And how wonderfully fortunate are we, in the Roannais region of the Rhone-Alpes, to have this Affineur of fine cheeses right on our doorstep.
Many year’s ago we had been pointed in the direction of the Mons Fromagerie in Halles Diderot, a fabulous high quality indoor market in Roanne.
Having been told that they were simply the best place to purchase cheese, not only for quality, but also breadth of choice – they sell a range of over 230 different cheeses throughout the year. and unparalleled expertise.

Today, Maison Mons has 22 people working at its caves in the Roannais, 155 clients in France, and many clients in 19 countries, 130 individual producers in France, 4 cheese shops, and about 190 different cheeses aging throughout the year. ‘Affinage’ cheese aging will always be the heart of the operation.
In 2009 Mons are continuing to expand and are developing a new entity ‘La Compagnie d’Affinage des Caves de la Collogne’, which is unique in its realm. They have recuperated and restored an old train tunnel and transformed it into a cheese aging tunnel.

This project will be completed in July 2009, and will allow Mons to really differentiate their products from the rest with an unprecedented environment and care for all their many cheeses, leaving Maison Mons with an exclusive range of high quality.products.
Maison Mons is always looking forward.

Visit their new website for more information about this excellent establishment, and, of course, where to buy their wide range of top quality cheeses:   Maison Mons

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Through the generations, the LEBLANC family has handed down its trade secrets based on the watchwords of authenticity, tradition and nature, flavour, gastronomy and sophistication.

Is it the stone mill that has been grinding the seeds and fruits since 1878, or is it the age-old techniques passed from father to son?

It’s probably a beautiful combination of the two that guarantees the quality and special identity of every precious trickle of oil that emerges from the press.

www. huile-leblanc.com

The famous J.Leblanc oils in the Roannais – by Lucy Franklin

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All in the name of many children’s charities. And, of course, one of the Roannais’s most famous chocolatier is well-represented. Pralus, based in Roanne, is featured once again this year. Francois Pralus, ‘le maitre chocolatier’ of the Roannais, received an Award of the Salon du Chocolat in Paris. A distinct achievement amongst the 9 best chocolatiers in France!

“Chocolate is a cultural product connected with pleasure and a luxury food item that reflects the latest trends.

To celebrate this wondrous substance, each year the Paris Chocolate Show stages a fashion-chocolate fusion in the form of the incomparable and essential “Chocolate Trends Fashion Show”. This ephemeral pageant presents a prestigious collection of “couture” dresses designed by talented duos of fashion designs and chocolatiers.

Inspiring many a dream, the event has been organised for the 11th year in aid of the umbrella organisation “La Voix de l’Enfant” of more than 50 children’s charities represented by French actress Carole Bouquet and French singer-songwriter Mathieu Johann. The aim is to both amass several tons of chocolate for sick and under-privileged children, as well as raising funds from the chocolate makers and exhibitors at the Show. ”

“For the 15th anniversary of the Show, the pageant will be presented as a fairytale opera, consisting of several tableaux on the theme of opera and music, featuring chocolate “couture” dresses worn by celebrities.
A unique and surprising Son et Lumière show, combining the magic of iconic couturiers such as Thierry Mugler and Jean-Claude Jitrois, the fervent imagination of avant-garde designers such as Agatha Ruiz de la Prada, Christophe Guillarmé, Dognin, Jean Doucet and Virginie Stucki, the perfection of major chocolate makers such as Barry Callebaut, Chapon, Chocolat Bonnat, Christophe Roussel, Ghraoui, Jean-Paul Hévin, Jacques Bellanger, Le Roux, La Maison du Chocolat, Michel Cluizel, Nestlé, Philippe Pascoet and Pralus, and the talent of famous artists and celebrities.

To celebrate Chocolate, each year the Paris Chocolate Show stages a fashion-chocolate fusion in the form of the incomparable and essential “Chocolate Trends Fashion Show”.

Inspiring many a dream, the event has been organised for the 11th year in aid of the umbrella organisation “La Voix de l’Enfant” of more than 50 children’s charities. For the 15th anniversary of the Show, the pageant will be presented as a fairytale opera.”

Visit the wonderful world of chocolate at: Salon du Chocolat

Pralus, famous chocolatier in the Roannais

Read more about Pralus, and other fine food companies and restaurants in the Roannais, Rhône-Alpes, in our Blog, News, and Reviews at:

www.purefrancenow.com

There will be ongoing events, programmes, exhibitions, and opportunities for businesses in all areas of Art and Design.

After take a little more than three years of work, part of the site of the old arms factory of Saint-Etienne has been brought back to stunning back life with this  City of Design including a School of Art and Design  (ESADSE) with its 350 students, and holding a variety of symposiums and exhibitions throughout the year, and open to all audiences.

