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VILLERS-SUR-MER (14 Calvados, Normandie - see map), a pleasant seaside resort on the Côte Fleurie, and annnually celebrates the Fête de la Coquille Saint Jacques, a regional speciality, and organises a big market selling Coquilles St-Jacques, seafood, local products – all in a festive atmosphere and with a different foreign country invited to participate each year - this year it is Belgium - and don't snigger, because in terms of gastronomy the Belgians know their stuff! - this year the festival takes place on 28 and 29 October 2006. As the tourist office says "Shells by thousands, big market of the scallop,d emonstrations and tastings of receipts (recipes) of scallops, Parade of the brotherhoods, enthronements and maritime songs" - all very French!!
There is also a summer rail service until early October (which runs from Dives/Cabourg to Deaville/Trouville via Villers-sur-Mer (with onwards connections to Paris) which runs through the "bocage" - the rolling Normandy countryside.
Villers-sur-Mer is twinned with Wickham in the UK.
For more info on Villers-sur-mer see www.villers-sur-mer.fr/

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As autumn approaches it is time to start planning for the Wine Fairs (Salons) of the Vignerons Independents. This is a federation of independent wine makers (no co-operatives, negociants or multi-nationals) which exists to promote small independent wineries in France, and organises a series of wine-tasting events throughout the year. These are open to the public, but are also frequented by professionals from both France and overseas - as it is a great opportunity to taste a bewildering array of wines from all parts of France (including Corsica).
The wine fairs vary in size from just a 100 or so exhibitors to around 1000 in Paris - but they are spread out around the exhibition hall - so if you just want to taste Chablis you'll have to work out where the stands are, as there are no regional sections - so a Chablis may be next to a Cahors and a Cognac!
All of which prompts me to urge you to plan what you want to taste - you'll being doing well to do justice to more than a dozen or so stands over a couple of hours. Without a plan you may only get to the random first stands near the entrance and miss something special further back. So get a catalogue or check the website (see below) and work out where you need to go.
The other advice is to get there early - avoid the weekend if you can - and take something to move your purchases from the stand to the car - wine gets heavy. You can usually get a pass-out if you want to leave the show and return later.
The winemakers will happily take your order (and payment) and hold the wine for you to collect later in the day - but do remember to keep your receipts and make a note of the stand numbers - one of my group did forget to collect a case of wine he'd ordered and paid for - although it was an excuse for a trip to the Loire the following year when he was able to collect the wine from the vineyard.
The other thing to bear in mind is that because not all stands are connected to the telephone system the handheld terminals sometimes reject foreign credit and debit cards. This was a major problem a few years ago which has improved, but it still happened again last year. In Lille and Paris there is a cash dispenser within the building if you need it.

The atmosphere is convivial, you get the chance to meet the winemakers and their teams, to talk and learn about their wines - and the prospect of finding some great wine at vineyard gate prices!

The dates for this autumn are:-
Lyon 2- 6 November 2006
Reims 10-13 November 2006
Lille 17-20 November 2006
Paris (Porte d'e Versailles) 23-27 November 2006.

(There is also usually a Spring Salon in Paris just before Easter)

Nearer the time we hope to have some free tickets to offer in a prize draw.

For more info see www.vigneron-independant.com

Recommendations for stands to see at Lille (stand numbers in brackets):-
Domaine Octavie for Touraine Sauvignon (B30)
Domaine des Huards, Cheverny (C36)
Chateau Eugenie, Cahors (F62)
Chateau d’Aydie, Madiran (C49)
Chateau Gibalaux-Bonnet, Minervois (J37),
Chateau Ricardelle, Coteaux du Languedoc (B44)

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On 17 September the Côtes du Brulhois celebrated its Fete des Vins at Donzac (82 Tarn-et-Garonne, Midi-Pyrenees - see map). Styling itself the "black wine of the South West" (Le Vin Noir du Sud Ouest), this is a VDQS appellation (i.e. between a Vin de Pays and a full Appellation Controllée) which stretches along the banks of the Garonne river near Agen (in the Oc language "Brulhès" means wooded riverbank. This is reputedly an ancient vineyard, which got rather lost in the 20th Century and today remains a small and little-known region covering only about 200 hectares. They are known as "Black Wines" because of the deep coloration of the reds, made from cabernet franc, cabernet sauvignon, fer, merlot, cot et tannat. They also produce rosé wines from the same grape varietals.

