2024 - Desperately looking for a cook at the highest peak of the Hérault

Finding catering staff has been a real headache for many establishments since the health crisis. This difficulty is even more so for mountain settlements far from large cities. This is the case with Emma and Pascal, managers of the restaurant La Clairière in Cambon-et-Salvergues, at the top of the Hérault at 1,000 meters above sea level in the Haut Languedoc Regional Park.

For six months, they have been looking for a second cook. “We have never encountered so many difficulties throughout our career‘ explains Emmanuelle.

However, the offer of candidacy is enticing. 1,500 to 1,800 euros salary per month in CDI or CDD. Two months of vacation per year. Two and a half days of rest per week and especially the provision of fully renovated accommodation of 80 square meters for only 200 euros per month.

“We posted our ad last September. We have not had any phone calls even for information on the position to be filled.“says Emma.

Emma and Pascal, managers of the restaurant La Clairière in Cambon-et-Salvergues
– The meadow

This 39 and 59-year-old couple took over the management of this 80-seat establishment (including 20 on the terrace) four years ago after dropping everything on Reunion Island with their little girl Corail, now aged five. years. The desire to go back to basics, to get closer to family in Vaucluse and Lorraine, but above all in search of a less stressful quality of life.

“We fell in love with the village.” – Emmanuelle

The ad was first posted on social media and a very popular classifieds site, but to no avail. For the past month, restaurateurs have called on Pôle Emploi and a temp agency. A call for international applications has been launched in the hope of finding the cook who could support them in the coming season:

“We resume the season at the beginning of March, until November. If we do not find anyoneaccording to Pascal Schott, the season is going to be very long and exhausting.”

Tables and inn of France d

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He is in the kitchen. Her in the dining room. La Clairière, open for lunch and dinner, six days a week, offers a menu from 21 to 38 euros, bistronomic cuisine with Creole accents to many hikers, cyclists, bikers, hunters and fishermen. “We limit ourselves to 40 covers per meal. Everything is fresh. We do not work with any cans” said Pascal.

Pascal the manager of the restaurant La Clairière in Cambon-et-Salvergues © Radio France
– Stefane Pocher

Here, everything is put forward to enhance the quality of life

Cambon-et-Salvergues, located between Olargues and La Salvetat-sur-Agout, is nine inhabitants in winter. Three times more in summer. This picturesque little village had more than 600 in the early fifties. Since the desertification of the village, the town hall is struggling at all costs with the support of the Community of communes of the Monts de Lacaune to maintain and develop tourist and economic activity.

80% second homes

“The recruitment problem is not unique to Cambon. It is necessarily a little more marked here because of our geographical position” says Marie Casares, the mayor of the town. It is for this reason that the municipality provides this fully renovated accommodation able to accommodate this future cook and his family.

“We try to do our best. If we don’t help each other, everything becomes difficult. This accommodation will allow him to stay on site. We are also looking for a landscaping employee. A couple occupying both positions would be perfect. one does not prevent the other.

“Living here is not difficult, but a privilege.” – Marie Casares

Cambon, highest point of the Hérault, birth of the Agout river, Natura 2000 area

A party hall is under construction. Six municipal rural lodgings (4 to 6 places) and an equipped caravan are open all year round to the public. An area can also accommodate motorhomes (10 places). A year ago the town hall recruited Audrey. This quadra did not hesitate to leave Mazamet to come and settle here. This Tarnaise is responsible for the annual management of accommodation.