Auberge de l'Ecole - Babeau-Bouldoux

What a lucky find! We had planned to eat in a nearby town but the restaurant was booked for lunch even though it was a Sunday afternoon. We did a search on Google maps looking for anything close and found l'Auberge de l'Ecole in St. Jean de Minervois. We weren't sure what to expect but finding it open and not crowded we stopped in and opted to sit on the patio in front of the building. What we discovered was world class food and very friendly service. The host spoke a little english and my wife speaks a little french, and we made it work out. There was also a local in with some friends that volunteered to translate and was very friendly. We tried the local muscat for an aperitif and it was lovely. A bit sweet, but nothing like the moscato you get in the states, and far more complex and interesting than any muscat that we've had. Finding that we were interested in local wine (or any wine, really) the host very generously opened a bottle of an amazing local red for us to try. It was fabulous as expected and we wound up buying a bottle to take home. The food was exceptional and the prices very fair. The chef came out a couple of times to check on us too. We felt very welcomed and had a lovely lunch. If you're anywhere near St. Jean de Minervois I highly recommend having a meal at l'Auberge de l'Ecole. We hope to return someday.

We found this restaurant thanks to TripAdvisor. What a find!! We had an exquisite meal here on the final Saturday night of our trip. Everything was superb: the menu, the food, the wine, and the hospitality. I hope we will find ourselves in the area one day so we can return.

This restaurant is very remote in the depths of Haut Languedoc in little village Saint Jean de Minervois.The village has no shops and survives on wine industry alone The resturant was originally a school and is now run hands on by Brigid in the kitchen and Patrick on the floor.We were recommended her by Restaurant La Table in nearby Assignan and were not disappointed The restaurant is very unpretentious and has the appearance of an old fashioned cafe However the food speaks for itself.Brigid who has cooked for Heads of State when working at United Nations in New York cooks sublimely with locally sourced products in a traditional way Cannot recommend enough

Every year we come back to L'Ecole (8 so far)and we're never disappointed. The food is always fantastic and the service delightful. And the location, in tiny St Jean de Minervois is very special. It's not as far as it looks and is well worth the drive. Especially on a warm sunny day in April. Hosts Brigitte and Patrick are amazing. But back to the food. Always a variety of entrees, mains and desserts, and always local and seasonal. My entree of baked Camembert and main of slow, and I mean s..l..o..w roasted veal shoulder, both tasty. Miss K's entree of gambas (the biggest prawn I've ever seen) with a tiny, beautifully baked gambas pie. She also had the veal. A-mazing! All washed down with a delightful bottle of Merlot from Quarante and a few glasses of Minervois red, generously shared by Monsieur Patrick. We can't wait to return (next week) PS the photos don't really do the food justice.

We were fortunate to have friends who had been here before and thought we might enjoy it. We did, from the entree of chevre chaud in what seemed like a nest of puff pastry, but, really, like a nest to the mains...Two of us had the entrecote of veal, one had the grilled duck and the other coq au vin. All good. Wine pairing was also excellent. I had the pear tart for dessert and the glace with caramel was amazing as well. But, really, a couple of things set it apart...Hens peeking through the windows were a fun sight to see and the owner, chef and server were very welcoming. Charming and delicious.