Hiking and Cooking in the South of France

We decided to explore the trails west of Serre Chevalier (2491 m), and based on last years’ experience we took advantage of the Casse du Boeuf chairlift from Villeneuve (1400 m) as we planned to do a shorter hike at a higher altitude.

The high starting point offers numerous itineraries. We had previously hiked to Serre Chevalier summit then down to the valley.

Casse du Boeuf chairlift

Crete de Peyrolle

Serre Chevalier western flank

Scenery west of Serre Chevalier

Nearing Col de Serre Chevalier

View south Col de Serre Chevalier

View northwest Col de Serre Chevalier

Near Col de la Pisse

Col de la Pisse 2501m

The following chicken recipe is perfect in autumn when the days get darker and cooler and we crave warmer dishes. But it is just as suitable on a miserable and rainy spring day.

Roasting the chicken legs in oven with red wine and chicken stock gives tender and tasty chicken as well as a nice reduced red wine sauce. A light Bourgogne red or Chianti would go well with this recipe.

2 servings

2 free-range chicken legs

1 free-range chicken breast

2 medium potatoes

½ head of broccoli

Olive oil

150 ml red wine

150 ml chicken stock

1 shallot, chopped

1 clove garlic, minced

A pinch of salt

Fresh herbs to decorate

Preheat the oven to 200° C roast.

Place the chicken legs in an ovenproof dish. Spread 2 tbsp. olive oil on the legs. Pour the red wine and chicken stock in the dish and roast for 45 minutes.

Meanwhile cook the chicken breast in a small frying pan and make the green purée.

Warm 1 tbsp. olive oil in a small non-stick frying pan over medium heat. Cut the chicken breast in halves lengthwise. Cook in the frying pan for 20 minutes turning once. Cover and set aside.

Peel the potatoes and cut them into pieces. Place in slightly larger saucepan and add water to cover the potatoes. Add the shallot and garlic and cook for about 15 minutes until the potatoes are soft. Drain, cover and set aside.

Cut ½ broccoli head into smaller pieces. Place in a saucepan with some water and a pinch of salt. Cover and cook for 5 minutes until soft. Transfer the broccoli into the potato saucepan reserving some of the cooking water. Add 1 tbsp. olive oil and a little cooking water and mix into a purée with a handheld mixer. If needed, add more water into a nice consistence.

For the presentation: Divide the reduced wine sauce from the ovenproof dish on the plates. Place the chicken legs and breast halves on the sauce. Arrange the green purée in the middle of the chicken pieces and decorate with chopped herbs. 

The following recipe makes a simple but tasty autumnal lunch when local figs are in season in the South of France. The sweet taste of figs compliments nicely with the tartness of goat cheese. 

2 servings

4 slices of country bread

Olive oil

8- 10 mushrooms, champignons de Paris

6 figs

About 100 g goat cheese, la bûche de chevre

Baby salad leaves

Vinaigrette

Preheat the oven to 200° C roast.

Cut 4 nice slices from a country bread and brush them on both sides with olive oil. Roast for about 7 minutes until golden.

Clean the mushrooms and slice them. Sauté in olive oil until nicely coloured.

Cut 8 slices from the goat cheese.

Wash and dry the figs. Cut them into 4 sections.

Divide the crostini on two large plates. Place 2 slices of goat cheese on each bread slice. Divide the mushrooms and figs on the crostini slices placing the extra figs on the plates. Sprinkle with some olive oil. Place a small handful of baby salad leaves on the plates and sprinkle with vinaigrette.

Several new hiking itineraries have been recently added to the randoxygène web site. We decided to check the loop starting from Beuil (Cougne 1440 m) to Col des Moulinés (1981 m).

We used the parking by the D30 road just before the bridge over the Cians River. After crossing the road, we saw the signpost #41 next to several old houses (Cougne on the map), and started to ascend along a narrow trail, passing several properties. Apparently, the trail had not been much used and was quite overgrown in places. We reached a partly forested ridge (Crête du pre Picas), now heading northwest. 