The more famous black wine is that from Cahors, where the Auxerrois or Malbec grape dominates. In truth I suspect both Cahors and Brulhois wines were used in Bordeaux in earlier times to add body to poor vintages.

There appears to be no importer of Cotes du Brulhois wines into the UK, and I cannot recall having tasted them - bit suspect that they are not dissimilar to the wines from adjacent Buzet.

The other claim to fame of the Côtes du Brulhois is that they organise and host the annual Grape Picking World Championship (Championnat du Monde des Coupeurs de Raisin) Apparently 80 pickers took part, the winner being a 20-year old local girl. The pickers are judged not only on the volume/weight of grapes picked in the allotted time, but also on the lack of damage to the grapes, absence of leaves and other debris. I'm not sure if they are allowed to use the electric secateurs these days which would certainly help to make the task easier, but it remains a skilful task to pick fully and cleanly.

However, you have to admit these French are clever - hold the competition and get your vines picked for free!!

For more info see www.vigneronsdubrulhois.com

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In my earlier life as a wine merchant specialising in French Regional Wines, one of the most interesting and useful posters we had on display was a relief map of France. This was fascinating and helped to explain the geography of France and its wine regions - esepcially the influence of rivers and mountains - much more clearly than the otherwise invaluable Michelin maps.

Now a new book "France from the Air" has some wonderful images of France from a different perspective than we usually capture.

"When seen from the air, the appearance of France changes radically, revealing astonishing curves and harmonious lines. These images reveal the varied faces of France, with the colourful mosaic of its fields, with steeples and church towers scattered with gray slate and red brick roofs, with handsome coasts worn by the sea. In "France from the Air", you will recognise some of the most famous of French landmarks: the Pont du Gard, Notre Dame, Loire Valley castles, and the Bordeaux vineyards, but you will also explore the less known forest of Compiegnes, the Vanoise National Park, and the villages of Brittany and Normandy."

Amazon UK stocks IGN Satellite Relief Map of France or direct from IGN (the French Ornance Survey)

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Honfleur (14 Calvados, Normandie - see map) is a delightful small harbour town on the Normandy coast just west of the Seine river estuary and Le Havre, now reached after crossing the elegant Pont de Normandie.

After the industrial and concrete-dominated arrival in Le Havre this comes as a welcome breath of fresh air and you start to feel that you are in the real France (as long as you ignore all the British yachts in the harbour - Honfleur being a favourite weekend cross-channel destination from the south coast marinas).
For the weekend of 30 September and 1 October 2006 they celebrate the 12th Annual Fete de la Crevette et de la Peche (shrimps and fishing) - with music, fireworks, cookery, parade, marine crafts etc. For more info see www.ot-honfleur.fr .

There is plenty of scope for confusion amongst novices on the naming of these crustaceans (in English almost as much as in French) - shrimps, prawns, scampi, crayfish.. Without going into the detailed classifications and natural history we'll try to summarise..
Crevettes grises (grey) are shrimps - the larger ones also known as Gambas, whilst Crevettes roses (pink) are prawns - tending to be a bit bigger than the shrimp.Ecrivisses are crayfish, whilst langoustines are scampi - Langoustes being larger, more like a small spiny lobster. At the top of the pile is Homard, the lobster.

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Personally I have never liked the idea of investing in wine as a financial game - if a wine is good it should be drunk not kept in dark cellars and mainly featuring on someone's spreadsheet or auction catalogue.
But many of us do harbour the dream of having our own vineyard and living the bucolic or stylish life we assume goes with it. My experience suggests that you need to be a chemist (and an alchemist), farmer, labourer, mathematician, warehouse operative with some business and marketing acumen thrown in. You do need to know what you are doing; it can be back-breakingly hard work; the stresses of the uncertainties of the weather, the market, pests and diseases could dent the otherwise attractive liefstyle choice.

