Spring stew of veal

 

Spring stew of veal


2 servings

About 350- 400 g lean veal, cut into cubes

2 baby fennels, cut into quarters

1 small onion, roughly chopped

1 clove garlic, minced

Olive oil

150 ml chicken stock

150 ml white wine

1 tsp. Provençal herbs

Freshly ground black pepper

Juice and zest of ½ organic lemon

Chopped fresh herbs, such as thyme, parsley or basil


Warm 2 tbsp. olive oil in a heavy cast-iron frying pan over high heat. Fry the veal cubes in batches and remove from the pan to a plate with a slotted spoon.


Warm 1 tbsp. olive oil in a heavy sauté pan, such as Le Creuset. Sauté the fennel, onion, and garlic for about 10 minutes.


Preheat the oven to 200° C, roast.


Add the veal, wine, stock, and lemon juice to Le Creuset and bring to a boil. Transfer to oven and cook for 30 minutes, stirring once.


Serve the stew with cooked quinoa or new potatoes. Decorate with lemon zest and chopped herbs.


Moulinet: Cime de Linière

 

Cime de Linière summit


Cime de Linière (1368 m) situated 2,5 km southwest of the summit of Mangiabo (1821 m) can be reached from the village of Moulinet (800 m) in the Bévéra River Valley. East of Bévéra, the verdant and steep mountain flanks are mostly forest covered. At Moulinet, the western border of the Mercantour National Park follows the river.

Moulinet village
Moulinet village
Leaving signpost#20
Leaving signpost#20
Crossing Bévéra
Crossing Bévéra

From the village square with limited parking, we walked about 400 m along the D2566 road to signpost #20. We passed some properties and a chapel, and entered the Mercantour Park. We descended to a bridge crossing the Bévéra and followed its tributary named Gouargas to signpost #21 where we forked left, passed a solitary house (Sapetta on the map). We continued to the east, and started to ascend along a narrow trail to l’Avenquet where we passed ruins of ancient dwellings. We were off the beaten track; only wild boars had been digging the path. 


Trail after Sapetta
Trail after Sapetta
Bévéra Valley
Bévéra Valley
Crossroads #24 above Moulinet
Crossroads #24 above Moulinet

We crossed another stream, turned almost 180°, and headed west to signpost #24 where we made another 180° turn and climbed to Baisse de Linière (1345 m). 

The path to the nearby summit was not marked and hidden under the grass at the clearing but soon became visible in the woods. From the rather flat mountain top we had best views to the south with the coastal peaks between Sospel and Menton visible in spite of the passing afternoon thunderstorms. There was a shepherd’s shelter in bad shape. Not one of the most impressive summits, but nevertheless worth a visit and above all a good springtime exercise!

We descended back to signpost #24 where we took the shorter and more frequently used path back to Moulinet.


Towards Baisse de Linière
Towards Baisse de Linière
Near Baisse de Linière
Near Baisse de Linière

Climb: 790 m

Distance: 13,8 km   

Duration: 5h 40

Map: IGN 3841 OT


Cime de Linière hike track
Cime de Linière hike track



Red mullet with black olives and spinach

 

Red mullet with black olives and spinach
Red mullet with black olives and spinach

Red mullet, rouget, is often sold as fillets in Nice. It is a tasty and colourful fish which can be prepared quickly. Red mullet fillets make a delightful light lunch with sautéed spinach and some whole wheat or rye bread.

2 servings

About 250 g red mullet, rouget, fillets

Olive oil

2 tbsp. sliced black olives

2 blocks of frozen spinach leaves

3 tbsp. pine nuts

1 spring onion, sliced


Warm 2 tbsp. olive oil in a frying pan over medium heat and sauté the frozen spinach blocks on both sides until defrosted and all the liquid has evaporated. Add the pine nuts, stir and let simmer for a few minutes.


Meanwhile warm 1 tbsp. olive oil in a non-stick frying pan over medium heat. Sauté the mullet fillets for about 4 minutes on both sides if they are large. If they are very small, sauté them on the skin side only for about 5 minutes. The fish is done when it is opaque.


Divide the spinach on the plates and decorate with spring onion slices. Place the red mullet fillets on the plates and sprinkle with the olive slices. Serve with lemon wedges, a side salad, and some good bread for a balanced lunch.


