Don’t you find that food recalls specific trips? As I write, my mind (and my stomach) jumps back to the unique flavours of the Pyrenees: from the humble simplicity of a pa amb tomàquet and butifarra sandwich in a roadside bar to a slow-cooked mountain rice dish in a small high-valley village, not forgetting a bowl of steaming escudella in a refuge perched above the tree line. These are not just dishes, but moments that can only be tasted in the Catalan Pyrenees.
As in a menu, we offer you three courses, three perspectives on the cuisine of the Catalan Pyrenees with a common thread: the dialogue between landscape and table. From a farmhouse that teaches you how to live off the land to a winery that uses the cold to transform grapes into wine, and a cuisine born from volcanic fire that still thrives among the beech forests of La Garrotxa, these three projects trace the same map: that of a Pyrenees that can be savoured from within.
In La Garrotxa, the earth feels alive. Among more than thirty dormant lava cones, kaleidoscopic beech forests and stone-built villages, every dish carries a story that begins deep underground. Here, where ancient volcanoes cooled and settled thousands of years ago, a cuisine was born that still simmers gently today.
Our journey leads us to the outskirts of Olot, to Hostal Els Ossos, a place that has resisted trends for nearly half a century. Proof of this is still visible at the entrance: a bone embedded in the wall, a relic from the days when farmers tied their animals there. Inside, whitewashed walls, wooden tables and copper lamps echo with decades of voices.
At the doorway, Pilar folds napkins beside the fireplace. She represents the first generation to run the restaurant, as the old photographs on the wall attest. ‘I started with three stoves,’ she tells me. ‘We cooked chicken dishes, meatballs and ribs. People liked it and kept coming back.’
Fifty years later, her grandson, Joan Massagó, continues cooking with the same spirit. ‘I was born and raised in the kitchen with my grandmother,’ Joan says. ‘Since I was a child, I’ve cared deeply about the payés – local farmers who nurture both the land and the ingredients.’
That land is the soul of Cuina Volcànica – Volcanic Cuisine – a movement born in 1994 when chefs from La Garrotxa pushed back against nouvelle cuisine, choosing instead to honour their roots. ‘Visitors often ask if we cook with volcanic fire,’ Joan laughs. ‘But volcanic cuisine is this: good produce, passionate people and a landscape that’s cared for.’
The menu at Els Ossos is a portrait of the landscape itself: beans from Santa Pau, fajol (buckwheat), grilled meats and snails stewed for hours. ‘It’s not that we’ve returned to old recipes,’ Joan explains, ‘it’s that we never stopped making them.’ The beans – white, creamy and delicate – arrive from neighbouring farms. ‘We’re lucky to have local farmers who reserve part of their harvest for us every year.’
Els Ossos is also part of GastroRecup, a regional initiative tackling food waste. The programme encourages restaurants to use ingredients that would otherwise be discarded. With creativity and intention, Joan creates dishes from products rejected due to size or appearance: mushroom stems, orange pulp, and rice overlooked by industry. ‘Some ingredients aren’t pretty,’ he says, ‘but they’re perfect. The secret is using everything the earth offers.’
Outside the restaurant, life in La Garrotxa unfolds at its own pace amid charming villages and rare landscapes. Places like Santa Pau, where locals forecast the weather using onions. Or Castellfollit de la Roca, where houses cling dramatically to a basalt cliff. Or nearby, where I wander through La Fageda d’en Jordà, a forest beginning its autumn transformation, colours shifting as if the land were breathing.
‘Every season has its magic,’ Joan tells me. ‘When I leave the kitchen and walk through the forest, I find the calm that balances the day’s chaos.’ As I continue walking, I sense the quiet wisdom woven through La Garrotxa. In this region shaped by fire, cooking remains an act of identity.
In the heart of La Cerdanya, that wide and luminous valley where the sun seems to strike its own pact with the mountains, wine finds an unlikely home. In the village of Llívia – a curious Catalan enclave surrounded by France – is Llivins, a small but determined winery that has turned cold and patience into its greatest allies.
‘We are 1,225 metres above sea level, and that changes everything,’ says Jordi Amat, head of wine tourism, as he gestures toward the vineyards stretching towards the Cadí range. ‘Here, sun and ice work together. The grapes ripen more slowly, and the wine breathes in a different way. We’re not trying to compete with anyone: we simply work with what the climate allows.’
La Cerdanya’s light is almost miraculous: more than 3,000 hours of sunshine illuminate a glacial valley where vines endure extreme seasons. In winter, they sleep under snow; in summer, daylight lingers until almost ten at night. ‘The vines don’t suffer from the cold here; they rest,’ says Jordi. ‘When spring arrives, they wake with strength.’
Llivins was born in 2010 from the intuition of Anna and Isaac, two winemakers from Sitges who, between ski runs, imagined that the mountain might craft a wine of its own. What began as an experiment with native varieties evolved into a natural laboratory for high-altitude viticulture.
‘The early years were very tough,’ Jordi recalls. ‘Some vines froze; others never ripened. But the climate teaches you to listen. Over time, we learned which varieties wanted to stay.’ One of them is Sauvignon Blanc, which has found its ideal territory here. ‘It has a short cycle and can handle cold nights.
Beyond producing wine, Llivins collaborates with the European LIFE programme to study the impacts of climate change on mountain vineyards. ‘Being small gives us freedom,’ Jordi explains. ‘We can experiment – tweak planting density, and introduce permaculture techniques. Every mistake teaches us something.’
