Paper-thin strips of dough scented with orange-flower water or anise, fried until they blister and dusted heavily with icing sugar. Carnival food across the Languedoc, eaten within hours of frying.
Where to eat it: 3 restaurants across 1 city.
The oreillette belongs to the family of pre-Lent fritters found right across southern Europe, from Italian chiacchiere to Spanish orejas, and the name simply means little ear. The Languedoc version is rolled thinner than most, sometimes to the point of translucency, and flavoured with orange-flower water rather than lemon. Traditionally they were made at home in the days before Ash Wednesday to use up eggs and fat, and a household would turn out enough for the whole street. Montpellier bakeries put them out through January and February, and they are gone from the counters by the time Easter arrives.
Common allergens: Gluten, Eggs, Dairy
Maison Bonnaire runs a bakery and pastry counter at 45 Rue Saint-Guilhem in Montpellier, with its chocolate shop further up the same street at number 62.
Tip: The éclair range rotates; the chocolate boutique at number 62 keeps different, shorter hours than the bakery.
Worth the queue: Éclairs
Maison Scholler has been a pillar of Montpellier pâtisserie since 1962, vanilla and pistachio flans at 7 euros beside entremets and travel cakes.
Tip: The Avenue de Lodève shop is the handy branch for the Arceaux market; a second Scholler bakes out in Aiguelongue.
Worth the queue: Vanilla flan
Halles Castellane is Montpellier's iron-and-glass central market on Rue de la Loge, 25 stalls of cheese, oysters and produce a minute from the Comédie.
Tip: Several stalls shuck Bouzigues oysters to eat on the spot with a glass of Picpoul; go before noon for the full spread.
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