LA PAGARINE : ROUTES DU SEL

Our journey really began in 2024 when I read an article on a “new” walk across the Alpes Maritime between South Eastern France and North Western Italy. The walk followed the ancient sea salt route taken by mule caravans laden with salt across paths from the coast to the mountains and inland cities of Italy. Being sea salt farmers it didn’t take long for a plan to form. Salt farming the way we do it, following a traditional slow natural process - with no additives or boiling is just how sea salt has been made for millennia.

So after much planning and preparation we embarked on our plan. But there the challenges started. Which salt Route to take? Initially I’d only heard of La Pagarine. But it turns out there are three main routes. La Pagarine, the Royal route and the Smugglers route. All start in different parts of the Med close to the Italian border. La Pagarine takes a more circuitous route, the Royal Route a more direct route to Cuneo the ultimate destination. The Smugglers route starts in Imperia Onegia in Italy and terminates in Mondavi.

‘We choose the Royal route…time being a factor, with most routes needing at least 10 days or more to complete.

Our Kicking off point was Nice. The last time I was in Nice I thought it a grubby little town. The famous beach not much to write home about. I was backpacking my way round Europe and spent the night sleeping rough in the train station. Wow! How wrong I was! Nice is fabulous! Vibrant, eclectic and absolutely humming given its the height of the French summer holidays. We managed a 48hr non-stop travel marathon from Hong Kong to get to Nice by 5pm. A quick shower and then out. A drink at the Jazz cafe just around the corner from our hotel was an unexpected delight and then a stroll into the centre ville where we happened upon a free and rocking gay pride festival jamming awesome techno beats and resplendent with exotic dancers…there was no trouble staying awake.

One thing you must try when you are in Nice is “socca”. A staple of Mediterranean cuisine on this part of the the coast. It’s a local translation of the word for friend or companion. This thin unleavened pancake is cooked in a wood fired oven in what we’d called a very large pizza pan. The key ingredient is good quality chickpea flour. Which is combined with water, olive oil and sea salt [obviously!]. The result a crispy smoky, salty pancake that’s tasty and delicious. Whilst you can get a number of versions…like with anchovies or gorgonzola if your further down the coast in Italy, the classic socca with its charred edges is finished with just a heap of black pepper and in my opinion the best.

Bastion, made my first, explained the history and gave me this recipe. Try it out.

Socca Recipe here:

So back to the story. After an indulgent night in Nice’s “belle epoch” grandeur we headed out early to another jewel of the Med Menton. Our walk per se started here on the coast and so we dutifully started up the road which slowly but sure got steeper as we progressed. After an hour we were walking a mix of trails and lonely roads. The coast was now at least an hour by car away and we were certainly feeling it. Castillon perched on a hillside was a cute and very welcome break and we watered, feed and chilled in this romantic little village.

Our ultimate goal was the town of Sospel and we got there just in time to catch the end of Bastille day celebrations. Sospel is a medieval village and a key hub in the Routes du Sel. Dating back to at least the 10th century its very much like the cliche…”it feels like stepping back in time”. The towns dominated by Pont Vieux - the Old Toll bridge. Dating back to the 13th century the wooden bridge and toll house was “modernised” in 1522 to the current stone construction. The function, to toll the sea salt laden mule caravans following the salt route. Sospel’s full of gothic architecture as would fit its medeivak history and some amazing trompe-l’oeil facades. When we got there the Sospeleze where enjoying a whole town games experience playing boule and a boule like game with square cubes.

Suffice to say we joined in to the spirit of Bastille Day and retired at a modest time. But I can sure you when we woke early the next morning celebrations were still continuing…

Perry Cornish