La Turbie to Monaco revisited

 

The Rock of Monaco seen from GR trail
The Rock of Monaco seen from GR trail

We have hiked to Monaco from La Turbie a few times before. It is one of the great coastal itineraries on the Riviera. This time we wanted to combine the hike with a visit to the Oceanographic Museum with a lunch on their roof terrace.

La Turbie #619
La Turbie #619
Between La Turbie and Monaco
Between La Turbie and Monaco

We descended first along paved alleys, along the Roman Path, chemin romain (signposts #618,619,617 and 615) then along some stretches along a trail. At #615 we briefly merged with the GR51b trail, to signpost #615b where we forked left and followed a steep street named Chemin de la Turbie using pedestrian shortcuts when possible. We crossed the D6007 road and descended along stairs in Beausoleil in the Les Moneghetti neighbourhood, forked left at a soccer field (Stade des Moneghetti) and reached the Monaco railway station in about an hour.


The preparations for the approaching F1 Grand Prix were in full swing, and some pedestrian routes were blocked. We walked past the casino and descended further to the port. It was a religious holiday, and there were a lot of visitors from different parts of the world climbing along the stairs to the Rock and the palace square. 



Chemin Romain below La Turbie
Chemin Romain below La Turbie
Signpost#617 to Monaco
Signpost#617 to Monaco
Monaco port area
Monaco port area
Stairs to the Rock MC
Stairs to the Rock MC
Garden near Palace MC
Garden near Palace MC

We headed to the Oceanographic Museum through the historical district. It was noon, and we opted for lunch before visiting the museum. The rooftop restaurant was already packed with families. Fortunately, were able to get one of the last tables! 


The museum was hugely popular. The polar mission exhibition attracted a lot of families and school groups. In the aquarium, it was sometimes hard to move around! You could indeed spend a full day in the museum.  


We, however, had the ascent back to La Turbie waiting for us. We took the shortest route to the railway station, and in fact walked a few hundred meters inside the station before starting to ascend in Beausoleil along the same route to signpost #615 where we forked left and followed the GR trail under the north eastern flank of la Tête de Chien (signposts #614, 613, 602) then under Les Hauts de Monte-Carlo straight to La Turbie. 


The Palace Monaco
The Palace Monaco
Oceanographic Museum 1
Oceanographic Museum 1
Oceanographic Museum 2
Oceanographic Museum 2
Oceanographic Museum Aquarium
Oceanographic Museum Aquarium
Hirondelle 2 ship
Hirondelle 2 ship

Climb: About 550 m

Distance: About 11,5 km

Duration: About 3 hours (hiking time) 


La Turbie to Monaco hike track
La Turbie to Monaco hike track


Lemon tagliatelle with anchovies

 

Lemon tagliatelle with anchovies


This lemon tagliatelle recipe is perfect to make in spring when fresh basil is again available and tasty local lemons are still in season in Nice. Serve the pasta with some anchovies or chopped Parma ham for a simple but tasty lunch.  

2 servings

Whole wheat tagliatelle for 2 servings

2 handfuls of grated parmesan

A generous handful of chopped basil

Juice and zest of 1 organic lemon

Olive oil

Freshly ground black pepper

A small tin of anchovies


In a small bowl, soak the anchovies in water for about 10 minutes to remove some of the salt. Spread on kitchen paper to dry.


Grate the parmesan, set aside.


Zest and juice the lemon into a bowl. Add 1 tbsp. very good and tasty olive oil, some black pepper, and the chopped basil. Mix into a basil pistou, thick basil sauce.


Cook the tagliatelle, drain and divide into bowls. Fold in the parmesan with a fork.  Place the lemon pistou in the centre and divide the anchovies around it.


Walk from Carros Village to Le Broc

 

Le Broc and Mercantour peaks
Le Broc and Mercantour peaks


Our original plan was to visit the museum in the castle in the old village of Carros (parking 350 m) before the walk. The opening hours, however, were a bit odd, starting at 1130 am so we did not want to wait over one hour but headed towards Le Broc (450 m).

Var Valley seen from Carros
Var Valley seen from Carros
Alley in Carros Village
Alley in Carros Village
Chateau in Carros
Chateau in Carros Village
View northeast from trail to Le Broc
View northeast from trail to Le Broc

We followed the direct route, first along the paved Chemin du Claret to Chapelle St. Sebastien (about 470 m). Traffic was light, mostly to local properties. After the chapel, the trail continued as a dirt road, with impressive views down to the Var River Valley and beyond. The itinerary was straightforward, even signposted and marked with yellow. From the trail, we could admire the white Mercantour peaks contrasting the spring greenery around us.