La Cité du Design – Saint – Etienne

(Institution publique créée en 2005 par la ville de Saint-Étienne et Saint-Étienne Métropole, sous la forme d’un syndicat mixte. La Cité du design vise à développer les usages et les bénéfices du design en multipliant les occasions de rencontres entre professionnels du secteur, entreprises et particuliers.

Cette jeune institution s’inscrit dans le chantier de reconversion d’une ville emblème de deux siècles de révolution industrielle.
Produit de l’histoire stéphanoise, la Cité du design a bénéficié de la volonté et d’une forte dynamique locales initiées notamment par l’ École supérieure d’art et design de Saint-Étienne – ESADSE – (anciennement École régionale des Beaux-arts de Saint-Etienne ERBASE), créateur de la Biennale Internationale Design Saint-Étienne en 1998.
Aujourd’hui, Saint-Étienne Métropole, la Ville de Saint-Étienne, la Région Rhône-Alpes et l’Etat – Ministère de la Culture accompagnent le développement de la Cité du design, à travers leur participation à l’EPCC (Établissement Public de Coopération Culturelle), nouvel outil juridique qui concrétise les partenariats publics et dynamise le déploiement de son activité. Cet EPCC sera effectif en janvier 2010.)

Visit: www.citedudesign.com

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The Pure Art Gallery

The Auvergnat , as Mons was originally named, was founded in 1965 by Hubert and Rolande Mons.

They started by selling on local markets and from a truck selling door to door. Their high quality and constant search for new products quickly won them praise and recognition in the cheese world. As is often the case with successful companies.

From these historic small beginnings a high quality business was born. In the 1980′s when Hervé and Laurent, the sons, started working with their parents the company took great steps forward; with the opening of new stores in les Halles of Roanne, Renaison, Montbrison… and the development of an affinage operation in Saint Haon le Chatel in the Cote Roannaise.

During the 1990′s the company was recognized for its excellence and its know-how, and obtains an agreement to supply the Relais and Châteaux, and Accord Groups.

Fromagerie Mons serves the best restaurants and cheese shops around the world, including some of the royal tables.

A few years ago, the company started fulfilling an international demand : Mons now sells to more than 10 different countries throughout Europe, including the USA and Japan).

Today, The Auvergnat has become Maison Mons – Fromager Affineur, managed by Hervé Mons. After starting under his father training, Hervé went to study with the famous cheesemongers such as Jacques Vernier and Christian Cantin. In 2000 he was awarded Meilleur Ouvrier de France – Best artisan of France, the highest recognition one can achieve in the field of affinage.

In 2002 he receives the title of Best Fromager by the Gastronomic Pudlo Guide. Congrilait, the most important worldwide event of the dairy industry, asked him to organize its 2002 show. The Sirha contacted him for its 2003 International contest of the best cheese board. And this is only a part of his personal and business achievements.

In 2004 he created, with his brother Laurent Mons, a training school Opus Caseus Concept for their customers and other people who want to know more about how cheese is made and its flavour refined.

In 2005 he organised the first International competition Caseus Award, made up of the best cheese makers from 12 countries. In 2006, Maison Mons arrived in the London at the famous Borough Market and created the company Mons UK with a young cheese maker Mr Jonathan Thrupp who has learned the cheese arts with the Maison Mons. Mons also set their feet firmly in Montbrison with the opening of a shop with another of our prodigious students Cedric Lenoir, who took the shop on as a new adventure.

In 2007 we opened the boutique Marechal in the Halles de Lyon, which is run by Etienne Boissy (Meilleur Ouvrier de France 2004) who has been with Maison Mons for many years now.

Most important of all, Hervé Mons travels all over France, searching for the best cheeses, particularly from those farmers who are still using traditional methods of production. Then the cheeses are matured in the Mons caves to develop their aromas and taste.

This is why today, Maison Mons is the official supplier of the best tables around the world and is recognized as the benchmark in specialty cheeses. Maison Mons keeps its roots locally meanwhile recruiting a professional team in each of its shops, and at the same time developing the export market thanks to its extensive range, and unparalleled expertise. Today Maison Mons has 22 people working at its caves in the Roannais, 155 clients in France, and many clients in 19 countries, 130 individual producers in France, 4 cheese shops, and about 190 different cheeses aging throughout the year. Affinage Cheese Aging will always be the heart of the operation.

In 2009 Mons are continuing to expand and are developing a new entity La Compagnie d’Affinage des Caves de la Collogne, which is unique in its realm. They have recuperated and restored an old train tunnel and transformed it into a cheese aging tunnel. This project will be completed in July 2009, and will allow Mons to really differentiate their products from the rest with an unprecedented environment and care for all their many cheeses, leaving Maison Mons with an exclusive range of high quality.products.

