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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

Other Rural Products

Tarbais

A flat white bean grown around Tarbes, is highly prized by the French for its thin skin, tender flesh and subtle flavor. It is used in numerous local dishes, including cassoulet and garbure.

Trout

Abundant in the rivers throughout the Pyrénées, are a favorite here. Local restaurants prepare them in various ways including fried with a touch of butter or garlic or coated with slivered almonds. It may also be served with a lime or lemon and herbs sauce. Gourmet restaurants frequently offer elaborate dishes that use the finest ingredients to enhance the tender native trout.

Lamb

Lamb dishes, especially ones containing tarbais, are a favorite in the Pyrénées. The very best lamb, marked "Agneau Pyrénéen", comes only from a specific area where farmers use strict feeding standards to ensure that their lamb is of the highest quality. The pale pink, tender meat that results from this special care is a delicately flavored gourmet treat.