid.







A view on Sainte-Enimie.



Even that small village offers local French beers!
Bar La Digue for instance -- https://www.facebook.com/ladiguesteenimie

La Bèstia Triple Ambrée at 7.5 vol%.



La Bèstia Blonde Triple at 7.5 vol%

Both beers were excellent!



Brewed at Brasserie Artisanale La Bèstia - https://www.facebook.com/brasserielabestia/



Katrien went for a Leffe blond. Leffe was everywhere in France, and not at all expensive (€3.50). That power of ABInBev.
The 2 artisanal beers came at a more expensive price of about €5.50 each.
Overall a great time spending. That mixed platter was such a delight too.



A bit further away was Central Bar https://goo.gl/maps/NyuNFeTqHJ6eRCHr6
https://www.lozere-tourisme.com/bar-le-central/gorges-du-tarn-causses/reslar048fs000ul
It's actually a snack bar where one can have a drink or some small dishes.
They do offer some local beers too... see the picture.
La 48 blonde from brasserie de Lozère - https://brasseriedelozere-la48.fr/
Note that we are in the region Lozère now.
This is a good refreshing blond beer.
Katrien choose the Grimbergen blanche from tap (€3.50)



Grimbergen blanche does it so well in the southern part of France.
The hot weather sure plays a big role in that.



Sainte-Enimie has a great beer pub!!



It is called l'Abracada bar - http://labracadabar.fr



This place is also a wine and tapas bar.



Great beer selection there, mainly local French artisanal beers.

Let's have a drink...



The beer menu showed about 60 beers, mainly - as said - local beers.
The majority of the beers are low in alcohol. That's an average of about 5 vol%.
The 2 beers we choose were a bit stronger. Exceptions really.



Bière Brune Ron - La 48 - Brasserie de Lozère - 8 vol%.
This dark beer received oak chips soaked in rum during the aging period.
A nice roasty beer with a sweet flavor of rum and a hint of oak. Really very enjoyable.



Triple "Haute comme 3 Naines" from Brasserie de la Naine is rich in alcohol (8.5 vol%) and therefore powerful in the mouth.
Made in Lozère in St Chély d'Apcher.



That was one of the strongest beers on offer.



As said, there is also a shop attached to this wonderful bar.
And see what I found!





That's one of my all-time favorit French beers folks!
I had it last year, and never would have expected to find it here in that small village of Sainte-Enimie.
Les Brasseurs de la Jonte 'Feuillette' Cognac barrel a la Framboise Beer - 11 vol% - €5.90



Let's make that the beer of the hotel moment.
What a truely AMAZING beer, which goes very well with some local charcuterie.
Raspberry fruity, Cognac, Cognac barrel oaky, Bretty, malty, sweet and dense, and having that boost of 11 vol%.
A masterpiece folks.
Brewed at https://lesbrasseursdelajonte.fr/

Driving along the "gorges de Tarn" towards Ispagnac...



...gives amazing shots. What a beautiful region!!! Marvelous!



From the same brewery (Les Brasseurs de la Jonte), we also tried their wheatbeer at bar Le Boulodrome at final destination Ispagnac: https://www.en.lozere-tourisme.com/node/14622/RESLAR048V50AOXG/detail/ispagnac/bar-le-boulodrome
A great example of a typical Curaçao peel citric, coreander spicy refreshing wheatbeer.
Great Belgian inspired brew! With massive thanks ofcourse to Pierre Celis for having re-invented that wonderful Belgian style 



They also offered Leffe blond at €3.50.

Let's head to the next hotel.....



Hôtel du Centre at Pierrelatte (region Ardèche)
https://www.hotelducentre26.com/en



It's already time for the hotel beer of the moment
Maestral American IPA - 6.5 vol%
Maestral Ambrée - 6.2 vol%
Those two beers were actually bought at a nearby butcher's shop! They came at €3.60 each.
Brewed in the Provence at brasserie Maestral - https://www.facebook.com/Brasserie-Maestral-102051721623139/
What a bitter dry beers both were!
I must confess that I seldom had such a hop bitter beers in my life. 
This, combined with their dryeness, makes it that more bitter. Absolutely no sugars left.
They both have the same characteristics concerning the hop bitterness and dryeness.
The Ambrée was more malty and the IPA even that bit more hop bitter, but not really that well known American citric hoppy boost.
They sure are there, but at some point they tasted more earthy, which I sure would not have expected for using the name American IPA.
No problem, both beers were truely FANTASTIC !!!! Top notch artisanal quality that you can taste.
Great products! 

The small village of Pierrelate has no beer bars, but there is that gorgeous local bar, called Le Siècle.
Café du Siècle - 1 pl Champ de Mars - 26700 Pierrelatte
A 2-min walk from Hôtel du Centre.

That sure is defintely the best bar in Pierrelatte. Wonderful friendly bartender too, which really makes that difference 



And..... they do offer Kwak from tap at €4.00.
Nicely presented into the original wooden stands.
We sure needed to be careful wth the stand on the right side here, because it contained the wrong glass!
That's the glass with the flat bottom. That wooden stand really is not made for that glass, so you really need to take it out of the stand when savouring.
Otherwise.... a nasty accident could happen



Poured from this 6 litres PerfectDraft kegs.
What a great gesture from the bartender (owner) to show us that keg.
By the way, our next order of Kwak came at zero euro's. What a great guy       



A bit further in the same street is an Aldi shop.
This beer was bought there.



