A small grocery store where good and local products reign supreme for the pleasure of customers in Saint-Affrique

Anne Dressayre et Stéphanie Vallejo de l'Épicerie del Païs de Saint-Affrique MIDI LIBRE – MARILYN BEAUFOUR

Pain au levain, charcuterie, gâteaux, fromages, vins, bières… À Saint-Affrique, trois boutiques et deux enseignes nationales vendent les bons produits du Sud Aveyron. Miam miam…

With 95% of local products at Épicerie del Païs, customers are sure to buy local. “Everything we sell comes from Aveyron or neighboring departments within a radius of about 150 km (except pears and apples from Drôme), except for 5% from the Andines cooperative for fair trade coffee and tea”“explains”Anne Dressayre, co-founder of the place with Annaelle Lhermitte in 2010. The principle differs from that of producer shops. She explains: “our hundred and fifty producers deposit their products that we pay them before selling them ourselves, we thus assure them an income”.

Organic bread cooked in a wood fire

Among the huge selection of products offered by the grocery store, organic sourdough bread cooked in a wood fire delivered every day, Roquefort Le Vieux Berger from Maison Combes, sheep's milk cheese from Fromagers élevages du Rougier (2023 world champions), fouace from Martrin (near Albi, the flour comes from Aveyron)…

Original, sugar-free sparkling DIZ drinks made with mint, verbena or juniper hydrosol (Lozère) or even Dames Menhir from the collection of la Biscuiterie des Grands Causses (Saint-Affrique). On the local craft side, the creations of three potters, soy wax candles, the wooden objects of Bruno Chartier from Saint-Félix-de-Sorgues…

Short circuit

A welcoming window display with straw bales and wooden displays. For over 15 years, the boutique, Chez les Paysans, created by the Aux saveurs aveyronnaises association, has been selling products from around forty local producers on a short circuit.

Two national brands in Saint-Affrique

Saint-Affrique has two national brands, a Biocoop and La Vie Claire. Both are well stocked with local products in all sectors. The Lou Cussou biocoop works with 80 local producers for bread, vegetables, meat, honey, pasta, soaps, etc. At La Vie Claire, the best-selling local products: eggs from Benji and Cathy's farm (Fondamente) and the GAEC de Terre Blanc in Saint-Rome-de-Cernon, hydrosols from Élodie Juillet in Bournac and flour from Jean-Baptiste Bec in Belmont-sur-Rance.

Virginie Lignon from the organic farm of Bousquet and partner explains: “Here we sell vegetables and flour-based products (pasta, pastries, bread, etc.) from our farm, goat cheese from Cécile Magnac, lamb meat and charcuterie by Kezia Cacheux, spirulina by Céline, oil and flour of small spelt by Guillaume from the Joncas farm… and products from Artisans du Monde. Finally, local products that Saint-Affricains can find at the Halles du Majestic, at the exit of the city.

Les Halles du Majestic

This amazing place, which is a restaurant, reception hall and accommodation, also has a well-stocked grocery store. Cyril Terral, a Saint-Affricain and owner for 3 years, relates: “I buy whole organic lambs from La Rozière in Broquiès. I mature them and then cut them up. The same goes for my minced steaks that I make myself without fat, from Aubrac beef from the Raymond de Camarès company."

"I also sell a wine from Vabres-l’Abbaye, the spit cake from Saint-Jean-d’Alcapiès, organic poultry from the Brioges de Mélagues farm, local cheese, fouace, charcuterie from Murasson… ". Everything to enjoy while eating healthy and local.

Épicerie del Païs, 11 bd Victor Hugo. 05 65 49 68 28. epiceriedelpais-saintaffrique.com 

Chez les Paysans, 2 bd Victor Hugo. 09 75 69 67 99. Facebook page. 

Les Halles du Majestic, 720 avenue Lucien Galtier. 05 65 99 48 11.
leshallesdumajestic.fr

Biocoop Lou Cussou, 61 bd Camille Marbo. 05 65 49 53 98.
saintaffrique.biocoop.net

La Vie Claire, ZA Les Cerisier, le Bourguet in Vabres-l’Abbaye. 05 65 99
00 77. magasins.lavieclaire.com