Terroir and gastronomy
Terroir and gastronomyThebig one
tablée
The mountains nourish the soul as well as the body. In the Hautes-Alpes, gastronomy is a matter of landscapes, seasons and passionate men and women. Each valley has its own taste, each mountain pasture its own memory. From ancestral know-how to innovative approaches, this region is a land of flavors, where authenticity is cultivated like a garden.
A pioneer in organic farming
and short distribution channels
As France’s leading organic department, the Hautes-Alpes has made farming that respects the soil and living organisms a matter of course. Breeders and producers focus on local markets, local grocery stores and farm sales. Behind every basket is an encounter, behind every cheese a story. This economy on a human scale is the promise of healthy, sincere food.
Proudly bearing the
label
The Hautes-Alpes terroir is distinguished by products recognized far beyond its borders: IGP Vins des Hautes-Alpes, Pommes des Alpes de Haute Durance, Agneau de Sisteron and soon Bleu du Queyras and Tomme du Champsaur. These labels are a guarantee of know-how and, above all, a strong identity. The ” Hautes-Alpes Naturellement ” label brings together this mosaic of flavors under a single banner of quality and origin.
An authentic
table
Whether you sit down at a hamlet inn or at the home of an inspired chef, your plate will always tell the story of the mountains. Tourtons, ravioles, “oreilles d’âne” (donkey’s ears) or creamy gratins are shared with simplicity, by the fireplace or on a sunny terrace. These traditional dishes, reinvented with finesse, extend the warmth of the Haute-Alpes welcome: generous, genuine, unforgettable.
The power of plants
Far from being just decoration, it cares for, perfumes and nourishes. Thyme, lavender, mint, arnica montana and sea buckthorn cover the meadows and hillsides. These natural treasures bear witness to a unique expertise in perfume, aromatic and medicinal plants. A whole palette of scents and benefits is revealed, in the fields as well as in the herbal teas and cosmetics made at altitude. You can also discover them at the Lautaret alpine garden and the Charance garden, headquarters of the Ecrins National Park, true botanical jewel cases where alpine flora is revealed in all its richness.
Products and people
Naïs Pirollet
young chef courted by top restaurants
Local highlights
Paris
Hautes-Alpes at the Salon International de l’Agriculture
At the Salon International de l’Agriculture, the département will be acting as ambassadors for its valleys and plateaux, packing everything that makes it so charming: mountain cheeses, high-altitude honeys, proudly-dressed heifers and farming know-how handed down from generation to generation. Between two tastings, we’ll talk about short circuits, preserved landscapes and the art of living at altitude. A little piece of Queyras or Champsaur at the Porte de Versailles, a reminder that beyond the summits, there are men and women who cultivate the mountains and make them gourmet.
Orpierre
Antique fruit market
In the medieval alleyways ofOrpierre, time seems to stand still for a weekend: the old-fashioned fruit market is back to stir the taste buds and gourmet memories. Forgotten apples, rustic pears, fragrant quinces… Here, local producers bring out of their orchards varieties that you’d hardly come across in a history book. Between colorful stands, tastings, grafting workshops and impassioned conversations, a whole agricultural heritage is offered to the public, in a convivial atmosphere resolutely focused on transmission.
Hautes-Alpes
Cattle fairs
In the Hautes-Alpes, autumn is not only synonymous with flamboyant colors and the return of hearty dishes: it’s also the season of livestock fairs. From Gap to Saint-Bonnet, via Guillestre and Le Monêtier-les-Bains, the villages come alive to the rhythm of the herds coming down from the mountain pastures. People come to negotiate a cow, choose a lamb, but also (and above all) to share a convivial moment over a glass of mulled wine, a plate of cabbage sausages and a few mountain stories. A good excuse to discover the region in a different way: through its animals, its breeders and its untouched sense of festivity.
Practical notebook
- Les Maisons de pays
- Hautes-Alpes Naturellement
- Roadtrip Terroir Alpin
