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"Best Cycling in the French Pyrenees"
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"Best Cycling Routes of the Pyrénées" — Food, Wine & Other Local Specialties Pyrénées-Atlantique and Hautes-Pyrénées are part of the Midi-Pyrénées, an area well known for its delicious and varied cuisine. The high mountains, where some of the best French cheese is produced, have always provided rich pasture for sheep, cattle and goats. The largest selection of delicious honeys and mountain fruit jams also comes from these higher elevations. But it is in the lower valleys, particularly in the region of Gascony, that a rich and diverse cuisine has developed. Local wines have also gained nationwide fame and perfectly complement the regional specialties. There are so many delicious dishes in Midi-Pyrénées that a few pages can't begin to explore them, but here are a few typical culinary delights from the mountainous regions. Fromages (cheese) / Meat Specialties / Plats Cuisinés (Cuisine) / Other Rural Products / Sweets / Wines & Spirits When I talk about notable foods of the Pyrénées, the first thing that comes to mind are its numerous and delicious fromages. Cheese generally accompanies every meal and is usually served just before dessert with French bread and red wine. No wonder that Pyrénées cheeses consistently win top honors in the country famous for producing the world's best cheese! Each valley of the Pyrénées produces its own unique selection of cheeses. Their tastes vary greatly depending on the type of milk (sheep, cow or goat), the climate, the time of the year and the way they are made. Sometimes you can buy cheese directly from shepherds at the top of popular mountain passes, but if you can, take the opportunity to visit one of the numerous farms that welcome visitors who want to learn about cheesemaking and try their products. If you don't have time for a farm visit, you can find a wide selection of local cheeses at the open-air markets in various small towns or a smaller selection in any supermarket. Be sure to try Ossau-Iraty, Tomme des Pyrénées and Barousse. Check individual villages in my cities guide to learn more about local farm visits. Tomme des Pyrénées (vache, brebis or mixte) Pyrénées shepherds have always produced their own traditional cheeses, unique to their valley, their village or even to the individual. It's only in the last 60 years that small cheese production facilities, called fruitiere because they collect the fruit of the shepherds' work, have collected milk to produce their cheese; the process still remains traditional. The tomme, a large, round cheese weighing up to 10 pounds, can be made of cow, sheep, goat or mixed milk, although the official French product name is only applied to the one made with cow milk. There are two types of Tomme des Pyrénées cheese: both are pressed cheeses that have not been heated. One is aged for only 45 days and has a thin black wax covering. The other, covered with a thick, golden "crust", is aged 60 to 90 days, which refines the flavor and adds character, much like aging a fine wine does. The black one has a slightly acid taste, while the golden one, slightly more bitter, is a special favorite of connoisseurs. You'll find them both in most restaurants or you can visit farms where you can try them before you buy.
Label Pyrène - Arrens-Marsous Ossau-Iraty Only a small region of the Pyrénées extending from the Iraty plateau (east of St-Jean-Pied-de-Port) to the valleys of the Pic du Midi d'Ossau (west of Col d'Aubisque) share the weather and pasture quality that produces high quality Ossau-Iraty cheese. Traditionally made only with sheep's milk and never heated, it is a pressed cheese that is always aged for at least 60 days. Connoisseurs consider it one of France's finest cheeses, so it is served in most restaurants in the Pyrénées and also sold throughout France. Local farmers or affineurs (artisan cheesemakers) produce traditional varieties superior to the ones usually found in supermarkets that are made by larger cooperatives. You can buy the very best Ossau-Iraty cheeses directly from shepherds or in traditional town markets. Routes 3, 4, and 7, and Climbs 2, 3 and 4 are all in this region, so watch for signs advertising fromage! Check the following links for specific recommendations:
La cave aux fromages - Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port
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