Another way is to invest in vines. Several companies offer the opportunity to "rent a row of vines", Wineshare is one such company, offering rather more than the nominal ownership of vines on some distant vineyard - they actually offer real opportunities to get involved and feel as though you are a part of it - visits, tastings and events at the vineyard and tastings in the UK make this more than just a financial investment - it could also make a great gift for any wine lover (prices start at £75).You can even go and pick the grapes!!
Wineshare has vineyards in Italy(Tuscany) and three in France:-
Chateau de Pizay in Beaujolais
Château Constantin-Chevalier in Provence
Domaine du Grand Mayne in the Côtes de Duras, South West France

For more info see

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It seems a strange combination - a northern French city embracing the exotic sights, sounds and smells of India over the winter.
But that is what the Lille 3000 celebrations are all about - A cultural event on an international scale, Lille 3000, from 14 October 2006 to 14 January 2007, will bring India to you. Aromas, colours, and spices will wake up your senses in a city which has been completely refurbished for the occasion! "The multiple facets of India - at the crossroads of art and modernity - represent the heart of the first edition of lille3000. We will be able to enjoy metamorphoses in the city, artists’ installations, exhibitions, cinema, performances and parades, tastes of Bangalore, Bombay (Mumbai), Brick Lane… and Finland.
Another recurrent theme of lille3000 is the avant-garde, with visions of the future interlinking with the Indian events. Examples include Les modernités recyclées, La Maison de l’Energie Vitale and the Futurotextiles exhibition, where innovation and technology come together in interaction with contemporary art."
Sounds great fun - and although on one level it seems a little bizarre, you do have to admire the enthusiastic approach to cultural diversity and innovation which such events are about - actively supported by the local authorities. Although Lille gets enlivended in December with its Christmas market and Big Wheel, any northern French town can be a bit grim in the cold depths of winter, and this event should warm the spirits.
For more info see www.lille3000.com

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The INAO, Institut National des Appellations d'Origine, is the body charged with approving and managing the French Appellation Controllée system - and not just for wine - meat, cheese, garlic, cream. black sausage, cider.........
Andrew at www.spittoon.biz drew my attention to the recent creation of some new AOCs - for Orléans, Orléans-Cléry and Chaume.
Chaume (49 Maine-et-Loire, Pays de la Loire - see map) has until now been one of the Coteaux du Layon Villages - Premier cru des Coteaux du Layon - an area renowned for producing superb dessert wines from the Chenin Blanc grape. But now it is an appellation in its own right - Chaume AC! - somehow I think it sounded better as part of the Coteaux du Layon. And here lies the problem - the proud winemakers in Chaume will have worked hard and have lobbied harder to get their village's wines recognised as being in a category of their own, and are doubtless rejoicing at their deserved success. Similarly for Orleans AC and Orleans-Clery AC, which I am sure are very palatable wines.
BUT - does it really make their wines any more marketable, especially as many consumers will never have heard of it?
I can see that elevation from a potentially humble Vin de Pays to the elevated rank of Appellation Controllée can make a difference, but these other sub-classifications and do not help anyone in the end - except for a little civic pride.
I suspect that if you ever get to taste an Orléans-Cléray AC (a cabernet franc-dominated red), it will owe more to an individual producer making a really good wine and getting some adventurous wine merchant (probably a small indpendent) to taste and then stock it. I doubt it will owe much to its AC status.
One such adventurous wine merchant who does the Loire well is Yapp, who stocks several wines from the Coteaux du Layon AC, a Jasnières AC and a Thouarsais! VDQS.

In France our favourite producer of Coteaux du Layon wines is Antoine Leduc at Domaine Leduc-Frouin.
Recommended Book on dessert wines: Stephen Brook's Liquid Gold: Dessert Wines of the World

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There are some things that the French just do differently. Breakfast in a French hotel is quite different to anything in the UK - and for most of us it is best to avoid the French version of a cooked breakfast - usually some disgusting scrambled egg and thin bacon kept warm for too long - and tea is never as good as at home.
So generally we enter into the sprit and go for the ham or salami and cheese - but seldom the "cake" or "brioche" which just does not seem like a breakfast item!
The Brioche is a yeast cake - a light but rich bread made from flour, yeast, milk, butter and eggs - and is what myth suggests Marie Antoinette was referring to when she said of starving peasants something along the lines of "well, if they've run out of bread, let them eat cake!"
It can be quite confusing - as it appears in a number of different guises - from an almost tradtional tin loaf shape, to the more ornate fluted brioche with a cap made in a special mould called "brioche à Tete".
It is especially popular in France at breakfast time (as if fresh baguette, croissants, pain au chocolat, pain au raisins etc were not enough). In Nanterre (92 Hauts-de-Seine, Ile de France) 6-8 brioche buns are arranged in zigzag pattern, whilst the Brioche Parisienne has more balls of brioche arranged in circle.
One advantage of the brioche in France is that it does not go dry and stale as quickly as the traditional baguette.
In Provence they make a highly decorated and flavoured Brioche des Rois (of the kings) for Epiphany (early January) embellished with orange water, rum essence, lemon, apricot jam and glacé fruits.
You can find a recipe for Brioche in Elizabeth David's English Bread and Yeast Cookery (Cookery Library)

