Hiking and Cooking in the South of France

This is a simple one-pan recipe that can be cooked in about half an hour. The secret for its taste is in quality ingredients; organic chicken breasts, good Italian oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, and organic fresh herbs.

Very little crème fraîche or cream is needed to achieve the creaminess of the sauce if it is stirred in the wine sauce almost at the last minute. In France, you can also choose the thick fat-reduced crème fraîche which tolerates heat without getting runny.

Serve the chicken breasts with rice mix or green lentils and some greens; green beans or broccoli or zucchini.

2 servings

2 organic chicken breasts without skin or bone

2 tbsp. olive oil

1 shallot, chopped

1 clove garlic, minced

75 ml white wine

4 oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes

2 tbsp. crème fraîche 15 % fat or cream

Freshly ground black pepper

Fresh chopped herbs

Start cooking the rice mix or green lentils which need about 25- 30 minutes cooking time.

Warm the olive oil in a frying pan over medium heat and sauté the chicken breasts on both sides until golden. Add the shallot and garlic to the pan and continue sautéing for about 10 minutes. Add the wine and continue cooking, scraping up any browned bits. 

Place the sun-dried tomatoes on kitchen paper to remove some extra oil before chopping. Add to the pan and grind over some black pepper. Cover and let simmer over low heat for 5- 10 minutes until the chicken is done. Just before serving stir in the crème fraîche.

Meanwhile microwave the greens and chop some herbs.

Divide the chicken breasts, sauce, rice or lentils, and the greens on the plates. Decorate with herbs.

Compared with the famous Col de la Vanoise (2516 m) which lies on a large alpine meadow, Col Rosset (2545 m) is a narrow mountain pass with steep flanks on both sides. Therefore, the trail there is more challenging, with some exposed stretches.

Starting from Pralognan la Vanoise (1410 m), we decided to use the cable car to Mont Bochor (2022 m). Hiking from the village would increase the climb about 600 m. It is also possible to drive or take the shuttle bus to les Fontanettes (1640 m), and further the Génépi chair lift to Barmettes (2000 m), the latter not in service every day. 

Mont Bochor

Trail Before Col Noir

Trail #10 to Col Noir

Almost at Col Noir

Grande Casse viewed from Col Noir

Vanoise Glacier seen from Col Noir

From Mont Bochor, we descended a few minutes to a crossroads, and started to climb along trail nr 8, mostly following the ski runs. We walked past the Ancolie ski lift upper station and a signpost at 2332 m where we took the right-hand trail (straight), now nr 10 in the Pralognan hiking guide. The trail became rockier and steeper after a patch of snow. We reached Col Noir, then continued along an exposed trail along a steep mountain flank. A chain was attached on the mountain side for extra security. However, the stretch was completely ok in good and dry weather.

Exposed part of trail to Col Rosset

Near Col Rosset

View to east from Col Rosset

Descent from Col Rosset

Col Rosset in background

Barmettes

Trail #11 to Mont Bochor

Col Rosset hike

Avocado toast is a popular healthy recipe for a simple and quick meal. In France, a small number of avocados are grown but usually the avocados in French supermarkets are imported. Their quality is very variable; from hard unripe to already dark end over-ripe so not always edible and smashable. 

I have seen some French recipes which replace avocados with peas. The following pea purée is my Mediterranean twist as it has a healthy amount of good olive oil. For a simple lunch, serve the bread slices with a mixed side salad.

2 servings

2 slices of rye bread or whole wheat toast

300 ml peas, fresh or frozen

A pinch of pressed garlic

Freshly ground black pepper

2 tbsp. olive oil

2 tbsp. fromage blanc or thick Greek yoghurt, 0% fat

2 soft- cooked eggs

Cook the eggs for 6 minutes in boiling water. Peel them and set aside.

Microwave the peas for a few minutes until defrosted. Add the garlic, some black pepper, olive oil, and fromage blanc. With a hand- held mixer, purée the peas into a nice consistence.

Divide the pea-purée on the bread slices and top with a soft- cooked egg.

Situated at the foot of the imposing Grande Casse (3855 m), Col de la Vanoise (2517 m) is probably the most visited site in the Vanoise National Park.

Historically the col was a trading route between France and the Piemonte region. The long-distance hiking trail GR55 runs through the mountain pass.

The GR55 ascends from the village of Pralognan la Vanoise (1410 m), but most visitors doing day hikes use either the Fontanettes parking (1640 m) or even the Genépi chair lift to Barmettes (at about 2000 m) as their starting point. The chair lift ran on certain days only.

We chose the third option. The cable car to Mont Bochor (2022 m) which ran every day in summer took us up in a few minutes. From Mont Bochor, we first descended along a trail which ran diagonally along the mountain flank (sentier balcon; nr 12 in the local guide), then ascended to Refuge des Barmettes. We continued along the wide GR55 trail (nr 14 in the guide), heading northeast. The scenery became more and more high alpine and we reached Lac des Vaches (2330 m). Flat rocks had been placed in the middle of the semi-dry lake to facilitate the crossing.

