48. How to be a cool Figeacois: Your unofficial travel guide to all things Figeac
Live out your best French Countryside fantasy exploring organic farms, natural wine bars, cool cafés, foraging herbs and more.
This topic has been requested by family and friends <3 This is for you guys and for those curious about the beautiful place in the French Countryside (specifically, Occitanie/Midi Pyrénées) where Nico and I disappear once a year or so to recharge. This newsletter is a bit unique in that it is more of a travel guide to Figeac than about gardens. Don’t worry, I will soon start rolling out garden travel stories from my recent Bali adventures!
Warning - this is a long one…
yes, that black dot is Elvis the tuxedo cat, curled up in his donut bed and enjoying the view below. It is his favourite place in the world so far <3
When Nico (my partner, for those new here) was growing up, he spent most summers in France with his family at their home near Figeac. Figeac is a medieval town, with great food, cute wine bars and beautiful stone architecture. The locals are friendly, lots come from an agricultural background and most enjoy a drink at the end of the day - frequently at Café Champollion, which has a great breakfast deal (think basket of pastries) if you can snag a seat in the morning. It’s also the best terrace for people watching on Saturday market days, in warmer weather.
Instead of giving you an official tour of the town, I’ll list our favourite spots in the area to give you an idea of the overall vibe and hopefully entice you to visit. Nico and I always fantastize about moving to the countryside, the only fear is the isolation that comes with it (I am also addicted to city energy and amenities). Luckily, Figeac is unique in that way. It is quaint and relatively unknown, yet bustling with a young crowd. It also is surprisingly well-equipped for a small town. They host intimidatingly artsy events at Café associatif L'arrosoir and the summer night markets are intensely lively.
No matter what the day (except maybe Sundays), there is always something to do. And of course, there is the option to do nothing at all except laze and around and read your way through a giant stack of books, which I definitely lean towards.
Check out the piles of beautifully illustrated horticulture books (that Nico always has to tear me away from), trending or classic literature, and fantastic graphic novel selection at Librairie Champollion.
Make sure to pick up the local paper and a tote bag as well while you’re there.
Le Livre en Fête is another great bookshop with a large selection of unique children’s books.
I recommend starting at the Tourism Office. Instead of peddling boring tours or tourist cash grabs, the tourist offices in France are filled with knowledgeable and helpful people who want you to live out your most culturally fulfilling holiday experience. They know where all the cool markets are, which bars to check out, what shows are at the local theatre, the best shops to browse and so much more. Most importantly, they also know which brocantes (flea markets) are worth visiting. Those chic Alsatian Riesling glasses with the green stem you see all over your instagram feed? I snagged a set of 20 for under 20 euros at the Ceint D’Eau brocante one summer. Also, in the summertime, make sure to check out any and all Night Markets in the area. All the local producers bring their food trucks and it’s a night of great food, wine, music and once you are drunk enough - dancing.
As for Figeac restaurants…
For a unique farm-to-table type experience, I really love La Racine et la Moelle. Pizza Vival for something decadent covered in cheese that will give you a coronary. Del Portel for an old fashioned menu that still works, think fancy comfort food and great waiters. Le Lorrain for croque monsieur, where Nico’s grandparents used to frequent. And there’s more, but that’s a good start.
props to Nico’s family for being great candid models in this shot
Les délices de Sophie has best orangettes in town, but she sells out quick.
New bakeries always seem to be popping up in the town, each one more bio and more expensive than the previously opened bakery. Almost all are delicious. My favourites are madame boulange and Pépites De Blés.
All of them are pretty great but a good rule of thumb is to never eat at the first boulangerie you see on your way into a town (unless it is the only boulangerie) and to avoid ones that have baguette vending machines outside of them. Unfortunately the best one tends to be the one with the longest line, of course.
Check out Mémé Quercy for local products - the plums soaked in Cahors red wine will change your life - get at least two jars. Last time we only got one and it was a sad day when the jar was finished.
Stock up on natural wine and sit down to have a glass recommended by the eccentric owners at 13/70. Then barhop over to RDV DIX VINS followed by Barbares. On another day you can visit Christophe’s cave at Vino’Célé to learn more about the regional wine and indulge in some tastings. This area is known for deep thick red wines from Cahors, perfect for accompanying the heavy dishes of the region like cassoulet - which you should definitely cook up if you have a kitchen and are prepared to be too full to move for two days afterwards.
Throughout the many hiking paths of the region feel free to snack on the blackberries that grow freely from summer to autumn..
I will not list them here since there are so many due to the proximity to the Camino de Santiago and I am extremely far from being an expert in any type of hiking. Ask the tourism office for a map of all the trails, you can also download All trails.
If you want to cool down during the summer, I recommend renting kayaks or canoes along the Célé river, packing a picnic and spending the day slowly by the water.
Figeac is extremely close to amazing cheese farms and the most adorable donkey farm. In case you haven’t already figured it out, you really do need a car in this region and be prepared for hills and skinny roads that you share with tractors.