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Clamecy (89 Nièvre, Bourgogne - see map) is in many ways a very typical small provincial french town - and quite delightful - except that it when they choose to dig up the whole of the town centre to pedestrianise it! The French approach to road works seems to be to virtually close the town by attacking every street in the "Grand Projet Municipale" making it almost impossible to drive or even walk during the work.
However, I am sure the disruption we witnessed in the Spring has now passed, and the town is improved by the scheme.
It is on a Saturday morning market in such a town that you know you are in France - the market stalls thronging the centre of the town down narrow streets, the quality of the produce, the artfully displayed vegetables and fruit, the smell of the roasting chickens and the sheer hubbub of the locals meeting, talking, haggling and buying, the café tables on the pavement - all go to make it an enjoyable experience. We always buy some local cheese or charcuterie for our lunch as a memento of the visit.
Clamecy has all that on a Saturday morning - indeed it has a rue du Grand Marché and rue du Petit Marché which illustrate what an important part the market plays in local life.The rivers Beuvron and Yonne together with the Nivernais canal provide the town with a pleasant air of purpose and importance.
You are in northern Burgundy here so the wines are not always exciting - except for Chablis some 30-odd miles to the north east. The reds tend to be a bit thin for my liking - the local wine is a Vin de Pays Coteaux du Tannay - some decent Chardonnay is available from Chablis producer Jean-Marc Brocard.
The Canal meanders north towards Auxerre, and following the minor roads alongside the canal is delightful with some great places for that picnic. Take a detour into the village of Chateau Mailly for some great views of the valley from the top.
For more info see www.vaux-yonne.com

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The weekend of 7-8 October 2006 sees the 21st Oyster Festival ("Foire aux Huîtres") at Dunkerque (59 Nord, Nord-Pas-de-Calais). There will be a huge marquee on the Avenue de 'Université in the commercial port (see map) where you can taste oysters and other regional foods to the accompaniment of music and street theatre - free entrance and undercover in case the weather turns. (Interestingly the English language version of the local tourist office site does not mention the Oyster festival, but instead features a Beer & Food festival on another date - sounds a bit like stereotyping - I do know Frenchmen who hate oysters and Englishmen who don't drink beer!)
Dunkerque is probably one of those towns that most of us avoid, largely because the approach to the Norfolk Line ferry terminal (several kilometres to the west) or from the A16 autoroute from Calais presents an unappetising image of a seriously industrial town. However, the town centre and port have its attractions, much arising from a strong maritime history (before 1940).
Along with other medieval towns in the region it boasts 2 impressive belfries, and together with another 21 in northern France and 32 in Belgium they are recognised as a joint UNESCO World Heritage Site" Built between the 11th and 17th centuries, the belfries showcase the Roman, Gothic, Renaissance, and Baroque styles of architecture. Originally, a belfry was "erected as a sign of communal independence obtained by charter, and as the very symbol of freedom. Compared to the keep (symbol of the seigneurs, i.e. feudal lord) and to the bell-tower (symbol of the Church), the belfry, the third tower in the urban landscape, symbolizes the power of the aldermen. Over the centuries, they came to represent the influence and wealth of the towns."
The Belfy at the Hotel-de-Ville in Dunkerque. For more info on Dunkerque (Dunkirk)see www.ot-dunkerque.fr
For a full list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites in France CLICK HERE

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From the autumn of 2007 when the second section of the new high-speed rail link that runs from just south of Gravesend to London St Pancras opens, there will be a new international station at EBBSFLEET for Eurostar just off the M25 and A2 near Bluewater and Dartford , which will provide high speed services to Lille in 1h10 and Paris in 2h05. With 9000 parking spaces this promises to provide a good departure point for those who do not live in Central London and makes flying from London in these times of lengthy security delays quite unattractive.