The following simple and healthy lunch is perfect to make in autumn and winter when butternuts and other winter squashes are in season. The dish has plenty of heart- healthy vegetable protein from green lentils. Serve it with a green side salad and rye bread for a balanced and light meal.

2 servings

A wedge of winter squash or ½ butternut

Olive oil

120 ml green lentils

500 ml chicken or vegetable stock

3 tbsp. fromage blanc 0% fat or thick Greek yoghurt

Juice of ½ lemon

Chopped fresh herbs or baby rocket leaves

Preheat the oven to 180°C, roast.

Warm 1 tbsp. olive oil over medium heat in a saucepan and sauté the onion and garlic for a few minutes. Add the stock, dried herbs, and green lentils and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat somewhat and cook, partly covered, for about 30 minutes until the lentils are soft but not falling apart.

Peel the squash wedge or ½ butternut and cut into nice slices. Place 1 tbsp. olive oil in a plastic bag, add the squash slices and shake. Pour the squash slices in a single layer on an oven tray and roast for about 30 minutes until soft.

Place the fromage blanc in a small bowl, add the lemon juice and whisk together.

Divide the cooked lentils on the plates discarding any lingering liquid. Place the roasted squash slices on top and sprinkle with fromage blanc-lemon juice dressing. Decorate with fresh herbs.

In the Vanoise National Park (Savoie), glaciers are major attractions. The hike named Cirque du Génépy features a trail which circles below the Génépy Glacier, part of the larger Vanoise Glacier.

View to Les Prioux Pralognan

Chavière Valley

Trail above Montaimont

Torrent from Génépy Glacier

Cirque du Génépy trail

Génépy Glacier seen from trail

Génépy Glacier western edge

Descent from Cirque du Génépy

Cirque du Génépy hike track

The inspiration to this recipe was a news clip on the French morning TV, Télématin, about the famous Cordon Bleu cooking school in Paris. The students were cooking a whole chicken in the oven in a heavy enamelled cast-iron pot such as Le Creuset or Staub. An oval pot is best for a whole chicken which in France is always trussed already when you buy it.

The chicken was cooked together with new potatoes and vegetables and was partly covered with wine and chicken stock. It was regularly basted with the cooking liquid. The result is flavourful, tender chicken meat. 

This simple cooking method is fantastic for the colder months and bad weather when you would anyway stay at home. While watching over the chicken, you can do some yoga or stretching!

Ingredients for 4 servings

1 whole organic or free-range chicken, poulet fermier, about 1,3- 1,5 kg

Olive oil

1 tsp. dried Provençal herbs

Freshly ground black pepper

250 ml white wine

250 ml chicken stock

2 handfuls of small new potatoes

4 carrots, cut into pieces

1 onion, chopped 

2 cloves garlic, minced

1-2 handfuls of small mushrooms

Preheat the oven to 190°C, roast.

Rub the chicken with olive oil. Remove the extra fat around the cavity of the chicken. Place some aluminium foil around the tips of the legs; it is easier to lift the chicken and spoon cooking liquid over the bird when basting.

Warm 2 tbsp. olive oil in the pot over medium heat and gently sauté the vegetables. Add the herbs, black pepper, white wine, and stock and stir. Nestle the chicken among the vegetables.

Transfer the pot uncovered to the oven for 1h 30 minutes. Baste the chicken regularly, every 15- 20 minute, with the cooking liquid. Cover with aluminium foil if some parts of the chicken start getting too dark. 

Transfer the chicken to a cutting board, carve and divide on the plates. Divide the vegetables and spoon some cooking liquid over the chicken. If you are cooking only for two persons, the left-overs make a nice meat next day.  Simply reheat gently the covered pot in the oven. A green side salad goes nicely with the chicken and vegetables.

Braised chicken à la Cordon Bleu served

Petit Mont Blanc (2680 m) near Pralognan la Vanoise (1410 m) is one of the mountain tops in the renowned region which can be easily reached along marked hiking trails. The summit is covered with gypsum, hence the name.

Trails to the summit start from the Chavière Valley, a few km south of the village. In the summer high season there’s a free shuttle bus to Les Prioux (1711 m) from Pralognan la Vanoise. The road is paved, and there are some spacious parking areas.

Les Prioux Pralognan

Path near Les Prioux

Chavière Valley Pralognan

Path to Col du Mône

Glacier du Génépy viewed from trail

Col du Mône

Gypsum on trail to Petit Mont Blanc

La Grande Casse seen from trail

Near Petit Mont Blanc summit

View towards Courchevel from Petit Mont Blanc

Petit Mont Blanc southern flank

Pralognan seen from Petit Mont Blanc

Petit Mont Blanc summit

Petit Mont Blanc hike track