A mushroom walk
in the Forêt des Andaines
It’s a Saturday in October and we meet at 2:15 pm at the Manoir du Lys hotel and restaurant on the road to Juvigny. The hotel, which is run by their Michelin-starred chef Franck Quinton, is an elegant building full of the character and charm of the Normandy countryside.
The mycologist who will be our guide for the mushroom walk warmly welcomes us in the restaurant lobby. There are around fifteen of us equipped with boots, a basket and a knife ready to discover nature’s treasures.
It’s 2:30 pm and we share cars to set off for the footpaths of the Forêt des Andaines. Ten minutes later, we are on the forest floor surrounded by oaks, beech and spruce trees. We are all eager to collect our first mushrooms from among the mosses and ferns.
During the walk, our expert guide teaches us to distinguish between friendly, edible species and dangerous toadstools. He tells us his tips and secrets for finding the tastiest species among the 1700 varieties of mushroom that are hidden in Bagnoles de l’Orne’s forest.
