FDUK FrenchDuck UK latest items

The Languedoc is such a rich region to visit and explore - wine, history, food, glorious and diverse landscapes.But to get the best out of it you can always do with a knowledgeable guide to help to discover the best - and that is what tour organisers Wine and Food experiences in the Languedocpropose. They offer "epicurean tours for all the senses."
Their information-packed website offers plenty of choices - B&B accommodation, vineyard visits, restaurants - all of which can be tailored into a package to suit your preferences.
As a flavour of what is on offer, the site includes articles and links to many of the best vineyards in the region - such as Chateau St Martin de la Garrigue in the Coteaux du Languedoc (who also produce the crisp white Picpoul de Pinet); Antech in Limoux ( who call themselves Maistres Blanquetiers - Master Blanquette producers - the "oldest" sparkling wine in the world made from the Mauzac grape.

For more info see www.wine-food-languedoc.com

Posted by frenchduck at 6:47 AM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

As usual at this time of year we witness a lot of hoohah with the launch of the latest edition of the most revered guide to French Hotels and Restaurants Michelin Guide France 2007: Hotels and Restaurants (Michelin Guides)- and especially the award of coveted Michelin stars and rosettes to the some of the best restaurants in the world.
This year is no different, with the spotlight on a female chef who has joined tradtionally very male ranks of the annointed - Anne-Sophie Pic's seafood restaurant in Valence (26 Drôme, Rhône-Alpes - in the northern Rhone) - The restaurant is called Pic - stylish website at www.pic-valence.com. However, not everyone wants to pay £70+ for a meal - although I suspect it would be a really memorable experience.Pic also has a bistro (le Sept) and rooms if you wanted to make a really good stopover.

But back to the Michelin Guide - you would be wrong to think of the famous red Guide as merely a guide for well-heeled gastronomes seeking only the finest French food and luxurious accommodation. We have used it as an invaluable guide to great value hotels and restaurants throughout France - and have never found it to be less than reliable. Each entry provides price indications, opening times (or more importantly closed days) and contact details and can help you select both good value food (Bib Gourmande and menu economique) and good value hotels (Bib Hotel) from £30 or less per night. The guide also includes street maps of most moderate sized towns and all cities - something we found invaluable before SatNav came along.

There are however other ways of accessing much of the Michelin information - the website at www.viamichelin.co.uk can provide you with access to some excellent mapping, route planning and details of hotels, restaurants, tourist sights etc. But this probably requires a bit of advanced planning before you leave - so the other alternative if the ViaMichelin GPS Satellite Navigation system which has the guides integrated - see ViaMichelin In Car GPS Satellite Navigation With European Mapping And Integrated Michelin Guides

The English print ersion of the 2007 Guide will not be available until early April - Michelin Guide France 2007: Hotels and Restaurants (Michelin Guides)

The French print version is available at the end of February -Guide Michelin France 2007

Posted by frenchduck at 7:29 AM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

Majestic Wine Warehouses has some good offers on French Regional Wines - saving 20% on any 2 bottles over £3.99. Amongst the wide selection offered I'd be tempted by:-
Clos d'Yvigne Cuvée Nicolas 2004, Bergerac Sec AC from South West France - "From the best selling author of 'The Ripening Sun', the winemaker Patricia Atkinson brings us this fabulous wine, bursting with citrus, grapefruit and melon fruits. The palate then follows to complex herbal flavours brushed with vanilla." (£8.49 down to £6.79)

For a very contrasting style from the Languedoc, try Les Douze 2005, Fitou AC - "In 2001 a dozen vignerons from the surrounding villages of Tuchan decided to collectively produce the finest Fitou they could. Each proffered the vintage?s best Carignan, Grenache and Syrah grapes from their respective vineyards to produce this awesome blend. The aptly named Fitou Les Douze is a testament to teamwork, with its gloriously spicy, full-bodied flavours." (£6.29 down to £4.99!)

