Local Cuisine

The cuisine of South West France is hearty and farm-fresh. While meat usually appears in every course, restaurants are adept at dealing with vegetarians (if warned in advance).
Goose, duck (confit or maigret), cassoulet, foie gras and charcuterie are regional specialties; try Toulouse sausage, bought by the metre. Sweetbreads often feature on the menu, and many meals start with salade des gésiers (gibbets).
Fish, seafood, lamb, pork and free range chicken are readily available and of excellent quality. The best known local cheese is the goats milk Cabecou, but there are a wide variety of other sheep and cows milk cheeses produced locally and available at the weekly markets.
Traditional desserts often use walnuts or prunes, and when in season, the glorious local strawberries.
Try the supermarkets on the outskirts of Cahors for a wide selection of good quality local produce. Montcuq also has a supermarket, and there is a convenience store only a few steps from the house.

Local Wines

The wines of the South West fall into two groups - Bordeaux and the Haut Pays. The Bordeaux appellations include 3500 red and white wines. The Haut Pays wines are the Côtes de Duras, Buzet (a light quaffing red), Cahors (a heavier, Merlot blend), Bergerac and Montbazillac (a sweet white). The local Côte de Quercy is a vin de pays, but still very drinkable. Rosé is a popular apéritif in summer.
The tourist office in Montcuq has maps of the local wineries , where good wine is available from around 3 Euros a litre. There are always local wine producers selling their wines at the weekly markets, who are keen to chat about their vines and produce.

Eating Out

There are many fermes auberges (farm restaurants) in the area, where most of what you eat has been grown on the spot.
It is always a good idea to book before going to restaurants, particularly if you intend eating "late", (say 1.00 pm for lunch or 8.00 pm for dinner).
Choice varies widely in our region, from the heavenly barbequed chickens in onion sauce available from the Montcuq market each Sunday, to the elegant Le Balandre in the Hotel Terminus at Cahors, and the sumptuous Château de Mercuès featuring the famous wine cellars of Georges Vigouroux. Across the road from Australeden, one finds the Café de France, the Café du Centre and On Dirait le Sud, all serving cheap, good quality meals in the south west style.

In between, try the popular Le Rendez-Vous near the market in Cahors, or spend the afternoon at nearby Miramont de Quercy (15 minutes), in the flowered courtyard of Chez Bernadette.