Even in the 19th century, Billom was known as “ the town of markets “, because everything could be bought and sold here: butter, eggs and cheeses, livestock of all kinds, poultry of all feathers, as well as wood, clogs, earthenware pots, hemp, woollen yarns, and so on. At the same time, the cultivation of hemp was gradually being replaced by that of pink garlic.
Billom, Lezoux, land of crops and ceramics
Billom, a medieval town in Auvergneand capital of pink garlic
The Limagne plain is the perfect place to grow garlic. The region’s clay-limestone soils, combined with a favourable climate, give Billom garlic remarkable taste qualities. Recognised as a leading town in this field, Billom is not only the centre of garlic cultivation, but also of garlic preservation and packaging.
The short distance between the fields and the processing centres ensures superior freshness and quality of the garlic, grown without artificial preservatives. It is these special conditions that have enabled Billom to become the capital of pink garlic, a title the town proudly retains today.
Saint Cerneuf Billom 1
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Saint Cerneuf Billom 2
Discover pink garlicde Billom
During the summer months, why not buy your pink garlic direct from the producer? Sébastien Bourletias, a pink garlic grower for four generations, offers direct sales on his Espirat farm. In August, he also gives demonstrations of how to braid pink garlic (visits by appointment).
Are you fascinated by the taste of Billom pink garlic? Then don’t miss the Garlic Fair. The town of Billom hosts the garlic fair every 2ᵉ weekend in August. An event that has become a must for both fans of Auvergne garlic and its producers. 200 exhibitors and 60 traders attract nearly 20,000 visitors every year.
Garlic Espirat 12
Espirat 7 garlic
Garlic Espirat 2
Garlic Espirat 22Soup recipewith garlic
Espirat 21 garlic1List of ingredients
2 litres of soup for 2 heads of Billom pink garlic
½ litre of milk
½ litre of water
2 marrow bones
3/4 potatoes
olive oil, bay leaves, salt and pepper
2Making garlic soup
Step 1:
Dull the garlic heads. Bring the whole garlic cloves to the boil in ½ milk and ½ water. Cook gently for 10 minutes. Then drain the water and remove the skin from the cloves by pinching it with your fingertips.Step 2:
Brown the Billom pink garlic paste in olive oil, taking care not to burn it.Step 3:
Make 2 litres of stock with two marrow bones and two bay leaves. Cook 3/4 of the potatoes to be mashed.
Moisten the resulting mixture with the stock. Add the mashed potatoes. Stir again. Return to the heat and simmer for a few minutes. Serve with garlic croutons.Step 4:
Enjoy with a bottle of Côtes d’Auvergne.
Lezoux,a history of ceramics
The history of Lezoux goes back much further. Its involvement with ceramics dates back to theGallic period, around the 1st century BC, although only one potter’s kiln from this period is known to date. The arrival of the Romans marked a decisive turning point, and Lezoux became a hotbed of activity for the manufacture of a wide range of ceramics, from tableware and cooking utensils to terracotta building objects and religious votive offerings. One of the most striking of these creations was the sigillated ceramic, recognisable by its orange-red colour and relief decoration.
These pieces, decorated with mythological or floral scenes, bore the names of their creators, testifying to the importance of the artistic signature at this time: more than 1,200 names of potters have been recorded. Lezoux sigillia, a prized and fairly luxurious tableware, was exported throughout the Roman Empire, thanks to a well-established distribution network. However, with the end of Antiquity, ceramic production declined, without ever dying out. Traces of ceramic production survive from the VIIᵉ to the IXᵉ century, and then into the Middle Ages, although less well known and of more local distribution.
In the 19th century, Lezoux and the surrounding area was teeming with small factories andtravellingcraftsmen, perpetuating the pottery tradition. Recognising Lezoux’s historic importance in the art of ceramics, in 2007 the Conseil Départemental du Puy-de-Dôme opened a Musée Départemental de la Céramique, located in the former Bompard factory, an emblematic site for this tradition. The museum tells the story of the region’s pottery, and bears witness to centuries of expertise and innovation.
Ars Fictilis Lezoux 11
Mthiernoise Peche 2013 K Schneider X 16 Compressed
Ceramics museum in Lezoux
Billom Balade les Turlurons 6
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View of the Turlurons
Push open the door of the ceramics museumin Lezoux
Ceramics museum in LezouxStep back in time, share ancient secrets and admire the finesse of contemporary creations in a splendid, authentic setting! Housed in a former earthenware factory, the Musée de la Céramique (Ceramics Museum) offers a 1,300 m² fun-filled museum trail. You can touch the pottery. The museum has been designed to be both tactile and fun. There’s also an immersive work to see, touch and smell: “Le secret du monde”, created by Nathalie Talec.
You only have to look at the children running from one desk to another to judge the family-friendly nature of the visit. All the more so as the older children are happy to play along, trying to identify the shards or carefully tracing the sigillated decorations.
But what is a sigillated ceramic?
This is a fine ceramic intended for tableware, characterised by a red, greyish glaze and relief decoration, moulded, printed or applied. Some pieces are stamped, hence the modern name “sigillée”, evoking a seal. The best examples of sigillated ware can be found here because Lezoux was the main centre of production between the 1st and 4th centuries AD, exporting its ware en masse throughout the Roman Empire.
Enjoy fun activitiesaround Lezoux and Billom
Accommodation and restaurantsin Billom / Lezoux
To make the most of this exceptional weekend, check out the accommodation and restaurants around the towns of Billom and Lezoux.
