Finally summer... The time has come to feel the sun warm our skins in serious need of vitamins D and to laze on the fine sand. Here, in Narbonne, on the Occitania coast, you have a wide choice with more than 50 kilometres of beaches, which reveal themselves at the bend of the sumptuous Massifs of the Corbières or the Clape. In the evening, you settle down, barefoot on the sand, in one of the many straw huts that border this preserved and still wild coastline... And if luxury were simply there, to enjoy a mix of fresh produce just coming out of the fishermen's nets and contemplate the sea, there, nearby, its changing reflections in the twilight light? We have tested these corners of Mediterranean paradise, the best restaurants on the coast, and each of its atmospheres. Are you being taken in? A call to dreams and elsewhere, to be discovered without further delay.
A "lounge & zen" atmosphere at La Voile Blanche
Facing the sea, between Gruissan and Narbonne-Plage, here is a beach hut as we like them. Barefoot in the sand or on the spacious terrace, you settle down and let yourself be enveloped by the "Zen and nature" spirit that reigns there. As masters of the place, Buddhas scattered here and there bring us back to an eternal present: we are well. It is a great place to have dinner, after relaxing in a deckchair or a comfortable beach bed for two or three... The specialty of the White Sail comes straight from Brazil: churrascos, giant swords of meat or fish, cooked à la plancha. We also eat an excellent Breton tartare, made of scallops with shallots and lime. To sublimate the whole, we tasted "La route bleue", a white wine from Château Le Bouïs, a vineyard not far from the beach in La Clape. And there, really, everything is just calm, luxury and voluptuousness
A "trendy" atmosphere in Paparazzo
Paparazzo, on the famous beach of the Chalets de Gruissan, at each season opening, is always full. In this essential hut of the seaside resort, there are as many travellers passing through as there are locals. That's an understatement. We come here for the exceptional view of the great blue, but also for the atmosphere, undoubtedly festive, which is unanimously accepted on the coast. And then, above all, we eat well, at reasonable prices, a homemade cuisine, based on fresh produce, which has been awarded two labels: Sud de France quality and Maître restaurateur
Chic" atmosphere at la Voile Rouge
On the immense beach of Narbonne-Plage, La Voile Rouge has set up its tents for the summer. An olive tree in the middle of the white sofas, a bar on a central islet, deckchairs opening onto the sea to relax with a homemade cocktail... The decor is set. An invitation to dream for this beach restaurant, which offers a refined cuisine of fresh products and fish. And you don't cheat at Voile Rouge: the fish are presented at the table before they are cooked. The most? A Mediterranean cuisine that is distinguished by an Asian touch: its specialty of tuna tataki. The hut is accessed by a red carpet once you have passed the car park. Everything is in good taste, from the menu to the service, from the wines to the musical atmosphere, which contributes to the journey to the world. For its 4th anniversary, La Voile Rouge invited the famous Parisian DJ, Stéphane Pompougnac, on July 13th to dance on the sand.
Surrealist" atmosphere at Biquet
This unusual straw hut on Mouret beach is no longer presented. An institution in Leucate, a magical place out of time, with a guaranteed change of scenery, joyful bric-a-brac of art objects or chinés, where Biquet, the undisputed owner and star of the place, officiates, very trendy with his glasses, just like the decoration of his surrealist straw hut. The atmosphere here is idyllic, the spirit of the celebration has been coming for a long time. We eat fresh fish, Leucate oysters, grilled lobsters, plancha knives, a Mediterranean cuisine that awakens the senses with its original touch, which we leave you to discover, on the terrace or with your feet in the sand, on one of the most beautiful beaches on the Aude coast.
A "traditional" atmosphere at the restaurant la Méditerranée
It is not a hut, but we recommend this traditional restaurant for its exceptional location and its trendy "liner" decoration: on the outside terrace, facing the big blue, we can enjoy seafood products from local fishing. The Mediterranean is Port-la-Nouvelle's must-see restaurant, with local cuisine and Mediterranean tradition guaranteed.
Unusual and musical" atmosphere at the Salin de la Palme
Subjugated. We are simply captivated by the Salin de la Palme, and its restaurant "Le Hameau des Sauniers", an unusual place about thirty kilometres from Narbonne, where salt is cultivated, and... a certain art of living hidden from view, in a magnificent landscape, in the heart of a pink and salty land between sea and scrubland. We do not eat in front of the salt pans, but right next to this natural setting. The cuisine, with its generous and fresh taste of the land and its wine list, is served on large wooden tables, in an authentic way. We literally fell in love with the sea bream in a salt crust. And for the breathtaking view of the saltworks, it is at the straw hut that it takes place in summer, on the evenings of musical entertainment. Feel free to ask for the program.
"Nature" moments at La Palme
In this picturesque wine-growing village, between the Corbières mountains, ponds and lagoon, time seems to stand still. Walking in the Palm, you are immediately seduced by the tranquility of the area, the small typical alleys, the colourful portals that house wine cellars, the richness of the heritage. Here is revealed a medieval gate that hides from those who do not take the time to see, there is a Languedoc church... And then, we go a little further, to the old salt works, in a horse-drawn carriage or a small train, to learn everything about the history of salt. We take a break at the Wine Bar to taste the best local wines on site, or enjoy local products in the hut before relaxing on the almost wild beach of Le Rouet