For something a little different try Château de Pennautier 2005, Cabardès AC which lies between the Languedoc and the South West - "An intensely fruity, individual wine, made by winemaker Bertrand Seube, formerly of Château Mouton-Rothschild, using a blend of Bordeaux and Southern French varieties. Aromas of fresh raspberries and mulberries follow through to a firm, tannic palate, showing the Cabardès appellation at its best." Was £5.49 now £4.39

Posted by frenchduck at 7:49 AM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

For such a long-established and very traditional and renowned wine producer, Hugel et Fils in Alsace have adopted modern technology with some va va voom! by offering online interactive maps of their famous vineyards around Riquewihr (68 Haut Rhin, Alsace).
There are a series of maps some of which can be overlaid, including aerial views, a geological map and the location of specific vines and "lieu dits". Much of this can be zoomed in and out, and dragged in any direction. It gives a good sense of the extent of the vineyards and their impact on the landscape.

Alsace is quite a complicated region, and the terroir associated with some really quite small plots can make a significant difference to the character and quality of the wine."This interactive map enables you to locate our estates in Alsace, to understand the geological complexity of the terroirs of Riquewihr, to visualise individual vineyards and grape varieties, and to measure the interface between vines and soils : Riesling in the Schoenenbourg, Gewurztraminer in the Sporen, finally Pinot Gris and Pinot Noir in the Pflostig."

Oddbins stocks Hugel's Riesling "Dry and crisp with underlying lime and kerosene fruit and mineral hints. Medium-bodied with a very long clean finish."

For more info see http://blog.hugel.com/

Posted by frenchduck at 5:09 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

P&O Ferries are offering day trips from Docer to Calais from just £19 return for a car + 9 - and a free bottle of wine.

As long as you can get down to Dover early enough (bearing in mind the fact that France is 1 hour ahead of UK time) then you could have a leisurely lunch and do a bit of window and/or hypermarket shopping before an early evening sailing back to Dover. And Boulogne, Arras and Dunkerque are all within less than an hour of the ferry terminal.

Effective French fuel prices have risen slightly since January 07 but are still quite a bit cheaper than the UK - especially for diesel. With a tourist exchange rate of £1=€1.41 the following prices are likely to be found at the more competitive outlets (i.e. not autoroute service areas)

Unleaded (sans plomb 95) €1.179 = 83.4p/litre
Super unleaded (sans plomb 98) €1.229 = 86.9p/litre
Diesel (gazole) €0.998 =70.6p/litre

Posted by frenchduck at 4:36 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

We opened another of our dwindling stock of the treasured Madiran AC, Cuvée Charles de Batz 2001 from Didier Barré at Domaine Berthoumieu the other night. This fabulous wine won a Gold Medal and the Tannat Trophy in the 2004 International Wine Challenge, and as you may expect it remains an excellent wine, with the tannins a touch subdued, but the fruit and balance enhanced with additional age. No signs of fatigue though - I'm sure it has another 10 years at peak - if I can resist the temptation to drink!
However, I was delighted to discover that the cherubic Didier Barré now has a very good website at www.domaine-berthoumieu.com. Really well-presented with good photos, a lexicon of wine terms, details of the wines etc - but sadly only in French.
Amongst the things which caught my eye was a highly unusual red dessert wine , a"Vin de Liqueur" called TANATIS - made from late harvested (end of October) grapes. These are 100% Tannat (the Madiran grape) from vines which are more than 50 years old. After 10 days of maceration to extract colour and tannins from the flesh, skin and pips, the fermentation is prematurely stopped by the addition of spirit alcohol - in the same manner as the making of Port. This stops the conversion of sugar into alcohol and hence retains a natural sweetness in the wine. After ageing for 8 months in oak barrels it is bottled quite young, but it is claimed it will last up to 15 years in bottle. The tasting notes suggest highly concentrated flavours of wild berries, black berries and a touch of prunes. The French of course suggest it as an aperitif, but I prefer the idea of it accompanying a Chocolate Tart.
Tanatis - Vin de Liqueur du Sud Ouest from Domaine Berthoumieu.

For something rather less unusual, but an excellent white dessert wine - his Pacherenc du Vic Bilh "Symphonie d'Automne" is a stunner.