The winery runs on solar energy, though winter demands some creativity. ‘Sometimes we channel the sun’s energy just to heat the fermentation room. It’s almost poetic,’ Jordi smiles. ‘Even wine needs warmth.’ On nights of extreme frost, paraffin buckets glow between the vines. ‘In 2024, we had five days below zero,’ he says. ‘We slept watching over the vineyard. It’s a job of endurance – and faith.’
Llivins wines carry Catalan names that evoke altitude and snow: Floc (flake), Neu (snow), Gel (ice). During a tasting, Jordi pours Blanc de Neu, a pale golden Sauvignon Blanc bursting with aroma. ‘Depending on who’s tasting, it can evoke pineapple, papaya or peach,’ he says. ‘That’s why I never suggest flavours beforehand: taste must be free.’
In 2023, this wine took silver in South Africa and, in 2024, gold in Brussels. ‘These awards show that the cold can be an ally,’ he says. Floc Blanc, aged in French oak, offers subtle vanilla notes and a rounder texture. ‘Some people mistake it for a light red. It’s unusual – but so are the mountains.’ His favourite, though, is Floc de Gel, an ice wine born from naturally frozen grapes. ‘It has triple the sugar concentration and a velvety texture. A sweet wine, yes – but with a Pyrenean soul,’ he adds proudly.
Can Pastoret is a mountain farm dedicated to organic agriculture, livestock breeding and ecotourism. Visit them to discover the values of rural Pyrenean life, where landscape and tradition shape a way of living grounded in respect and simplicity. Wander through their fields, meet the animals and let the quiet rhythm of the valley guide you into an unforgettable rural escape filled with honest, hearty cuisine.
We know where to go. We know the best places to stay. And we know the local partners who turn a trip into something unforgettable. That’s why when we design your journey, it isn’t just a holiday. It’s a story you’ll carry for life.
Our mission is simple: to inspire you to explore the world with curiosity, optimism, enthusiasm, and respect. To connect with cultures, to marvel at breathtaking landscapes, and to embrace the beauty of untamed nature.
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Their wooden tasting cabin – located at 1,225 metres with sweeping views of the Pyrenees – has become a gathering place for travellers, hikers and curious wine lovers. Here, altitude shapes both the landscape and the character of every bottle. Sit on the terrace, breathe in the crisp mountain air and let each sip reveal the quiet personality of this high-altitude vineyard.
We know where to go. We know the best places to stay. And we know the local partners who turn a trip into something unforgettable. That’s why when we design your journey, it isn’t just a holiday. It’s a story you’ll carry for life.
Our mission is simple: to inspire you to explore the world with curiosity, optimism, enthusiasm, and respect. To connect with cultures, to marvel at breathtaking landscapes, and to embrace the beauty of untamed nature.
So, tell us — what once-in-a-lifetime adventure may we design for you?
In the Vall de Camprodon, the air already smells of autumn. Here, inside the Capçaleres del Ter i del Freser Natural Park, stands Can Pastoret, a family farmhouse transformed into a project rooted in extensive livestock farming, organic agriculture and rural education. Guillem Pastoret and Roser Armadàs, agricultural engineers and partners, have turned this place into their way of life.
‘The family has always been here,’ Guillem tells me, standing beside the restored stone buildings. ‘My grandfather still raised animals, but in the late 1970s the farmhouse was abandoned. Life shifted. We returned twenty years ago, restored everything and began again.’
The return was driven more by conviction than nostalgia. ‘We wanted to revive the farm and give it a modern purpose. Today we live entirely from the farm.’ Gascon cows, Texonera goats and Pyrenean horses form a careful balance between tradition and sustainability. ‘They are hardy breeds, adapted to the climate. The horses, once working animals, now provide high-quality local meat that is both nutritious and healthy.’
But romantic ideals don’t pay the bills. ‘For a family wanting to live solely from livestock farming, it’s tough,’ admits Guillem. ‘A small mountain farm can only survive by diversifying.’ That’s why, in 2020, they created the Rural Environment Classroom, an educational space that combines livestock with outreach. ‘We offer guided tours, workshops and tastings. We show people how we work and, at the same time, we sell our products without intermediaries.’
During the visits, Guillem leads groups through the meadows and explains how grazing tends the land. ‘People are surprised to learn that our work keeps mountain areas open, prevents forest overgrowth and reduces the risk of fires. Extensive livestock farming like ours has a positive impact on the landscape and the climate.’
Have you ever tried horse meat? The workshops end with a farmhouse meal, an essential part of the experience. ‘We show them the animals, the land, and then they taste our products. That way, they understand the value behind a plate of meat or potatoes.’ The menu is a portrait of the valley: Ripollès sausages, cow’s milk cheeses, trinxat (cabbage and potato stew), foal burgers and local ratafía. ‘We choose organic and seasonal products. What we don’t produce ourselves, we buy from local farmers, because supporting the network is part of the work.’
The Rural Environment Classroom has grown into a platform for awareness. ‘We want people to value the work of mountain farmers. ’ The contact with visitors nourishes them emotionally, too. ‘It gives us energy to see genuine interest. Some buy our products; others commit to eating locally. That connection is the most valuable: understanding that behind every steak is a landscape kept alive by our work.’
Explore the restaurants that make up Cuina Volcànica – volcanic cuisine – and discover recipes you can recreate at home. And if you’re a food lover, a culture seeker or simply someone who appreciates landscapes with soul, La Garrotxa awaits. Experience a region where cuisine is shaped by volcanoes, tradition and the people who keep both burning gently.
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