L'Auberge du Pas de Vent

L'Auberge du Pas de Vent is a generous village inn in Pouillon that champions traditional, terroir-driven cooking with an emphasis on pleasure and indulgence. The kitchen highlights fresh, local products sourced from nearby producers and aims to respect the chain from producer to plate. The building dates to 1885 and evolved from a wine shop and grocery into an auberge and restaurant, a continuity the team seeks to preserve. The house has held a Michelin Guide Bib Gourmand since 2005 and combines its historic, atypical setting with a menu celebrating Chalosse and Landes products in a warm, family-run atmosphere. The inn occupies an atypical historic building with thick stone walls, many steps, split levels and creaking wood, and offers two ambiances: a room with a fireplace in winter and a shaded terrace in summer. The dining room is traditional and rustic rather than trendy, with tablecloths and a homely village-inn vibe. The cuisine is traditional French that sublimes local products, privileging proper cooking techniques, seasoning and freshness and offering an authentic expression of the region. Menus and dishes highlight regional ingredients from Chalosse and Landes and the team encourages close relationships with local producers. Chef Aurélien Bellocq returned to his native region after around a decade training and experimenting with top chefs. Specialties include monkfish and chorizo skewer with spinach and beurre blanc; sweetbreads with Jurançon and mushrooms; grilled Chalosse beef steak with pepper and Madeira sauce; foie gras terrine marinated in Armagnac; crab terrine with velvety bisque; and pig's trotter bonbons with bacon and blood pudding.