Carcassonne against Béziers. It looks like the tempting poster of a Pro D2 derby, or that of an old Intercity. And yet, much more is at stake at the moment between these two capitals of Languedoc. One of the two will host, in a few years, the Large Buffets. Louis Privat, the founder of this prestigious all-you-can-eat restaurant, which welcomes more than 360,000 customers to its table each year, has decided to leave Narbonne (Aude), after being somewhat scalded by the town.
The restaurateur did not lack candidates, however, when he let it be known that he was packing up, as the Grands Buffets are the assurance of attracting hundreds of thousands of tourists. “We were asked by Castelnaudary, Toulouges, Rivesaltes, Lézignan-Corbières, etc. As far as Sète, Montpellier, Nîmes, says Louis Privat. The town halls spontaneously expressed their interest to me. I also receive, every day, proposals from promoters, who tell me that they have land for me. »
About ten hectares, and a motorway exit
But moving such an institution requires a little thought. And between Carcassonne and Béziers, it’s not going to be a tug of war. Les Grands Buffets need about ten hectares to set up. Especially since Louis Privat wants to set up a hotel and a large grocery store near his restaurant. You also need a nearby motorway exit, the assurance of being easily accessible for the hundreds and hundreds of busloads of hungry customers who arrive at Les Grands Buffets every year.
The land offered by the municipalities of Béziers and Carcassonne ticks these two essential criteria. “It is also necessary that there is a will of the elected officials to welcome us, confides Louis Privat. But also that the socio-professional world is favorable to it. There is no question of settling in a place where we would be told “Ah, but you are going to siphon off the restaurant market”, etc. I don’t want to be seen as a predator. I don’t come to disrupt the market, I come to energize it. »
Louis Privat also wants the territories likely to host the Grands buffets to be able to support its employees, who wish to move, in their search for a crèche or a school, in particular. Its founder hopes that the new Grands buffets will open in 2027 or 2028. As for the long-awaited decision, Carcassonne or Béziers, it will be taken “as quickly as possible”, he notes.