In Nîmes, the Market Square has been enriched with two new businesses, La cure gourmande and the Marius café comptoir.

Julie, one of the employees of the Nîmes boutique, with Marie-Ange Gauthier (right) sector manager. Midi Libre – Tom Serrano

La cure gourmande has created a souvenir box with the image of the Nîmes arenas. Midi Libre – Tom Serrano

Juliette Arnone est à la tête du Marius café comptoir. Midi Libre – Tom Serrano

An emblematic place of Nîmes' economic life, the Place du Marché saw its commercial offer expanded in August with the installation of the biscuit factory La Cure Gourmand and the café brasserie, Marius café comptoir.

The palm tree on Place du Marché in Nîmes now feels even less alone, since the beginning of August, two new businesses have come to enrich the commercial offer of the place. The first, the biscuit shop La cure gourmande, has set up in an emblematic place of the square, the former flower shop of the Pichon sisters; the second, Marius café comptoir, in a former shop that completely burned down last year.

90% of the products in store are manufactured by La cure gourmande

Thirty-five years ago, the first La cure gourmande store was opened in Balaruc-les-Bains (Hérault). Since then, the brand has expanded its storefronts and has 50 stores (branches and franchises) in France in 2024. On August 4, the last of the Gard stores (Aigues-Mortes, Le Grau-du-Roi, Uzès) opened in Nîmes.

Specializing in biscuits (sweet and savory), confectionery and chocolate, La cure gourmande also offers other local products.“90% of the things we offer come from our manufacturing plants in Frontignan (biscuits and confectionery) and Narbonne (chocolates), details Marie-Ange Gauthier, sector manager. We even manufacture our furniture. The remaining 10% are products linked to local partnerships or which correspond to our charter." Currently open seven days a week, the shop employs five people in season (from April to September) and three the rest of the year.

A brasserie service in September-October

The Marius café comptoir opened on August 1st, for a Jeudi de Nîmes. A fitting opening for a café that wants to bring “the Mediterranean spirit”, said Juliette Arnone, its manager, on the Place du Marché. For the young woman, originally from Reims (Marne) but living in Nîmes for twelve years, this new adventure is a logical continuation of her family history since she was “immersed her entire childhood in the restaurant business”, her mother having run a restaurant.

Bought three months ago, the café underwent major work to be renovated, the place having completely burned down a year ago. Moreover, the brasserie service will not open until September-October when the remaining work is completed. In the meantime, the Marius café comptoir, open from 8 a.m. to 1 a.m., offers breakfast in the morning and cocktails and seafood in the evening. The brasserie service will rely on dishes made with local products.

Currently four employees – "eventually many more", Juliette Arnone hopes, given the establishment's "large opening hours" – take turns in the dining room, on the terrace and at the counter.

I subscribe to read the rest