Sospel: Mont Agaisen loop hike

 

Sospel riverfront


Mont Agaisen (751 m) overlooking Sospel (350 m) in the Bévéra River Valley is one of the many summits in the region with Maginot Line fortifications. Towards the end of WWII, the Wehrmacht occupied Sospel and the surrounding mountaintops including Agaisen. After heavy fighting, Sospel was liberated in late October 1944.

Bévéra River Sospel
Bévéra River Sospel
Sospel
Sospel
GR52 north of Sospel
GR52 north of Sospel
Mont Agaisen western flank
Mont Agaisen western flank

Today, Mont Agaisen has excellent hiking trails.  The summit is a take-off point for paragliders, and the fortifications have guided visits in summer.

We started from the town centre/townhall on a busy market day and crossed the Bévéra River, then used stairs to signpost #72 near the local school. From here, we headed north along the GR52 trail, first along a paved road then along good trails on the western flank of the mountain. We reached a paved toad before signpost #75 where we left the GR52, forked sharply right and followed a yellow-marked trail in the woods. We walked past signpost #84 to #83 at Col de l’Agaisen (666 m). We took a detour to the summit with super views down to the Bévéra Valley, parts of Sospel and the surrounding peaks.


North of Mont Agaisen #84
North of Mont Agaisen #84
Soon after signpost#84
Soon after signpost#84
View to south Mont Agaisen
View to south Mont Agaisen
View to north Mont Agaisen
View to north Mont Agaisen

After a break we returned to Col de l’Agaisen, forked right (east) along the GR52A which circled the mountain. Once on the southern flank, the descent gradually steepened but the trail mostly remained nice and soft. We crossed a paved road a few times, and passed the first houses before reaching signpost #81 by Chemin du Vier, not far from #72.


Climb: 420 m
Distance: 8,5 km
Duration: 3h 15
Map: 3741 ET Vallées de la Bévéra et des Paillons

Simplified map of trail

Mont Agaisen loop track


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Roasted pork tenderloin with carrots

 

Roasted pork tenderloin with carrots

Pork tenderloin and carrots always go very well together. To get more of those important antioxidants from food, try to find carrots in different  colours; yellow and very dark compliment nicely regular carrots. Here in France, those carrots are called carottes à l’anciennes, meaning that in the old times there was much more variety in our vegetables.

Any leftovers from the pork can be used next day in a salad.

2 servings

1 pork tenderloin, about 500- 600 g

About 6 carrots in different colours

2 tbsp. olive oil

1 tsp. dried Provençal herbs

½ tsp. Piment d’Espelette

For the sauce:

1 shallot, minced

1 clove garlic, minced

1 tbsp. olive oil

A pinch of Piment d’Espelette

150 ml white wine

1 tsp. tomato paste

2 tsp. balsamic vinegar

Fresh parsley to decorate


Preheat the oven to 200° C roast.


Wash the carrots and cut them into nice sticks, about 5 cm long and not too thin. Place the pork in a large oven-proof dish and the carrot sticks around it. Sprinkle with the Provençal herbs, Piment d’Espelette, and olive oil. Roast 45 minutes in 200° C. Cover if it gets too dark.


Meanwhile make the sauce. Sauté the shallot and garlic in olive oil over medium heat for 5- 10 minutes. Add the wine, Piment d’Espelette, tomato paste, and vinegar. Stir and let cook until reduced by half.


When the pork is cooked and the carrots are soft remove the roast from the oven. Slice the pork and divide on the plates. Divide the sauce over the slices and the carrots on the side. Decorate with chopped parsley.


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