Time for the hotel beer of the moment
Biere Blonde Nain De Crespin from Brasserie de Saint-Omer.
Call this the French copy of La Chouffe blonde, although 1 vol% less strong, this beer is so close to that other gnome beer from Belgium.
Same flavor, same coreander touch.
This beer is actually made in north France. https://www.brasserie-saint-omer.com/



This beer was tasted as an aperitive, before having a great dinner at restaurant traditionnel LE PECHE MIGNON.
https://lepechemignon-pierrelatte.eatbu.com/
Markus IPA - 6.2 vol% - €4.50.
Yes, that's an IPA again.
You see, alot of French artisanal breweries do make them IPA's. A trend that also founds it's way in France.
This beer is brewed at https://www.markusbiere.com/ and has the typical American citric hops inside.
A very nice refreshing beer to start the dinner

On the way to our last hotel, we passed a road sign with Jaujac on it. 2km something.
Which reminded me of last year, when we visited that amazing bar over there.
Dammit, this needed to be done again. A detour of 2km isn't that bad, isn't it



Café du Commerce - Jaujac.
One of the best Belgian beer spots in South France and beyond....



The majority of Belgian beers came at €3.70 (only), except for Orval (€3.90) and Chouffe cherry (€3.90).



There is that cozy terrace, full packed.
Two excellent La Trappe Quadrupels will do it for us.



That really was some treat folks. Yummy.
This bar is a true gem, and a MUST when heading to that region. It's already the third time we go there, which seems like a beery magnet to me.
That small village of Jaujac, please do remember that name..



Last hotel!
Deltour Hotel Le Puy En Velay
4, Rue De Genebret - Brives Charensac, 43700 Le Puy en Velay
A nice hotel close to beautiful Le Puy en Velay.
At that point, we were already heading back home. 







Scenic Le Puy en Velay.



There is one beer shop there!
BeBock - Cave à Bière
https://www.facebook.com/bebock.lepuy/
It was not open during our staying - unfortunately 
When looking through the window I spotted ALOT of Belgian beers!!
So, defintely THE spot when looking for Belgian beer when visiting Le Puy en Velay.



One last beer for the road folks.
Grimbergen Pale Ale from tap at only €3.00.
Tasted at Hôtel Restaurant de La Loire
8 Rte de Lyon, 43700 Brives-Charensac.

The food over there was so big and so tasty!! We went there a couple of times. Highly recommended.
Not that many beers, but the Grimbergen Pale Ale was tried ALOT!
It is actually an IPA, because I tasted the citric hops! A true sign.
A really nice refreshing beer to start with  --- and also to end with



Time to end this story with this evening shot of the river Loire at Brives-Charensac.

Our Holiday was such a joy folks.
MANY local beers to try, alot of heat (40+°C!!) and sun. Actually, we didn't have any rain during our 18 days.
No accidents either, simply a 100% succeeded vacation.      We really were fortunate 
I hope this message gives a bit of the beery situation in southern France.
If you don't find any beers over there, which really is an impossibility, you can always try their local excellent wines!
This trip was really like God living in France.

CHEERS,
Filip

[John B]

What a wonderful report Filip! 

That looks like such a nice area to visit. I've only been through the south of France once, but it made me want to go back again sometime for a much longer visit. Great food and scenery as you have so well documented, and of course even some beery goodness too.

Thank you once again Filip for sharing your adventures with us!

Cheers! - John

[Trappist]

Hi John,
Much possible that I will make a movie too for YouTube.
It will contain MUCH more scenery pictures and MUCH more food and wine.
It was impossible to insert them inside this article, because it would become MUCH too long.
Actually, it is already very long.
Cheers,
Filip

[John B]

Hi John,
Much possible that I will make a movie too for YouTube.
It will contain MUCH more scenery pictures and MUCH more food and wine.
It was impossible to insert them inside this article, because it would become MUCH too long.
Actually, it is already very long.
Cheers,
Filip

If you do decide to make a YouTube movie of it I'd certainly be interested in seeing it.

A side question for you ... When you go on trips such as this do you ever purchase bottles or cans of beer to take back home with you, or do you strictly drink the local beers while on your trip?

Cheers! - John

[Jay]

That is a fantastic report Filip 

We've only been to France once but that was to Toulouse in the South and my did we enjoy it - the climate and food take on a more Mediterranean feel.

These reports offer so much, as the person doing the report it's a way of sharing special moments and can be a reminder of happy times.

From the reader's point it's an enjoyable virtual trip to pastures new, discovering places new. Also it's a vital reference point for anyone deciding to visit a town/country for the first time.

Can't wait to do my next report from Malaga.

Cheers
Jay 

[Trappist]

A side question for you ... When you go on trips such as this do you ever purchase bottles or cans of beer to take back home with you, or do you strictly drink the local beers while on your trip?

Hi John,
If the beers aren't really that WOW-ish, I sure won't take them home.
An exception was that amazing Feuillette beer from Lozère - "Cognac Barrel" with Raspberry 11%.
But I bought the last bottle, and we tasted that in the hotel room.
So no, I didn't take any bottles back home and consumed them all in France.
OTOH, we brought back home a very delicious local liquor, called Verveine !







Verveine de Velay to be precise, made with Verbena and other spices, barrel aged and is ..... 55 vol% strong 
This is a wonderful digestive liquor, to savour with care and time. What a delight!!
Needs to be savoured with an ice cube too, to make it refreshing cold.
Now, that was a wowzer John 

Cheers,
Filip

[Trappist]

Can't wait to do my next report from Malaga.

Hi Jay,
That's always a great idea and something to look out for.
I can't wait either. I sure will be a fantastric trip. Malaga is one of my favorit destinations, and the weather is always so great there.
Cheers,
Filip