Autumn delights - Lozère Tourism

Published on 12 Aug 2026

Reading time: 4 min.

Mushroom picking – it’s the season!

In autumn, in Lozère, the trees take on stunning colours and, at their feet, the stars of the forest emerge: mushrooms. Here are a few tips on how to find porcini, chanterelles, morels and other wild mushrooms, and how to enjoy them once your basket is full.

3, 2, 1… Pick away!

With around 230,000 hectares of forest, Lozère is a must-visit destination for any mushroom forager. You’ll find porcini, chanterelles, morels, mousserons, milk caps, morels, parasol mushrooms… everything you need to fill your basket! Experience autumn with a difference in Lozère, with family or friends, as you search for the treasures of our forests.

The department welcomes visitors keen to explore the world of mushrooms, thanks to the many accommodation providers and restaurants offering weekends and holidays centred around mushroom foraging and mycology. With a basket under your arm and a knife in your pocket, you can go foraging for mushrooms on your own or accompanied by a guide.

A few rules and tips

Please note, however, that regulations limit the amount that can be collected to 10 litres per person per day (equivalent to a ‘household’ bucket).

To prevent people from getting lost in the woods, please ensure you follow these safety guidelines:

If someone goes missing, contact the police immediately by dialling 17
Try never to go out on your own
Taking a mobile phone with you
If possible, wear a high-visibility vest and/or carry a whistle
When picking fruit as a family, never let elderly people or children wander off on their own

When we got home

Once you’ve filled your basket, you’ll be wondering whether they’re ‘edible or not’. If you’re in any doubt, it’s best to take your haul to a pharmacist or mycologist so they can determine whether all your mushrooms are edible.

Food poisoning is quite common at this time of year, so be careful what you put in your basket. Avoid the most common poisonous mushrooms, such as the death cap and the fly agaric, the annatto-coloured cortinarius, the gyromitra and the livid entoloma. Opt instead for porcini, boletes, chanterelles or morels, to name but a few.

Mushrooms are quick and easy to cook. They can be prepared in a variety of ways and add a lovely, earthy flavour to your dishes. Some are delicious eaten raw, pan-fried, stuffed or even simmered. They’ll add flavour and aroma to your meals. Every part of a mushroom is delicious!

All about mushrooms

The town of Mende is set to host the ‘Toqués du Cèpe’ event, a day-long celebration that will introduce you to the rich variety of mushrooms found in the forests of Lozère, with the help of renowned experts.

Let yourself be swept away by the delicious atmosphere of the local markets. Amidst the colourful stalls, passionate producers and freshly stocked baskets, the mushrooms from the Lozère region catch everyone’s eye and give food lovers plenty of ideas!

All markets

A basket of porcini mushrooms, © Benoit Colomb – PACT margeride

Mushroom-picking holidays

In autumn, in Lozère, mushroom picking is a very popular activity amongst visitors. During this season, the trees take on stunning colours and, at their base, the harbinger of autumn appears: the mushroom. Lozère is the place to be for any enthusiast of foraging for delicacies. During your stay, please respect signs indicating private property and ‘no foraging’, as well as the regulations on the quantity of mushrooms that may be collected, which is limited to 10 litres per person per day.

Discovery break