Maison Mons is always looking forward.

Purefrancenow Visit and Review

Fromagerie Mons are specialists in the true sense of the word. For this reason they supply all of the ‘top’ restaurants in the area, and beyond. They, in fact, export all over the world – from the USA, UK, Norway, and Australia, to Russia, Japan, China, and Spain. Our, eagerly awaited, recent visit to their headquarters and storage caves in Saint-Haon-le-Châtel in the Roannais, has now added a further dimension to our understanding and love of cheese. It would have been extremely difficult not to share the passion and excitement that exudes from the Co-owner and Director, Laurent Mons, and his Quality Control Manager.

On our arrival at the Fromagerie, we were first greeted, surprisingly, by a youthful, and enthusiastic American, Eric Meredith. We were amazed to learn that he had come to work at Mons only 2 years ago from a cuisine and nutrition background in New York. He is now responsible for Quality Control at Fromagerie Mons. Although now Fluent in French, Eric led us through the various stages of cheese affination (the development, nurturing, and flavour refinement of cheeses brought in from 110 small farm producers) in English – which we much appreciated. It would have been tragic to miss out on any snippets of the deluge of information that was fired confidently, and concisely, in our direction. ‘Passion’ seems too subtle a word to describe Eric’s love and understanding of the whole cheese process. He really does live and breath his work. He is totally dedicated. It is a vocation, not just a job! To achieve the continued quality for which Fromagerie Mons is reputed this is the only way.

From regular liaison with the many suppliers to hands-on nurturing of the varying types of cheese, Eric’s knowledge is outstanding. He treats each cheese (in fact, each batch) individually, regulating temperature, humidity, position within the different caves, whether the cheese should be kept wrapped or unwrapped (and if so, what in), and on what the cheese should rest – great slabs of wood, or straw matting. All in the name of quality of taste refinement! Eric understands the nuances of the chemical processes that create, ripen, and develop cheese. He is a true connoisseur. An intelligent, scientific approach, but with enormous passion and dedication to the art of affinage (refining of a cheese) After our superb tour we visited Laurent Mons in the board room. He is ‘fired’ by the love of not only his cheeses, and his historic family business, but also of the Roannais region, full of its many gastronomic delights. Rarely have I found in the UK such true adoration of a business. Fromagerie Mons is exceptional. A successful, entrepreneurial, family-run company.

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Also visit our other Purefrancenow Reviews on Maison Mons:

Maison Mons, Halles de Lyon Paul Bocuse

Maison Mons, Les Halles Diderot, Roanne

Gastronomic Magic of the Roannais! – Maison Mons - A special ‘Food and Drink’ section about the delights of the Roannais.

Full of useful information about the Roannais in the Rhône-Alpes the Purefrancenow Newsletter also provides up-to-date details of the growing coverage and success of www.purefrancenow.com throughout the UK and Europe, as well as the USA and rest of the world.

There are links to the Purefrancenow Blogs, News, and Reviews as well as to regional Roannais businesses and restaurants. This includes opportunities for UK businesses and leisure-travellers alike.

Local news about places of interest are also regularly highlighted.

Just another useful and helpful service by Purefrancenow for their current clients, and prospective ones visiting their website for the first time. Well done!

Also take a look at the Purefrancenow Roannais Directory.

The Purefrancenow Monthly Newsletter Archive – at your service!

There were 14 members of the club present for ‘La Table de Véro et Olivier’. The evening’s menu consisted of aperitif, and ‘mise en bouche’, followed by:

Saucisson vigneron, salade de pommes de terre écrasées a la fourchette à l’huile d’olive.

Plateau du fromages affinés par la Maison Mons.

Ile Flottante à l’orange.

All cooked, presented, and served with the normal quality and panache of this regionally renowned gastronomic establishment.

The delightful food was perfectly accompanied by a superb red wine – Les Amadous Cotes du Ventoux 2006 (a well-balanced blend of Grenache, Syrah, Censaul grapes) from Vaucluse in the South of France.

Coffee was served with the option of a glass of Marc du Bourgogne.

There is no doubt that this particular soirée was exceptional value for money at 30€ per person, including wine, aperitifs, and digestifs!  Also, In the beautiful interior setting of the 14th century Chateau de Champlong. All the club members thoroughly enjoyed it all, as normal!

Simply a great opportunity!

So, if you want the perfect location for your private, business, or club meeting or celebration, then you can’t go wrong with Chateau de Champlong.