Read more about Domaine Berthoumieu on www.frenchduck.co.uk
Domaine Berthoumieu at Viella (32 Gers, Midi-Pyrenees) - see map
Didier Barré's website is at www.domaine-berthoumieu.com.
In the UK the 2003 Cuvee Charles de Batz is available from Martinez Wines in Ilkley, West Yorkshire - shop or order online.

Posted by frenchduck at 7:07 AM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

Through the post this week comes an update from one of my favourite Cahors producers - Isabelle Rey-Auriat at Chateau les Hauts d'Aglan. - but my passion is directed at her stunning wines rather than the lady herself, although she is very charming and rather beautiful.
Her top cuvée is the Cuvée "A" - an unfiltered, unoaked 100% Malbec which os a stunning demonstration of how good French Malbec can be - lots of fruit and deep complexity.

The vines of Chateau Les Hauts d'Aglan nestle on the high terraces of the appellation that gave birth to Cahors wine well before the phylloxera. The Martinet family in the 19th century owned and worked this exceptional site on the right bank of the Lot, facing due south so that it benefits from long hours of sunshine.

Isabelle's grandfather Roger Martinet developed the market for the wines by sending them by barge to Bordeaux. This was the only practical way to reach larger markets at the time. He subsequently passed the property on to his daughter, Raymonde Martinet-Rey and her husband. They devoted themselves for a whole generation to remodelling the domain by regrouping neighbouring parcels of land with the same sub-soil. They created a property of 10 contiguous and homogeneous hectares and established the reputation of Chateau Les Hauts d'Aglan in 1985.
History repeats itself and the property has been handed down from daughter to daughter. Isabelle took over the property in 1994 and expanded the area of vines by absorbing Chateau de La Marjolière thus creating a property totalling 14 hectares, She brought back to life the "Cuvée A", "a wine of wonderful memories of Sunday family meals with her grandparents, surrounded by their vines."
The vineyard is in the commune of Soturac in the extreme west of the appellation (see map) at an altitude of 100 metres close to the boundary of the Bordeaux region. This means that the grapes mature 8 to 10 days in advance of those at the eastern limit of the appellation. The roots grow deep into the exceptional subsoil of the Old Quaternary Era, a soil of clay limestone (argilo-calcaire) containing flint and iron minerals which nourish the grapes and thus give the wines of Chateau Les Hauts d'Aglan their unique and refined character.
She works with two grape varieties: Malbec which accounts for 90% of the production, and Merlot. Malbec, also known locally as Auxerrois or more generally Cot Noir, is the original variety of the Cahors appellation. It brings structure, complexity and power to the wines. Merlot is a complementary variety which adds finesse, body and roundness, as well as an elegant bouquet in early years, later giving way to the powerful aromas the violets, liquorice,
spice and candied fruit of the Malbec.
The wines are vinified in stainless steelsvats, parcel by parcel in order to get the best from each. The wine remains on the skins for 15 to 20 days to extract the colour, aromas and structure needed for good aging, without including the coarse tannins, which are too astringent and can upset the balance of the wine. They have one overriding objective, which is to produce wines which are characterful, long lasting, full with finesse, elegance and complexity and which balance the characteristics of the Malbec with those of the terroir to give maximum pleasure!
After the blending, the wines are kept for 24 to 36 months in concrete vats to guarantee the harmonisation of the tannins and to allow the wines to begin to open out before going on sale. They will then be enjoyed with red meat, foie gras or fine cheeses - they are also good with spicy dishes.
I'm not aware of any UK stockist (let me know if I am wrong) - she does not appear to have a website, so you'll just have to visit the vineyard - well worth a little detour.

