In Espondeilhan, the truck of the pork butcher Christophe Vidal creates social ties

Every Tuesday of the year, pork butcher Christophe Vidal sets up his truck in the center of Espondeilhan. Midi Libre – René Ferrando

La présence du charcutier ambulant rend service aux personnes âgées. Midi Libre – René Ferrando

In villages, mobile businesses are a significant plus, especially for elderly people who have difficulty getting around. This presence creates social ties. In the West Hérault, many traders crisscross the roads to supply the population or provide services. "Midi Libre" went to meet these itinerants. First part of this series in Espondeilhan where the pork butcher Michel Vidal, based in Lacaune in the Tarn, offers his products every Tuesday.

Like every Tuesday, the Vidal truck is parked on the Place du Vieux-Château in Espondeilhan. An elderly lady greets the pork butcher, Christophe Vidal. “I would like two lamb chops”. No sooner said than done, the two pieces of meat are weighed. “And with that ?” “I need some loin”. “How much do you need ?” asks the shopkeeper. “About 300g. It's for cooking. Not very greasy especially”, adds the lady. She is delighted to be able to do her shopping just a stone's throw from her home. “Finding a butcher in Espondeilhan is great! Especially when you get older and go out less”, emphasizes this loyal customer.

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Settled in Lacaune in the Tarn

Christophe Vidal has been parking his truck in the village for six years. “I come from Lacaune in the Tarn. I don't count the kilometers but the time. It takes me about an hour and twenty minutes to get here. I've been living in Lacaune for ten years, where I took over Mr. Milhau's business.” In the land of charcuterie, Christophe Vidal and his wife only have a laboratory “where we prepare our products.” Christophe Vidal didn’t fall into charcuterie by chance. After school, he began his professional career in this field before working in carpentry for seventeen years. “Finally, I got back into charcuterie with my wife.”

Street sales

The Vidal house does not have a sales outlet in the Tarn. “We only sell at markets or on the street like in Espondeilhan”, explains Christophe Vidal. So, aboard his truck, he crisscrosses the roads of Tarn, Aveyron and Hérault. “I go out every day, except Monday which is reserved for preparation.”On Tuesdays, before setting up shop on the Place du Vieux-Château in Espondeilhan at around 9:30 a.m., the pork butcher is in Puissalicon. He will finish his round in Fouzilhon. On Fridays, he offers his products in Caux. And while Christophe Vidal is out and about, his wife has a stand in the covered market in Millau in Aveyron.

“My presence brings villages to life”

Christophe Vidal is attached to practicing his profession as a street vendor. “Traveling ? It's a rhythm to get into. My presence brings villages to life”, he judges. Another customer arrives. Blood sausage, liver sausage. And off he goes again. The butcher adds: “We have a few more customers in the summer. The rest of the year, I reach loyal people. People who don't work, who are elderly. My presence is a plus for them. The working people, on the other hand, do their shopping in Béziers. Here, we have a different clientele than the one at the markets.” Precisely, it's a loyal customer who makes her appearance. All sprightly, Thérèse does her shopping and that of her friends. “I'm the village troublemaker. When he's nice, it's fine”, she says, looking mischievously at Christophe Vidal. There is a growing bond between Thérèse and the butcher.

Quality and gift of the gab

“You see, we spend five minutes chatting with customers. A joke and that's it. It creates a bond. I even give them change sometimes”, summarizes Christophe Vidal. “Last week, customers stayed there, near the truck. They chatted for a long time. My presence allows them to meet, it really creates a social bond.” The quality of the products also helps build customer loyalty. “You have to be serious and meet the needs of customers, indicates Christophe Vidal. We buy from breeders in the Tarn and neighboring departments. Then, I make my charcuterie and prepare my meats. In the end, the truck is well stocked. When something is missing, the customer places his order with me and the following week, he is served.” Quality on his stall, a good gift of the gab and that's it. That's Christophe Vidal's recipe. “Above all, it must not stop.”