Roannais Restaurant Directory

For more information and opportunities in the Roannais visit:  www.purefrancenow.com

Gourmet Week-ends Business Events Celebration Events

The purefrancenow Blog, News, and Reviews also has many interesting articles about the Roannais, Rhone-Alpes region, including resataurants, food, wine, and much more!

Perfectly situated in its own walled grounds with private gardens, Chateau de Champlong is ideal for all sorts of events – wedding receptions, celebration parties, business meetings, special occasions. etc.

As well as perfect luncheons and stunning evening meals, Chateau de Champlong is also progessing with the development and furnishing of 12 sumptuous double bedrooms in the chateau, so that high quality hotel accommodation can be offered to their guests to match the assured and magnificent dining experience. All will be ready for Easter 2009. Purefrancenow will be covering the story, of course!

Their superb ‘Le Cuvage’ building set in the chateau grounds has been specially renovated and developed, and is ideal for business conferences, seminars, and private wedding celebrations. It is an exceptionally large building, fully equipped with all that is necessary to provide a perfect location for business or private events throughout the year, with a capacity of up to 300 people.

Le Cuvage is flexible, and the large space it provides can easily be suitably divided according to specific requirements, and designed for the number of people to be catered for at each event. Wedding Receptions and Special Celebrations

Purefrancenow’s owners, Brian and Lucy Franklin visit Chateau de Champlong regularly, particularly for special occasion’s.

Recently they visited for a 50th birthday treat for Lucy. Chateau de Champlong offer a ‘one hour’ special luncheon (usually lasts 2 hours!) which is superb.

Purefrancenow can heartily recommend this reasonably-priced menu in very comfortable and relaxing surroundings, and served with an easy-going, impeccable style. Olivier Boizet, Patron and Chef de Cuisine, even decorated the edge of Lucy’s dessert plate with ‘Joyeux Anniversaire’. A nice touch!

All in all, Chateau de Champlong is definitely one of Purefrancenow’s ‘ most highly recommended’ places to go when you visit the Roannais region.

Purefrancenow offer special, tailor-made ‘Gourmet Week-ends’ in the Roannais which, of course, include a special evening ‘degustation menu’ at Chateau de Champlong. Purefrancenow Gourmet Week-ends

There are also business event opportunities available, and corporate and club meetings or celebrations can be organised by the Purefrancenow Team, with all their experience, expertise and resources based here in the Roannais.

Roannais Business Events

Anything and everything is possible!

Visit the Purefrancenow Roannais Directory for more information on this reputable restaurant, and chateau event and celebration establishment. (And, ‘soon-to-be’ hotel!)

This ‘showcase’ event centre will also service the nearby regions of the Auvergne and Bourgogne (Burgundy), and it will attract both local, regional, national, and international business and public interest for staging small and major events.

Roanne, and the Roannais’s relationship with Lyon and Saint Etienne will also be encouraged to develop even further for the benefit of this part of the Rhône-Alpes region.

During the inauguration ceremony there were very positive speeches by some of the main regional dignataries and partners of the Scarabee project, including the Mayor of Roanne, President of Roanne Agglomeration, President of the Roanne Chambre de Commerce, and President of the Conseil de la Loire.

GL Events, who will be fully responsible for administrating and promoting Scarabee in the future, and organising all event management activity, were presented with a symbolic key to the event centre to underline there new responsibilities to the region.

Scarabee has been exceptionally, and creatively designed by one of France’s most reputable, international architects – Alain Sarfati. Designed for multi-functional and flexible usage with highly adaptable spaces and high quality, modern technical services are fully available. Business Events in the Roannais

This opening evening was a resounding success, and was followed by a well-organised reception, with hors-d ‘œuvres, champagne and wine provided and served by Veronique and Olivier Boizet, owners of the wonderful Chateau de Champlong at Villerest, an exceptional restaurant in a beautiful grounds for private and business receptions in its own right (soon in 2009, to have high quality hotel accommodation available with 12 sumptuously designed rooms).

Plus a musical atmosphere and light entertainment created by a classical group.

There was a real ‘buzz’ in the air, and much hope for the future, and the forthcoming programme of events for 2009.

Charles Aznavour will be the first inaugural celebrity to perform. (Saturday 6 December, 2008), followed by a whole series of events – gastronomic, musical, artistic, and business.

In 2009, there is already a growing programme of events, exhibitions, and concerts being prepared, so the future success of this excellent addition to the Roannais landscape is heading in a very positive direction.

Purefrancenow will be continuing to report on developments and events, and our creative Event Management Team, along with all our associated resources, are available to assist businesses, clubs, associations, or private groups to benefit from the new Scarabee venue. www.purefrancenow.com