A picnic at nearly 3,000 meters, facing the crests of the Pyrenees, with the best of Occitanie farms on the plate: the idea seems like a timeless parenthesis. The legendary Pic du Midi de Bigorre, in the Hautes-Pyrénées, is however preparing to make it very real, during a lunch not quite like the others.
On Saturday June 27, 2026, the summit will host the picnic of Occitanie products of excellence, at an altitude of 2,877 m. Supported by the Regional Institute of Agri-Food Quality of Occitanie (Irqualim), the event aims to bring together a grandiose panorama, certified gastronomy and meetings with producers, in a format designed for the general public.
A picnic at 2,877 meters at the Pic du Midi de Bigorre
Classified among the emblematic sites of the region, the Pic du Midi dominates the Pyrenees chain and can only be reached by cable car from La Mongie, in the heart of the Grand Tourmalet area. Once up there, the panoramic terraces and the observatory offer a circular view of the peaks, extremely rare for a gourmet meeting.
For this very special midday, the summit transforms into a real high-altitude gourmet village. The gauge is around 500 guests, in order to maintain a friendly atmosphere and allow exchanges. For a few hours, the paths that usually lead to the observation platforms become a route of stands, where you have lunch while watching the clouds pass under your feet.
A gourmet experience to meet Occitanie producers
Irqualim summarizes the concept in one sentence: , explains the institute to France 3 Occitanie. In practice, nearly 70 producers and ambassadors, from around twenty sectors, only taste products bearing a SIQO: AOP, IGP, Label Rouge or Organic.
Fabienne Albert, head of the organization, explains this philosophy in detail: With 262 products under SIQO, Occitanie is today the leading French region in terms of certified products, and these labels – AOP for protected origin, IGP for geographical indication, Label Rouge for superior quality – are found here on the plate: aligot with tome de l’Aubrac, Label Rouge Gascon beef, black pork from Bigorre, dry sausage from Lacaune, Tarbais IGP Label Rouge, Roquefort or Rocamadour beans, all accompanied by wines from the South-West and Pays d’Oc.
Practical information for enjoying this high-altitude picnic
Participants take the cable car up from La Mongie, between 10 a.m. and 11:30 a.m., before enjoying the picnic at the summit at the end of the morning. The advertised price is $120 for two people, return cable car and lunch included, and $50 for a picnic for children aged 6 to 12. Tickets can be reserved online, via the official ticket office dedicated to the event, subject to availability.
The altitude brings a touch of magic, but also requires a minimum of preparation. As for the weather, Fabienne Albert warns: . Warm jacket, sunglasses, sunscreen and comfortable shoes therefore remain essential to move from one stand to another. Access to the summit is generally not recommended for children under 3 years old, and medical advice may be useful for people suffering from altitude-sensitive conditions. For the rest, just let yourself be guided by the producers and enjoy this lunch suspended between heaven and earth.
What is the picnic of Occitanie products of excellence at the Pic du Midi?
It’s an open-air gourmet lunch, at an altitude of 2,877 m, where the public composes their meal by going from stand to stand with Occitanie producers.
How to access the picnic at Pic du Midi?
Access is only by cable car from La Mongie, with climbs scheduled between 10 a.m. and 11:30 a.m., upon prior reservation.
What types of products are offered at the event?
The stands highlight products under SIQO: cold meats such as black pork from Bigorre, AOP cheeses, Tarbais beans, aligot, wines from the South-West and Pays d’Oc.
