When autumn rings at the door, we want sweetness, indulgence and walks in the forest... Hob Le Fort du Pré has all of this at your fingertips in the most gourmet village in France: Saint-Bonnet-le- Cold. All thanks to Hervé Cochini, a passionate and fascinating mycologist who knows the eastern forests of Haute-Loire like the back of his hand. Let's go for a unique stay to discover mushrooms and their secrets. I tested it for you!
Everything, everything, everything, you will know everything about mushrooms with Hervé at the Hob Fort du Pré
It's not just summer to spend holidays in Haute-Loire! In autumn, the department is not to be outdone in terms of wealth. And there is one that, in the most gourmet village in France, does not go unnoticed: mushrooms. These are the treasures of the autumn forests that surround us. And that, the hotel restaurant Hob Le Fort du Pré has understood. For years now, the establishment, nestled in its green setting, has been offering mushroom courses to the delight of the curious, passionate and discerning gourmets.
Internships 3 days and 3 nights full board, from Tuesday evening to Friday morning, in the company of a professional mycologist, for which mushroom lovers sometimes come from afar: from Paris, Alsace, Switzerland, but also from Puy-de-Dôme, Ardèche... With on the program: picking walks, recipe ideas with the chef of the Baptiste Reignat establishment, observation workshops under a microscope, or even meeting an oenology professional at the Cave Marcon. And the atmosphere is not only studious, it is also very friendly!
All these little people arrive on Tuesday, “where they can enjoy the Fort du Pré and its services: a heated indoor swimming pool and a wellness area with sauna, jacuzzi, fitness room, games room and billiards…”, details Mélanie Dumond, the director. Then the next day, it's time for serious things! Hervé Cochini, a nature animator specializing in mycology joins the dance and takes the joyful troop into the forest to introduce them to the mushrooms and Altiligerian landscapes.
Ears are straining, senses are heightened… It's a little treasure hunt that begins. And it must be said that with his knowledge, his stories, legends and anecdotes, Hervé Cochini knows how to captivate his audience. "It's a living encyclopedia!" Because it's not just the magic powers of mushrooms that fascinate him. Hervé has several strings to his bow: the secrets and properties of lichens, trees, plants, the entire forest! Do you know the link between the fly agaric and the Christmas holidays? He does, and he will be happy to tell you about it!
Mushrooms, pretexts for autumnal family walks
The advantage of this course is that it also shows the country! Hervé Cochini does not take his trainees just anywhere. On Wednesday morning, it was in the woods of Montregard that they conducted their mycological hunt. In the afternoon, it was at the Pic du Lizieux in Araules that they continued their quest, after a gourmet break at the Fort du Pré. I joined them the next day to discover, in addition to the many secrets of mushrooms, the splendid view of Grand Felletin, in Saint-Julien-Molhesabate.
The pleasures of mushrooms, it's in the forest as well as on the plate in Saint-Bonnet-le-Froid
But the pleasure of mushrooms is not only in the forest, it is also on the plate! In velouté, in soup, in toast, in sauce, roasts… Mushrooms can be cooked in many ways. An art that we discovered thanks to the good dishes of the chef of the Fort du Pré, Baptiste Reignat. Fresh, local and seasonal products, for an explosion of colors and flavors on the plates!
The stay ends with an excursion to the Marcon cellar, with an aperitif/tasting to discover Auvergne wines. Elena and Maguy, both specialists in oenology, make a selection of local wines: Ardèche, Massif Central, Rhône Valley, Monts du Forez…, especially for each mycological stay at the hotel restaurant Hob Le Fort du Pré. There are two per fall. And good news, next year, it starts again!
Themes