There will be another "International" station at Stratford in East London which will open later, and Ashford International will still be a stop for some trains. When the new sections are completed a full 20 minutes will be cut from the current journey time from Central London to Lille and Paris. The current best time from London (Waterloo) to Paris (Gare du Nord) is 2h35 and to Lille 1h40,
Lille will become even more important in the network as it provides high-speed train TGV connections to many destinations in France without having to change stations in Paris - and of course Eurostar run some services direct from the UK to Avignon and the French Alpes.
For more info see www.eurostar.com/

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On 8th October 2006 the village of Odenas (69 Rhône,Rhône-Alpes - see map) celebrates a concoction called "Paradis" a sweet blend of 50% grape juice and 50% unfinished nouveau wine made from the local Beaujolais grape - Gamay.
Centred around old traditions of horse-drawn wagons and old wine presses in the middle of the Brouilly vineyards, the festivities start at midday and last into the night, accompanied by music and dancing.
I have enough trouble appreciating Beaujolais Nouveau which is often such a disappointment, so this brew sounds quite bizarre - but who knows in the right atmosphere with jovial French company it could be fun.
Brouilly is to my mind one of the better Beaujolais appellations - as it is a "cru" recognised as a specific area which produces wines of character and quality. The basic wine is just "Beaujolais AC" which can come from anywhere within the region; Beaujolais-Villages AC is a higher quality from any of the named villages, whilst the likes of Brouilly, Moulin à Vent, Fleurie, Morgon, Regnié are restricted to specific village areas. Brouilly is distinctive for its hill - Mont Brouilly, and there is a separate appellation for Côte de Brouilly AC for those wines made from vines grown higher up the slopes of the "mountain" - and these tend to have rather more mineral character and depth than the usually juicy Brouilly.

Recommended producers - Paul Beaudet a respected negociant who stocks a great range of Beaujolais wines in their winery at Pontanevaux (71 Saone et Loire, Bourgogne - see map) including Domaine de Chardignon Côte de Brouilly AC. Paul Beaudet wines are available in the UK from Stevens Garnier, who have a shop in Oxford also from - e.g. Beaujolais-Villages 2005 Chateau de Maladrets (just £4.79)

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The new A85 autoroute runs for 140 miles through the heart of the Loire Valley vineyards and joins the Centre vineyards and the A71 autoroute at Vierzon west to Angers where it connects with the A11 (on to Nantes) via Touraine (and Tours and the A10 autoroute), Cheverny, Bourgeuil, Saumur and Anjou. Eventually it is planned that the A85 will extend south and east from Vierzon and Bourges to Nevers and Chalon-sur-Saone!
Various sections of the route are finished but the whole stretch will not be completed until Summer 2008.
From the East at Vierzon, the motorway is complete to St Aignan. It is then a bit patchy westwards to Tours - using sections of the new autoroute or the old N79 road. The stretch from west of Langeais west to Angers is complete.
When complete this offers drivers from central, southwest and western France an improved choices of routes, and in conjunction with the new A28 allows you to avoid Paris completely in reaching the Channel ports - whether it be Caen, Le Havre, Dieppe, Boulogne, Calais or Dunkerque.
For more info see www.cofiroute.fr
I am still trying to find out the name of the new Autoroute - e.g. the A6 south to Provence is the "Autoroute du Soleil", the A77 is the" Autoroute des Arbres" (trees).

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A French hypermarket chain (Auchan) has just launched a new version of online ordering for your groceroes - called Auchan Drive (one of those typical Franco-American concoctions) they do not deliver to your home, but order on line and collect without waiting more than 5 minutes from the store. They'll pack your groceries into your car boot for you, and they guarantee normal hypermarket prices.
Only available in the Lille region (59 Nord, Nord-Pas-de-Calais) - see www.auchan.fr

A quick check on French petrol and diesel prices:-
Sans Plomb 95 (unleaded) €1.20 per litre (approx 86p)
Sans Plomb 98 (superunleaded) €1.245 per litre (approx 89p)
Gazole (diesel) €1 075 per litre (approx 77p)

Based on prices as at 11 September 2006, exchange rate £1=€1.40
These are hypermarket prices - you'll pay more on autoroutes and some city centre locations.