Beuil-Cougne

Above Cougne

Tête du Garnier

Trail to signpost#43

Mont des Moulinés southern flank

Beuil seen from Col des Moulinés

Mont Mounier and the Col

Descent to Cians Valley

Bœuf Bourgignon is the famous beef stew from the Bourgogne Region. In a recent TV-show on the French morning TV, Télématin, a cheffe from the Côte-d’Or Departement showed her version of the recipe. The meat was separately simmered for 3 hours in Pinot Noir red wine with mushrooms and leeks so that the beef was super tender and the thick sauce almost black in colour. The vegetables were separately sautéed and simmered until soft. Her choice of vegetables was more adventurous; to the usual carrots and onions also courgettes, turnips, and green asparagus were added. I was inspired!

The following recipe is my twist of the TV-show. I simmered the beef for 2 hours on the hob in a heavy cooking pot, cocotte, and then cooked it for 1 hour in the oven. I simmered the vegetables in another cocotte until soft.

2 servings

About 300- 400 g stewing beef

500 ml Pinot Noir red wine

1 leek, sliced

4- 6 mushrooms, chopped

Olive oil

For the vegetables:

1 small onion, halved

1 clove garlic, minced

1 carrot, cut into 3-4 cm long chunks

2 small courgettes, cut into 3-4 cm long chunks

1 turnip, peeled and halved

Olive oil fresh herbs to decorate

In a heavy cooking pot, cocotte, warm 2 tbsp. olive oil over medium heat. Lightly brown the beef. You may need to do this in batches. Set aside. Sauté the mushrooms and leek in the same pot for a few minutes. Transfer the meat back to the pot. Add a pinch of salt, some black pepper and pour in the Pinot Noir. The beef should be covered by the wine. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat to simmering. Cover and cook for 2 hours.

Preheat the oven to 180° C.

Transfer the cocotte uncovered into the oven and cook for 1 hour.

Meanwhile warm 1 tbsp. olive oil over medium heat in another cocotte. Sauté the vegetables for a few minutes. Add 100 ml water, reduce the heat to simmering and cover. Cook for about 2,5 hours until the vegetables are soft. 

For the presentation:

With a slotted spoon, take up the vegetables from the pot and divide on the plates. Divide the beef in the centre of the plates and pour over the sauce. Decorate the vegetables with some chopped fresh herbs. Bonne Appétit!

The following relatively short loop above Vars ascends to la Combe Froide under the Eyssina Massif (2837 m). It gives the opportunity to experience a high mountain atmosphere near the village and outside of the ski lift system.

Starting point of L'Ecuelle hike

Larch forest after start

Vars Les Claux

Ascending trail to Combe Froide

We started from the upper parking at Vars les Claux (1920 m) and climbed along the upper trail in a larch forest towards Col de Vars. At about 2100 m elev. we reached a large meadow where we forked right, climbed to a signpost showing “Les Myrtilles” to the left. We, however, forked again right and dove back into the larch woods. The trail circled a small unnamed peak 180° almost horizontally and came to a crossroads (Trail from les Escondus) where we forked left, crossed a stream and climbed to Combe Froide. There were patches of snow here and there. Marmots, spring flowers and complete tranquillity! The final push to L’Ecuelle Col (2420 m) was fairly steep. The col was the highest point of this hike. It was a warm but very windy day, and we descended a bit for our picnic. In the beginning, the southern side of the col was steep as well.

Eyssina massif

Combe Froide near L'Ecuelle

Northern flank of L'Ecuelle

Trail near L'Ecuelle

Descent from L'Ecuelle

 Cooked quinoa is a super healthy carbohydrate side to some simple meat or chicken and vegetables. But sometimes one wishes something a bit more adventurous than just cooked quinoa.

The following herb- olive oil- cherry tomato mixture can be added to still warm cooked quinoa making it much more interesting, like a warm quinoa tabbouleh.

2 servings

100 ml quinoa, pref. a mixture of white, red, and black quinoa

About 300 ml water

3 tbsp. tasty olive oil

A handful of chopped fresh herbs 

2 tbsp. sliced black olives

About 10- 12 cherry tomatoes, cut into smallish pieces

A dash of pressed garlic

Freshly ground black pepper

Cook the quinoa for 20 minutes. Then set aside and cover for 5 minutes.

Meanwhile wash and chop the herbs. Add to a bowl with the black olives, olive oil, garlic, and cherry tomatoes. Grind over some black pepper and mix.

Fold this mixture into the cooked warm quinoa. In the photo, it is served with a roasted turkey escalope and steamed green beans.