Yesterday I took a trip out to Argilliers, near Uzès in the Gard department, for what turned out to be a revelatory lunch. I was invited by friends who are members of the local Languedoc branch of the Mediterranean Garden Society to hear a special talk on Mediterranean bulbs. The talk was delivered by John Fielding, an expert on Mediterranean geophytes (that’s bulbs, corms and rhizomes to the rest of us). Here at Le Maupas we will soon be focusing our efforts on planting and landscaping, so the talk proved very useful & inspiring….but the real revelation of the day was the food! We had lunch at Le Tracteur restaurant in Argilliers and it was just stupendous, notably the most sublime pumpkin soup I have ever tasted, with tarragon, cream, mushrooms and I don’t know what else in it. I can honestly it was one of the best meals I’ve ever had at a restaurant in France.
The restaurant is close to the famous Pont du Gard Roman Aqueduct, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, so for any guests planning a visit to the area we suggest Le Tracteur as the ideal spot for lunch. Argilliers and the Pont du Gard are just over an hour’s drive from your base at Le Maupas.