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September 24 2006 is the official launch of the Buzet Wine Harvest (Ban des Vendanges) at Xaintrailles,(47 Lot-et-Garonne, Aquitaine). This appellation lies to the west of the town of Agen just south of the Garonne river, centred on the town of Buzet-sur-Baise. The appellation is dominated by the Co-operative - Les Vignerons Réunis de Buzet who over the years have regenerated the quality and reputation of Buzet wines. Using the same grape varietals as neighbouring Bordeaux (Cabernet Sauvingon, Cabernet Franc and Merlot) they produce consistently good wines, often great value for money. The top of the range is the Baron d'Ardeuil which is an oaked red using older vines and aged in barrels made on site. They have their own barrel-maker (tonnelier) and it is one of the reasons to visit the cave on the outskirts of Buzet.
Originally the Baron d'Ardeuil cuvée was called "Cuvée Napoleon", but by a perverse quirk of EU copyright laws, this name had been registered by a German wine company and hence the French could not call it "Cuvée Napoleon". I'm sure that went down well for Franco-German relations!
Their "Tradition" range of red, white and rosé is always good and very drinkable, whilst the Lys range are a fruity younger style to be served slightly chilled in their elegant bottles - excellent for lunch. In addition the Co-op vinifies and bottles the wines from numerous local chateaux which are then sold under the chateau name.
See our map

For more on Buzet wines see www.vignerons-buzet.fr
Buzet Baron d'Ardeuil is available in the UK from www.finewinelist.net

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Jane MacQuitty in the Times has some recommendations for wines to match rich game dishes:-
Savigny ler Cru La Bataillère aux Vergelesses 2002 from Albert Morot (Majestic Wine, £16.99) - " zesty, cherry fruit"
Gevrey-Chambertin Le Meurger 2002 (Morrisons £14.99} - "roses and Marmite-scented"
Nuits-Saint-Georges Labouré-Roi 2004 (£15.99 Morrisons) "fine, fat, leafy spice"
In her other recommendations she has:-
Crozes-Hermitage AC 2003 (Sainsburys £6.99) "rich and savoury" and
recommends Touraine Sauvignon as a good alternative to Sancerre and much cheaper.

In the Independent Richard Ehrlich also looks at wines to accompany game:-
Volnay Clos de la Cave des Ducs, 1er cru, Domaine Carré Courbin 2000 (£27.50, Berry Bros and Rudd) "just the right amount of aroma and juicy berry fruit"
Gevrey Chambertin, Vieilles Vignes, Domaine Heresztyn 2002 (£20.99, Waitrose) "abundant cherry and strawberry fruit with a silky veneer of spicy oak and soft tannins" He also recommends:-
La Grille Sauvignon Blanc, Vin de Pays 2005 (Sainsburys £4.99) "fresh, young Loire Valley white with shades of Sancerre"

In the Guardian/Observer Tim Atkin offers:-
Rive Haute Sauvignon Blanc, Vin de Pays du Gers 2005 (£5.99 each for three, Wine Rack) - "zesty, grapefruity"
Petit Chablis, Cave des Vignerons 2005 (£7.99, Waitrose) "refined, unoaked, beautifully weighted"
Also Victoria Moore suggests
Château la Pierrière Côtes de Castillon 2004 (£5.33 when you buy three, Threshers) "prettily perfumed (think redcurrant leaves and blackcurrants)" to accompany beef brisket.

Jonathan Ray in the Telegraph includes the following in his special selection from the independent merchants:-
Saumur Blanc, Vignerons de Saumur 2004, Loire (Yapp)
Jurançon Sec 2005, Domaine Larredya (Berry Bros & Rudd)
Montagny, Bonnevaux 1er Cru 2004, Olivier Leflaive, Burgundy(Corney & Barrow)
Corbières AC A d'Aussières, Château d'Aussières 2003(Lay & Wheeler)
Lirac, La Fermade, Domaine Maby 2002 (Yapp)
Beaujolais, Vieilles Vignes 2005, Alain Chatoux, France (Berry Bros & Rudd)

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High in the Pyrennees in the Val d'Azun the village of Arrens Marsous (65 Hautes-Pyrénées, Midi-Pyrénées) marks the return of the herds of sheep (and the shepherds) from the high pasture down into the less exposed valley in the Autumn. The "Foire aux Côtelettes" takes place on Saturday 16 September 2006 and includes a party with barbecued lamb chops, cheese tasting, music, cattle market, sheep shearing and the inevitable market. The festivities finish late at night with the sounds of a banda and dancing.
See our map
For more info see www.valdazun.fr
Generally too high for vines, the area does however produce good Pyrenean cheeses - often sheeps milk cheeses which are semi-hard and a little lighter on the palate - such as Ossau Fermier and Brébis Pyrénées. The nearest wines are those from Irouleguy and Madiran which are big meaty reds; dry aromatic whites from Jurancon, and sweet wines from Jurancon and Pacherenc-du-Vic-Bilh.