Posted by frenchduck at 6:00 AM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

Bazas (33 Gironde, Aquitaine) celebrates the local tradition of fatted oxen (Fete des Boeufs Gras) on 15 February 2007 (see www.ville-bazas.fr)
Bazas was the location where Rick Stein discovered the difference between beef from steers/oxen rather than cows during his last series - Rick Stein's French Odyssey
Every year they celebrate this high quality marbled beef which is best expressed as an "Entrecote" literally "between the sides" - a boneless steak of beef cut from the sirloin best cooked quickly - either grilled or fried.
Inevitably the French take great and understandable pride in their specialist local produce - so there will be a festival, a procession, music and a competition for the biggest and best beast.
Should you happen to be in the area (between Bordeaux and Agen) then experience Bazas beef at is best at Le Bistrot St Jean in the Place de la Cathedrale.(see map)

Posted by frenchduck at 6:38 AM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

The wines of Madiran have had quite a boost since the recent publication of Roger Corder's book The Wine Diet, but we were importing these wines at Allez Vins! many years ago, But now is not the time to be churlish, and I am delighted that the wines are now being appreciated by a wider audience. Furthermore, more merchants are importing the wines and a wider range of producers is now available on the UK market.
Leon Stolarski Fine Wines were ahead of the game and have been featuring Madiran wines for some time from Chateau Peyros.- bit now the increased demand for these wines means they can offer a wider range of cuvees, covering the range from a lighter, more approachable style through to a full-on blockbuster.
The lighter style is the Chateau Peyosr Tempo 2004, which is a 50/50 blend of Cabernet France and Tannat - and retails at a competitive £6.90.

At the top end is the new Chateau Peyros Greenwich 43N 2001 which is 95% Tannat - "aged in new oak barrels for 20 months. A deep, impenetrable purple core with a dark ruby rim - totally opaque. An intense nose - black and red fruits dominate (cassis, bramble and plum) together with spicy/peppery notes and some well-integrated coffee-infused oak. Immensely rich and full-bodied, with masses of dark fruit flavours, spicy, chocolatey tannins and excellent underlying acidity - well balanced, in a big sort of way. The tannins are undoubtedly winning at the moment, but this is not a wine for the short term. The fruit is multi-layered and concentrated and will definitely come to the fore after a few more years in the cellar. It can be drunk now, but definitely needs rich food to bring the best out of it - something flavoursome and fatty, such as a rib of beef, lamb chops or duck. An excellent wine for the long haul.13.5% abv.
These are wines for food, and often need a little time to come up to temperature and to breathe a little to reveal their true depth and splendour - these are not for the faint-hearted, but with the right food and company they can be glorious!!!
And full marks to Leon Stolarski for stocking such an exciting range of wines.

Posted by frenchduck at 6:45 AM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

If there are is a slight intermission in new articles on the site for a few days, then blame the latest addition to the FrenchDuck bookshelf - Cooking and Travelling in South-West France. This is a sumptuous celebration of the wine, food and countryside of South West France - but not a "coffee table" display book - it is also full of useful recipes. information and guidance on how to get the best from this part of deepest France.
Amongst the recipes is a very traditional "Magret de Canard" - breast of fattened duck. This happens to be one of our favourite dishes, and as Stephanie Alexander points out, this is partly due to the contradiction of a rich layer of fat over some wonderfully flavourful and lean breast meat. She is right in saying that using British duckling, no matter how good the quality, really does not match the depth of flavour in the French fattened duck. (i.e. canard - duck, canette = duckling).The other bonus from properly preparing a magret, is the rendered duck fat which results - ideal for great roast potatoes - and low in saturated fats. However, back to the recipe - this includes all the garnish that makes the dish authentic - garlic, shallots, onions, carrots, potatoes - rather than the lazy option of salad and saute potatoes.
All that is needed to finish off the meal would be a bottle of robust red wine, such as Cahors, Madiran, Buzet etc.
Great photos, chapters on markets. foie gras and confit, prunes and plums, walnuts and chestnuts.... so a great read either for a bit of daydreaming or reminiscence, for recipes, or for planning your next visit to the region. By far the best book on the region I have yet to come across.

