Hiking and Cooking in the South of France

Col Tronchet (2661 m) above Ceillac is one of the mountain passes connecting the Queyras Region with the Ubaye Valley. It is possible to drive about 6 km in the Mélézet Valley to the very end of the narrow but paved road to a parking (not paved; at 1965 m elev.), used mainly for hikes up to the Ste-Anne Lake.

Start to Col Tronchet

Climbing to Col Tronchet

Col Tronchet in sight

Tête de Girardin

View to west from Col Tronchet

Descent from Col Tronchet

Alpine meadow by the Tronchet trail

Col Tronchet hike track

This is a warming dish to be made in autumn and winter. The choice of ingredients is not very different from the classic coq au vin but whole grain mustard, moutard à l’ancienne, gives the dish a special twist. 

Make this in a heavy cast-iron pot, cocotte, such as Le Creuset.

2 servings

4 chicken thighs with skin and bone

2 tbsp. olive oil

2 handfuls of sliced mushrooms

About 4 shallots, peeled and cut in half lengthwise

1 clove garlic, minced

1 tbsp. whole grain mustard

100 ml chicken stock

100 ml white wine

Freshly ground black pepper

Fresh herbs to decorate

Preheat the oven to 200°C, roast.

Warm the olive oil in a heavy pot over medium heat. Fry the chicken thighs on both sides until golden. Remove from the pot and set aside. 

Add the shallots, mushrooms, and garlic to the pot and cook for a few minutes stirring occasionally. Pour in the wine and chicken stock scraping up any browned bits. Stir in the whole grain mustard and return the chicken thighs skin side up nestling them into the mushrooms and shallots. Pour in any accumulated juices from the chicken. There should be enough liquid in the pot so that the chicken thighs are partly covered.  

Transfer the pot in the oven and braise uncovered for 40- 45 minutes. The chicken skin should be nicely browned and the meat very tender.

Serve the chicken with brown or black rice. Grind over some black pepper and sprinkle with chopped herbs.

Optical telegraph post Chambrettes

Situated in the Queyras Regional Nature Park, Ceillac is a true hikers’ mecca. A few days’ stay is just not enough to explore all the opportunities.

The following hike features a great loop above Ceillac, circling via the Chambrettes Ridge, Crête des Chambrettes. 

As late as in 1899/1900, the French army built a chain of optical telegraph posts* in the Alps. The purpose was to communicate between Nice and Lake Geneva (and beyond). One of these posts was built on Crête des Chambrettes on a spot where the ridge (2555 m) is narrow, only about 100 m from the highest point (2582 m).

GR58 above Ceillac

Near Col de Bramousse

Col de Bramousse

Above Col de Bramousse

Jean Grossan lookout point

Cristillan Valley

Peaks south of Ceillac

Ceillac seen from Crête des Chambrettes

Eastern Crête des Chambrettes

Near summit of Crête des Chambrettes

View west from Crête des Chambrettes

Return from Col Fromage

Crête des Chambrettes hike track

Mackerel is a good source of heart- healthy omega- 3 fatty acids. Being low in the food chain, it accumulates much less toxins and heavy metals than tuna or swordfish. If you find fresh mackerel fillets in your shops, this is a recipe to try.

2 servings

2- 3 mackerel fillets

10- 12 cherry tomatoes, halved

3 shallots, chopped

1 clove garlic, minced

2 tsp. small capers

Olive oil

Freshly ground black pepper

Whole wheat spaghetti for 2 servings

A good handful of chopped basil

Preheat the oven to 200° C, roast. Roast the mackerel fillets, skin side up, for 10 minutes. Remove the skin and cut the mackerel into smaller pieces. Set aside.

Meanwhile cook the spaghetti according to the advice on the package.

Warm 2 tbsp. olive oil in a large frying pan over medium heat and sauté the cherry tomatoes, shallots, and garlic for 10 minutes. Add the capers, black pepper and the cooked and drained spaghetti and mix. Fold in the mackerel pieces and basil. Divide into bowls and serve.

These tasty small open sandwiches make a light lunch served with some green side salad. You could add some hummus with the salad.

2 servings

4 small slices of soft and fresh rye bread

2 tbsp. olive oil

1 shallot, sliced

1 clove garlic, minced

1 red bell pepper, sliced

1 green bell pepper, sliced

2 tasty tomatoes, sliced

4 slices of low- fat goat cheese

Warm the olive oil over medium heat in a frying pan. Sauté the vegetables until soft.

Divide the vegetables on the bread slices and top with goat cheese.

For this recipe, you can use any tasty, firm- fleshed white fish fillets such as halibut, sea bass, cod, blue ling and so on. Start with the vegetable bouillabaisse as it takes about an hour to make, preparation included. The fish is cooked in the oven in about 10 minutes, depending on the thickness of fillets.

2 servings

For the vegetable bouillabaisse:

4 new potatoes, washed and cut into thick slices

½ fennel, sliced

1 shallot, chopped

1 clove garlic, minced

6 cherry tomatoes

2 tbsp. olive oil

2 tbsp. tomato sauce

Freshly ground black pepper

100 ml white wine

A pinch of saffron pistils

Fresh herbs to decorate 

For the fish:

2 halibut fillets, about 120- 150 g each

Juice of ½ lemon

1 tbsp. Dijon mustard

1 tbsp. olive oil

Warm 2 tbsp. olive oil over medium heat in a heavy casserole, cocotte, such as Le Creuset. Add all the vegetables except the fresh herbs, and stir. Sauté for about 10 minutes stirring occasionally. In a bowl, mix tomato sauce, black pepper, white wine, and saffron. Pour this mixture over the vegetables and stir. Lower the heat to medium- low, cover, and let simmer for about 45 minutes until the vegetables are soft. Stir occasionally.

Preheat the oven to 200° C, roast.

In a bowl, whisk together the lemon juice, Dijon mustard, and olive oil. Spread some olive oil in the bottom of an oven-proof dish and place the fish fillets in it. Spread the lemon juice, mustard, and olive oil mixture on the fish. Roast in the oven for about 10 minutes, depending on the thickness of the fillets. The fish is done when it is opaque.

Divide the fish fillets and vegetable bouillabaisse on the plates and decorate with chopped herbs.