Belle-Ile-en-Mer is off the south coast of Brittany (ferry from Quiberon) - ideal for a short autumn/winter break - try the Hotel Atlantique in Le Palais, the island's main town and port - see www.frenchduck.co.uk/hotels.htm
Getting a decent cup of tea in France is a real challenge. Colin Rabdall writing in the online Daily Telegraph says; "t can be anywhere in the country; it can be an establishment with any number of stars or none. Placing an order for tea is an act likely to lead at best to disappointment, at worst to indigestion." see http://www.telegraph.co.uk.
Our advice is to take your own tea bags, ask for a pot of boiling water (eau bouillante) and fresh milk (lait frais) - any decent establishment will oblige and indulge this very English habit!
Renaissance of the French vineyard - 21/22 November 2005 - Manoir aux Quat'Saisons, Oxfordshire -
A 2 day festival to promote eight wine growers from four different wine regions of France (Rhône Valley, Languedoc-Roussillon, Bordeaux and Burgundy). "For the first step, we are removing from our list, all the over-oaked, ‘New World’ style red wines, regardless of their origin. We are bidding goodbye to, and ridding our cellars of, wines that are unbalanced, whether through jammy fruit, lack of tannin or too much oak. We will also remove all of the white wines which are flavoured with too much vanilla, over-oaked or too buttery... these wines may be enjoyed as an aperitif with friends but do not enhance and complement fine food." Booking required - see www.frenchduck.co.uk/WHATSON.htm
The French wine laws are idisyncratic and a little obscure - infuriating too, as with the exception of Alsace, the grape variety cannot be mentioned on the label of AC (Appellation Controllée) wines. So whilst South American malbec is easily recognised on the supermarket shelf, the wines of Cahors, made from the same grape, remains a mystery to most consumers - see www.frenchduck.co.uk/frenchwines.htm
There are now many options for getting to France from the UK by plane - budget airlines in particular offering a wide range of departure points and destinations. And, as most flights are 2 hours or less the lack of legroom and inflight catering is seldom a problem. We have listed 45 scheduled routes (excluding Paris) which shows the range of options now available - see www.frenchduck.co.uk/travel/flights.html
For those heading to the Languedoc the A75 is now almost complete, and importantly the traditional bottleneck of Millau is now bypassed by the spectacular Viaduc de Millau over the Valley of the River Tarn, designed by Sir Norman Foster and the highest bridge piers in the world ( 240m high). I have driven over it and is beautiful, elegant and breathtaking - worth a detour for. (Look at some stunning images of the bridge at http://www.viaducdemillau.com/. It measures 1125 ft. at its tallest point (62 ft. taller than the Eiffel Tower) and spans a length of 1.5 miles. It is estimated that it would take 7.4 seconds for a bottle of wine to hit the ground if dropped from the bridge's deck.
Tourist Office for Millau - CLICK HERE
More and better Autoroutes
Unlike just a few years ago there are now 2 major alternative autoroutes to the notorious A6 via Lyon to the southern parts of France. The scale of French investment in roads is impressive, and despite much of the network (but not all) being on tolls, the saving in time and potential road rage is well worthwhile for those in a hurry or with children. The other benefit is for those of us who prefer to potter through the towns the old N road is now less congested and more enjoyable.
For the South West the A20 ia now complete linking Paris and Toulouse via the A10 to Orleans, then the A71 to Vierzon onto the A20 for Toulouse via Limoges, Brive, Cahors and Montauban. This is a very enjoyable road cutting through some glorious scenery - and such a joy for those who used to struggle on the old N20. Cahors is now less than 7hrs from Calais - although you will have to pay about €40 (£25)in tolls (2005 figures),