Posted by frenchduck at 12:41 AM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

In the Telegraph (8 Feb 07) there is an article suggesting that foie gras (fattened duck or goose liver) may be under threat in the UK - on animal cruelty grounds. This seems a strange counterpoint to the current issues surrounding industrial mass poultry farming methods.Ducks and Geese are reared predominantly free range and on small farms, and the questionably cruel element - the "gavage" - the force feeding - only applies in the last 2 weeks of their lives and is something which needs skilled and sympathetic hands to hold and feed the bird.Some will claim this is unnatural, but the delicacy was discovered when it was found that geese naturally "stuffed" themelves to provide an energy store for migration.
The article does go on to suggest good ways to serve foie gras and restaurants to try it.
It is of course at its best eaten in South West France along with a good heavy red wine like Cahors or Madiran - although there is a school of thought that suggests a dessert wine like Pacherenc du Vic Bilh or Saussignac can be an ideal accompaniment.
In the UK you can order foie gras online - and by following this link to there is a 10% discount on foie gras and other french gourmet products.

Posted by frenchduck at 7:22 AM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

Côtes du Rhône AC is an appellation which covers a wide range of wines in terms of quality and style. The bulk production is in the southern Rhône valley, although some is also made in the northern Rhone along with the likes of Hermitage and St Joseph. The appellation covers 6 departements - Ardèche, Drôme, Gard, Loire, Rhône and Vaucluse. As the valley broadens and flattens vast areas are under vine producing wines which vary from the rustic to the almost sublime. So unless you know the producer or are lucky you may end up with rough and ready rather than superb.
Hence the named villages of the Côtes du Rhône tend to offer rather more of a guarantee of better quality. These villages are on the higher slopes along the valley sides - and hence the wines tend to have more mineral character and lower yield - the slopes offer better drainage and exposure to the sun, whilst the roots have to go deeper to reach mositure - all of which tends to produce better wines.
Cairanne, Chusclan, Laudun,Rasteau, Sablet, Seguret, Valreas and Visan are probably the best known (see map) - with both Rasteau and Cairanne having successful co-operative cellars. Most of these villages lie on the left bank of the Rhône, stretching northwest of Avignon (except for Chusclan and Laudun which are further west). This is an area which also include Vacqueyras, Gigondas and Beaumes-de-Venise, which were formerly named villages which have been elevated to appellations in their own right.
The main red grape varieties used are Grenache, Syrah and Mourvedre - although it must be noted that Côtes du Rhône is also made in white and rose styles - but in relatively small quantities.
As you may imagine there are many producers making good wines, so any recommendations are personal rather than objective.
For Côtes du Rhône Villages - Cairanne, try the wines of Domaine Rabasse-Charavin, where Corinne Couturier makes some stunning unfiltered wines. She also produces Côtes du Rhône Villages - Rasteau equally good, but more powerful than the more elegant Cairanne - available form Berry Bros & Rudd
Oddbins stocks the Côtes du Rhône Villages - Sablet from Chateau du Trignon - "The nose has spicy notes of liquorice and white pepper combined with ripe blackberries. The palate has more flavours of black fruits wrapped in spicy Provençal herbs and crunchy tannins."
Meanwhile Gauntleys of Nottingham have a good selection including a seldom seen Vinsobres (sober wine?) from Chateau de Beaucastel.

In more general tems the wines from the big name negociants such as Guigal, Chapoutier and Jaboulet are always reliable and often superb. SImilarly the better cuvées from the co-ops at Rasteau amd Cairanne can be good value.

As elsewhere in France, there is a hierarchy of appellations which can be an indicator of quality, but is essentially a increasingly narrow focus on the area of production - so Côtes du Rhône AC is vast; Côtes du Rhône-Villages AC is restricted to wines made only in the designated villages, whilst an individual villages AC such as Côtes du Rhône - Sablet AC can only be produced within the named village.
See map
Anthony Rose in the Independent (10 Feb 07) recommends the 2004 Domaine des Amadieu, Vieilles Vignes from Cairanne "an aromatic blend of grenache, syrah and mourvèdre from the award-winning wine merchants Stone, Vine & Sun"

For more info on the wines of the Côtes du Rhône see www.vins-rhone.com

Posted by frenchduck at 10:04 AM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