After the long drought, the region had had some recent rain, and the artificial Lac du Broc visible from our itinerary apparently had now somewhat more water compared with the images from last autumn. Even so, the current level of the lake reflecting the ground water situation is still considered critical. 


Lac du Broc
Lac du Broc
Le Broc la Fontaine
Le Broc La Fontaine
Le Broc town hall
Le Broc town hall
Roses in Le Broc
Roses in Le Broc
Narrow alley in Le Broc
Narrow alley in Le Broc
Bar in Le Broc
Bar in Le Broc

The village of Le Broc was quiet on the day of our visit. We strolled around the narrow well-maintained streets. Some businesses were closed at lunchtime. 

We had lunch among the locals on the terrace of a bar on the Place de la Fontaine. It was a simple lunch omelette, frites, salad and a glass of rosé. The food was tasty and made from fresh ingredients, and the price level was totally different from the busy coast.

All in all, it was a quiet easy walk between two perched medieval villages.


Climb: About 200 m with some walking in both villages


Distance: 8 km


Duration: 2 h stops not included


Some previous hikes and walks in the same area:

http://www.activefrenchriviera.com/2019/01/mouton-danou-from-le-broc.html

http://www.activefrenchriviera.com/2017/02/new-loop-trail-above-carros-village.html

Carros to Le Broc walk
Carros to Le Broc walk


Leek and bell peppers with Balsamic Vinegar

 

Leek and bell peppers with balsamic vinegar


This simple but tasty vegetable stew goes well with some meat or chicken. In the photo, it is served with veal chops.

2 servings

1 leek, cut into about 1,5 cm pieces with

1 red bell pepper, cut into about 1,5 cm chunks

1 green bell pepper, cut into about 1,5 cm chunks

1 clove garlic, minced

1 tsp. dried Provençal herbs

2 tbsp. olive oil

2 tbsp. balsamic vinegar

Freshly ground black pepper

Chopped parsley


In a sauté pan, warm the olive oil over medium heat. Add the leek and bell peppers and stir well. Add the garlic and Provençal herbs. Cover the pan and cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.


Add the balsamic vinegar and cook for a further 10 minutes without the lid. Add the black pepper and sere decorated with chopped parsley.


Villeneuve Loubet Village and the Escoffier Museum

 

Escoffier Museum Entrance
Escoffier Museum entrance


Saturday morning was sunny after the previous night’s thunderstorms. It was a market day in the old village of Villeneuve-Loubet, and it was bustling. We had to park a bit further, near the Pôle Culturel on the other side of the river Loup.

We followed a nice pedestrian path named Balade Escoffier to the town hall. It was a 10-15 min. walk. We used a footbridge to cross the river. After having checked the market, we headed to the nearby Escoffier Museum.


Balade Escoffier guide
Balade Escoffier guide
Along the Loup River
Along the Loup River
River Loup
River Loup
Footbridge over River Loup
Footbridge over River Loup
Town hall Villeneuve Loubet
Town hall Villeneuve Loubet

Auguste Escoffier (1846-1935) is considered the father of modern French gastronomy. He popularized and modernized traditional French methods. The house where he was born is now a museum, run by the Auguste Escoffier Foundation.


The well-kept museum itself is not big. The first room displayed kitchen paraphernalia related to cooking of Escoffier’s era as well as a summary of his life and career. There were rooms dedicated to various desserts and menus from renown restaurants from both his era and more modern times.


Auguste Escoffier
Auguste Escoffier
Inside Escoffier Museum
Inside Escoffier Museum
Escoffier career timeline
Escoffier career timeline
Desserts Escoffier Museum
Desserts Escoffier Museum
Carlton menu 1902
Carlton menu 1902

After the museum, we ascended along Rue Escoffier above the village to a viewing point next to the church. The medieval fortress on the hilltop was closed, tours on Wednesdays only during the peak summer period. We completed our visit with a leisurely lunch at Place de Verdun near the town hall.


Rue Escoffier
Rue Escoffier
Saturday market Villeneuve Loubet
Saturday market Villeneuve Loubet
Market stand Villeneuve Loubet
Market stand Villeneuve Loubet