Most everyone I know would jump up and down at the thought of any kind of food and wine festival. But I have to admit to being stupidly ecstatic when I found out about the Sud de France Festival (that’s Southern French) on Friday 17 September is coming up, especially focused on the Languedoc-Roussillon region.

To kick start the 13 days of decadence there is a the Sud de France Festival Food & Wine Market in Cavendish Square, from 10:30am to 6pm. You will be able to sample local wines and food for gratis and if there is something you fancy then all of it will be available to buy. Amongst the speciliaites at hand you will be able to indulge in chestnuts, olive oils, tapenades, a whole array of biscuits and chocolates.

If you know your wines then you can get excited free tastings with this impressive line up: Gérard Bertrand, Skalli, Sainte Cécile du Parc, Domaine Grandes Causses, Sieur d’Arques, Tradition et Innovation, Château le Bouis, Château de Cabezac, Mont Tauch, Domaine du Traginer, Château de Péna and La Coume du Roi.

There will also be a seafood bar with oyster and mussels to go with some lovely sparkling Limoux, wine tastings, and olive oil tasting sessions, as well as a chill out area that you can flop into so you can fantasise about living this life forever. Plus, the clever people behind this have also got a tourism stand at hand, so don’t be surprised if you go home with bulging belly, a bottle of something under your arm and a holiday booked as well!

Here’s a brief line up of some of the amazing events on offer as a part of this festival:

On Tuesday 14th September you have a wine tasting from the first French woman to have achieved Master of Wine status, Isabelle Legeron MW. Born and brought up on a vineyard in southwest France, Isabelle is the sixth generation of a Cognac-producing family- so really you can’t go wrong!

For something quite serious you can get a wine tasting tour ticket for £19.50, or up the anti and get a tasting table included for £24.50 at Vinopolis from the 17th- 30th of September.

On Saturday 18th September Borough Market will have a Giant Cassoulet, a slow-cooked white bean casserole, made with pork sausages, goose or duck… and you can get your bellies filled for only a fiver.

Meanwhile the Duke of York Market will be providing everything from cod brandade to tapenade, also Saturday from 10am to 4pm.