A reminder that a new event for francophiles is being staged in Leicester on Sunday 19 February 2007 - FRANCE SHOW LIVE 2007.
It's good to see such an event being staged outside London, and it should attract a large audience of those interested in France, French Wine, Food, Travel, Holidays and property.
The show has a "small business/big theme" - a chance to see small niche traders with fascinating products and services alongside big name property agents and tour operators. So Eurostar and Rail Europe will be there, but so will small specialist wine importers such as Leon Stolarski Fine Wines and French Food specialists French Flavour

Furthermore we have 3 free tickets to win in our new Prize Draw - all you have to do is to answer a simple question - see www.frenchduck.co.uk/francelive.html - BUT entries close 12 February 2007.

For more info on the show visit www.thefranceshowlive.co.uk
Full list of exhibitors:-
* Broadway Cinema
* Rail Europe
* South Quay Travel Club
* Phoenix Theatre
* Decanter magazine
* Eurostar
* Blevins Franks
* Britannia Movers
* Burgundy4u.com
* The Cognac Cellar
* Condor Ferries
* Connoisseur Afloat
* John Siddalls
* Leapfrog Properties
* Leon Stolarski Fine Wines
* Mclaren Properties
* maxSIM
* Owners in France
* TV5
* French Living
* Linden Aromatics (featuring L'Occitane)
* Overseas-Homes-Direct
* French Houses
* Bowens Coach Tours
* Amanda Taylor
* Papillon Properties
* Rationalfx.com
* my-french-house.com
* Bistro de Paris, Leicester
* Overseasproperties.com
* Carcassonne Tourism
* Siblu Exclusif
* French Language Plus
* Ryanair
* French Flavour
* Beau Village
* Your Frenhc Property
* HF Holidays
* Leicester Skylink to East Midlands Airport

Posted by frenchduck at 6:48 AM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

Muscadet has tended to be an overlooked and under-estimated wine - too closely associated with Berni Inns, Black Forest Gateau and the Prawn Cocktail. And as with German wines of that era the market was flooded with cheap, thin wines which ruined its reputation.
Muscadet is named for the grape from which it is made rather than its place of origin. The Muscadet, also called the Melon de Bourgogne, was brought to the Loire centuries ago from Burgundy. It flourished in the Pays Nantais, the region around Nantes (44 Loire-Atlantique, Pays de la Loire), producing wines that perfectly reflect their maritime environment, and which make a natural partner for the Atlantic seafood which is the prime produce of the region.

Muscadet is the largest white wine appellation in France. It includes Muscadet AOC and three regional appellations, Muscadet Sèvre et Maine, Muscadet Coteaux de la Loire and Muscadet Coteaux des Grands Lieux. Each winery must have its wines approved by an official tasting board before it can use the appellation.

Muscadet which has been produced and aged in accordance with certain strict guidelines may be designated "Muscadet Sur Lie. - and these are the best wines to look out for. Keeping the wine in the barrel (on the lees or "sur lie") all winter, allows the wine's aromas to develop, and carbonic gas produced by this process imparts a liveliness on the palate. Only wines made from the best vineyards are permitted to use the Sur Lie designation.

At its best Muscadet retains a fresh acidity, but with sufficient body and almost a creaminess to counterbalance the sharpness - this makes it an ideal companion to fish and shellfish.

Sauvion/Chateau de Cleray is one of the best producers - their website has lots of info and some recipes for a variety of local and some oriental dishes.

For more info on the region see www.nantes-tourisme.com

Posted by frenchduck at 8:31 AM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

Those folks on the French Riveria really know how to make us northern Europeans envious of their benign climate - February witnesses a whole series of festivals (Menton Lemons, Nice Flowers & Carnival, Mimosas) - and they hold them outside, whereas we dare not venture outside without hat, gloves, overcoat, scarf and thermal undergarments!

At Villefrance-sur-Mer (06 Alpes-Maritimes, Provence) they celebrate with a Battle of the Flowers on water - in the Port de la Sante (which literally translates as Health Port) on Monday 19 February 2007.
Traditional fishing boats ("pointus") decorated with local flowers (carnations, mimosas) arranged in different motifs are in the harbour and a flower battle ensues between the boats whilst there are various other attractions on the quayside.