The two best cheese farms in the area - in my opinion - are Les Cabrioles de Balajou (goat) and La Tomme de Carayac (sheep). Both also sell yogurt depending on when you visit and I promise you it will be some the best yogurt you’ve ever tasted. You can visit the farms directly or find their products at local markets or grocery shops.
The one mandatory event is the weekly Saturday farmer’s market, where you should arrive early and with baskets aplenty. It is impossible to miss as it tends to take over most of the town. Revel in seasonal bouquets at the market, like holly and mistletoe at Christmas or wildflower and greens in high summer. On other days stop by L’Emile Fleurs for a floral centrepiece to complement the way too much good food you were seduced into buying.
Getting there early also ensures being able to grab a coveted terrace spot at a café before they are all taken. These coveted spots forever elude our perpetually late asses and we always head home with our tails between our legs as those with one lingering cappuccino and five hundred cigarettes line every street back to our parked car. Here are some photos from the market this past winter. Though not as opulent as the one in the summertime - it is still bolstering along, serving up everyone’s plates for the holidays.
Don’t be put off by the giant mysterious vats of Aligot and Truffade. In fact don’t even ask what they are, just buy and eat a profuse amount with poulet roti and lots of chilled dry white wine.
You have a couple options to fill your fridge in between farmer’s markets: Au Sens Bio (a classic mainstay on the Figeac scene) and Les Giroflées. If both happen to be closed, the local GammVert actually sells a lot of products made in the region and has a decent cheese selection. During the summer you can also visit Angelique, who sells her homegrown vegetables to those lucky enough to get there early. Her tomatoes are unlike anything I’ve ever tasted and had me making tomato confit all summer one year.
Summertime finds
If you know me personally, you know my love affair with the Basque coast of France. Luckily, Figeac has El Txikito épicerie, a Basque deli complete with all the goodies (think black cherry jam and Espelette pepper jelly) you need to round out your dream apéritif platter. Even though my inner snob laments over how good the homemade black cherry jams from the Bidart markets tasted compared to the ones sold in Figeac...
A while back, we visited a nearby donkey farm, Asinerie de Vivi âne. The owner, Viviane, was gracious and served us donkey milk ice cream as we piled our shopping bags full with her artisanal soaps and shampoo products. We also took a walk through the property as she told us about how she raised them, the ages and names of each of them. She watched on as we snuggled into the manes of the any gentle donkeys willing to put up with us.
The herb garden, if it’s just myself and Nico I normally forage some herb bouquets to place throughout a few rooms in the house. Most times I try to sneak in a strand of lavender, but Nico’s allergies always act up and I have to accept defeat and toss it back into the garden.
Morning meditations:
Foraging bouquets:
Morning views from the house:
Gardening on the property:
Bathtime for Lulu:
Typical summer breakfast: crème de marrons/confiture des châtaignes, sheep’s yogurt, crêpes and plums from the garden <3
**although the label is pretty - try not to be swayed by the brand that a lot of francophiles buy, it has added glucose syrup, which takes away from the chestnut taste. I love buying them directly from farmers at the markets or even at all the bio shops where it is just an even sugar/marrons ratio. It also prevents me from eating a jar a day by not having it too readily available back in Amsterdam. I believe the yogurt in this photo is from Carayac!
Any Wes Anderson fans out there? If so, remember the Courtesan au Chocolat in The Grand Budapest Hotel? It is said that the pastry is based upon La Religieuse, a delicious pastry I always enjoy at least once per French holiday. You can find some of the best here but go early in the day because they sell out. The same shop also sells made-to-order ice cream so if you find yourself in the area for longer than a few days, I definitely recommend placing an order. You can also find really good Religiuse at Aux délices de Nicolas. I could not find one photo of any I have eaten in Figeac - most likely because they were eaten really quickly before I even thought of taking a photo. Here is one I took of the sweet treat last summer while lazing by Lac d’Annecy to give you an idea of the look. It was just the perfect ‘light beach snack’….
Some green moments in town:
**Sidenotes:
This is by no means a full and complete guide to Figeac, there are many other wonderful things to enjoy in this town and surrounding region. There is only so much I can fit into one newsletter and even this one is pretty long, sorry about that <3
You might notice the glaring omission of local botanical gardens/garden travel tips from this article - don’t worry that will be coming your way later this year!
Some things nourishing me recently:
Hot Springs
Rescuing a kitten (the vet said no older than one month!) from a busy intersection in Northern Bali. She was drenched from the recent torrentials and totally abandoned. She is now happily adopted by Nico’s aunt (who is in the tediously slow process of removing rat glue from her fur), enjoying the gardens here as Honey the cat.
Spotting macaques during a kayak through a mangrove forest
Beachside deer
Es Campur (served in coconut milk, not the traditional condensed milk because I do not have a death wish - no offense to those that can handle condensed milk, you guys are holy and aspirational)
Fruit plates for breakfast
fallen poolside flowers
the view from kayaking, honestly the photo doesn’t do it justice - it truly took my breath away
Thank you so much for being here! <3 See you next week for the start of Bali garden travel adventures! In a meantime, here are some more photographs to satiate your tropical appetite.
Know anyone planning a trip to France?
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my view as I write this newsletter <3