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A recent discovery is a great site all about French cheeses, of which there are over 500 - so you could have a different French cheese every day of the year. However, only 40 of these cheeses are "Appellation Controllée" which like wine, offers spme guarantee of origin, style, content and production process.
Epoisses de Bourgogne AOC is one of those 40 AOC cheeses from Burgundy and is a soft, washed-rind cheese made from Cows Milk (well-chilled evening milk mixed with fresh, warm morning milk). While the cheese is still soft, it is moistened with Marc de Bourgogne, the spirit made from the residues of the wine-making process. It is then cured and soaked again in Marc. Hence it has a lightly alcoholic, delicate yet strong taste, most creamy from July to February.Originating from the village of Epoisses (21 Côte d'Or, Bourgogne), north west of Dijon.
See our map

The website has some interesting recipe choices - Epoisses and Mulled Pear Salad; Molten Epoisses Fondue!
. See www.frencheese.co.uk/
Paxton and Whitfield stock the cheese in the UK, where you can buy online or from one of their shops in London, Bath, Stratford-Upon-Avon or Birmingham.

Posted by frenchduck at 8:22 AM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

It's a rather pleasant thought - just a few miles away from the French Duck corporate headquarters complex, the gallery at Compton Verney in Warwickshire is showing an exhibition celebrating Parisian Women, through the works of the Impressionists (Vive la Parisienne: women through the eyes of the Impressionists 30 September - 10 December 2006).

"This exhibition will focus on the portrayal of women in Paris in the late 19th century, at a time when the Impressionist movement was capturing the emerging modern world with spontaneity and life. Artists including Mary Cassatt, Edgar Degas, Paul Helleu, Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, Edouard Manet, Berthe Morisot and Pierre-Auguste Renoir depicted women in a variety of settings from the Parisian nightclubs of the demi-monde to women in the home, at work and leisure. The exhibition will explore the subjects and situations in these works, examining notions such as the male gaze and the exchange between artist and sitter."
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For more info on this rather splendid country house gallery and estate see www.comptonverney.org.uk

Keywords: France, Art, Artist, Impressionist,Impressionism,painting,Degas,Renoir.Morisot,Cassatt,Manet,Toulouse-Lautrec

Posted by frenchduck at 7:42 AM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

I seldom think of Paris as a wine-producing region - and to be honest it isn't really a serious one. But on the Butte (hill) of Montmartre there are indeed some vines, and every year since 1934 the harvesting of the grapes has been the excuse for another festival - even attended by the Mayor of Paris (Bertrand Delanoe)!
Vines have been grown in Paris since the 4th Century BC, and it is suggested that in those times Paris was rather hotter than it was (until recently perhaps). However, whether or not it is a decent wine few will have the opportunity to find out - as all the wine is auctioned off for charity - the reds are made predominantly from Gamay and Pinot Noir. I suspect it is all just an excuse for a party again - and to prove that wine (of whatever quality) can still be made within Paris.
From Friday 6 to Sunday 8 October 2006, the Parisians will celebrate with parades, a market, music, fireworks and tastings - and on a smaller scale than the Hospices de Beaune, they will be auctioning 1500 bottles of the 2005 vintage Clos Montmartre, with proceeds going to charity! - sounds great fun
see www.fetedesvendangesdemontmartre.com/

Posted by frenchduck at 6:23 AM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

Byrrh is another of those peculiarly French concoctions of red wine, quinine water and spices from the Languedoc-Roussillon made at Thuir ((66 Pyrénées Orientales, Languedoc-Roussillon). Reportedly it has a touch of bitterness and orange overtones and is best as an aperitif (similar to Dubonnet) or as part of a cocktail.

The cellars at Thuir can be visited to see the production process - and the largest oak barrel in the world (10002 hectolitres compared to a Bordeaux barrel of 255hl!).