Villefranche is a pretty little coastal port with a natural deep harbour - the town feels more real than some of its bigger and more glitzy Riviera neighbours.

The local tourist office website is not one of the best I have seen and clearly someone has translated from the French into English using a dictionary word for word -
"You will make stop-over at Villefranche-sur-mer, in the south of France and Europe, in a village in the heart of the Cote d’Azur ( between Cannes and Monaco). This village knew to keep the charm of Provence and the prestige of the Riviera.Villefranche is equipped with a mediteranean climate; soft in winter and heat in summer. Brood in the heart of one of the most beautiful roadstead of the world, Villefranche sur-mer welcomes you in his haven of peace. Created in 1295 by Charles II d’Anjou, it knew to keep its picturesque charm with the wire of the centuries: the hot colors of the mediteranean frontages, the small steeped streets with the paces of yesteryear, his citadel, the rare works of Cocteau, Volti ou Goetz are as many richnesses as you will discover in this village with the first impression of paradise! "
If you must, see www.villefranche-sur-mer.org

Posted by frenchduck at 6:21 AM | Permalink

Le Canard au Parapluie Rouge, or the "Duck with red umbrella" has a good start with a memorable name for a B&B - sounds a bit more exciting than the Hotel de la Gare (Station Hotel) which was its original name.
Situated south of Argenton-sur-Creuse (36 Indre, Centre -see map) just off the A20 autoroute about 200 miles south of Paris, this could make an ideal stop-over en route to or from the Dordogne, Lot and Toulouse - and tends to be one of those areas that many of us hurtle through (especially with the new A20 Autoroute "l'Occitaine") on our way south or north.
Argenton-sur-Creuse is known as the Venice of the Berry (a former province of Central France) is a delightful spot on the River Creuse with medieval streets and chateau in the middle of an unspoilt area of France.The quiet and pretty small village of Celon is a few kilometres south.
"Le Canard au Parapluie Rouge is a lovely period country home situated on three and half acres of grounds and gardens. .... Now the property has been completely updated with all modern conveniences and offers several en-suite bedrooms. You will find the style of Le Canard a delightful mix of eclectic furnishings from around the world creating a very cozy & welcoming ambiance."

For more info see www.lecanardbandb.com.

Posted by frenchduck at 7:01 AM | Permalink

Toulouse (31 Haute-Garonne, Midi-Pyrenees) is known as the "pink city" or ville rose due to the warm colour of the local stone, especially in the evening sun. However, it is the violet (locally known as the Viola Tolosa) which is the emblem of the city, and every February the city celebrates the flower has been grown in the marshland north of the ciry since the 19th Century.
On 10th and 11th February 2007 the impressive Place du Capitole hosts exhibitions, demonstrations and a market focussing on the violet in its many forms - flowers, perfume, sweets, liqueurs.....

For more infomation see www.toulouse-tourisme.com

Posted by frenchduck at 7:20 AM | Permalink

The arrival of Speedferries in 2004 shook up the Cross-Channel ferry market in much the same way as budget airlines impacted on the airline industry. Together with Norfolk Line they introduced significantly lower fares than the traditional operators, and have ultimately ensured that overall prices from Dover are much better value today.
One of the casualties of increased competition was Hoverspeed with their high-speed hovercraft service to Calais who ceased business over a year ago.
But now Speedferries, who operate a fast catamaran service to Boulogne (in 55 minutes) is about to move to the old Hoverspeed terminal at Dover's Western Docks.
This should allow for easier access and departure at Dover (as long as you remember to change the habit of heading for the Eastern Docks) as there will be a dedicated terminal and ferries will be able to get into and out of the harbour without having to wait behind other ferries.No lorries or long queues to get through customs should improve matters too.
To celebrate the move Speedferries are offering open returns valid for 12 months for just £50 for a car and up to 5 people.
For more info see www.speedferries.com

Posted by frenchduck at 7:11 AM | Permalink