The website www.byrrh.com, has a recipe for poached eggs in Byrrh! (and other less weird menu ideas!); but it is perhaps the recipe for Byrrh itself which seems so unusual - bitter orange peel, camomile, coffee, gentian, coriander, quinine, cocoa, vanilla and elderberries are just some of the ingredients added to fortified grape juice!
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Posted by frenchduck at 7:45 AM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

TransEuropa Ferries who run ferries on the old Sally Line route from Ramsgate to Ostend are dropping their prices as from the 1st September, so that a Car/Minibus with up to 9 passengers will be just £39 eachway! And if you just want a 48 hour return then you just pay the single ticket price.
Although the crossing takes 4 hours, it is nevertheless a sensible route for Alsace, the Alpes and Eastern France - you could stop over in Bruges or Luxembourg en route!

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For more info see www.transeuropaferries.com/ or see the French Duck travel pages at www.frenchduck.co.uk/travel/travel.html

Posted by frenchduck at 5:23 PM | Permalink

Throughout France the grape harvest is getting underway, accompanied by various celebrations and festivals ostensibly to celebrate the new "vendange". However, it always perplexes me that these diversions occur around what will be the busiest time of the year for winemakers - grape-picking, fermentation and maturation all require much intensive effort over short periods - whereas for the rest of the year fining, racking, cleaning, pruning, spraying etc tend not to have the same urgency and tight deadlines in the way Autumn does. In truth of course it is probably more to do with moving last year's stock to allow for the new wine harvest - but that may be me being a tad cycnical.
In Alsace over 3 weekends in September (2-3, 9-10, 23-24 September 2006) Riquewihr (68 Haut-Rhin, Alsace-Lorraine) joins the celebrations. Riquewihr must be both one of the prettiest villages in Alsace with its half-timbered houses and narrow medieval streets - and home to some of the very best producers (Dopff au Moulin, Hugel, Dopff et Irion). Alsace Riesling and Gewurztraminer tend to be the finest expression of Alsace, but you should not overlook Tokay Pinot Gris, Pinot Blanc or Sylvaner which can be extraordinarily concentrated and delightful.
For more info on the Fete des Vendnages see www.ribeauville-riquewihr.com
Other websites to visit include Dopff et Irion, Dopff au Moulin and Hugel
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Posted by frenchduck at 1:21 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

Browsing through recent wine lists led me to recall a special purchase made in the late 1980s of 6 bottles of Savennières AC Coulée de Serrant 1987. As part of a gift to some wine-loving friends, we agreed with them that we would plan the drinking of these bottles over the years so that we would drink them together on important ocassions - the last being in about 2012. We were advised that this wine has extraordinary ageing potential, and wanted to see how the wine would evolve.The last one we tasted (bottle no.4) was about 4 years ago and the wine was decidely more intense and concentrated, yet still with a delightfully fresh edge - especially for a 15-year old wine!
Savennières (49 Maine-et-Loire, Pays de Loire) is one of the smallest wine appellations in Anjou. Typically the best vines here grow on steep, slate hillsides on the north bank of the Loire (see map below), originally farmed by monks as far back as the 12th Century - hence the name of one of the 2 most renowned domaine - Roche-aux-Moines (Monks; Rock). With less than 150 acres in production and barely 2 dozen producers, the production of Savennières is small - and because of its special micro-climate in bad years barely a drop will be produced. The yields allowed are low (just 75% of that allowed elsewhere in Anjou) primarily because historically Savennières was a dessert wine. Nowadays the wines are overwhelmingly dry, made from 100% Chenin Blanc grapes - a grape which is so successful in the Loire Valley for producing anything from the lushest sweet dessert wine through to superb sparkling dry whites and the Savennières, which are typically full-bodied, powerfully aromatic yet delicate and with extraordinary ageing potential.
Coulé-de-Serrant and Roche-aux-Moines are two "lieu dits" which may be added to the appellation name - similar to single vineyard appellations in Burgundy.
Leon Stolarski stocks a range of good Savennières from Domaine des Baumard including the Clos du Papillon 2003 (£14.50) - "Pale gold, with a floral and citrus nose. Steely dry, with great structure and complex flavours including pear, peach and lime peel. The length is huge. This is a brilliant wine, which is already lovely to drink, but has the potential to evolve wonderfully"
If you are visiting the region, one of our favourite Loire Valley producers is just a few miles away - Domaine Leduc-Frouin at Sousigné.
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Posted by frenchduck at 8:19 AM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)