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The iconic Citroen 2CV (2 Chevaux or 2 horses or "deuch" or "umbrella on four wheels") was launched in 1948 at the Paris Motor Show and went on to sell more than 4 million before production ceased in 1990.
The design criteria were for a lightweight vehicle that would enable two peasants to drive 100 kg (220 lb) of farm goods to market at 60 km/h, in clogs and across muddy unpaved roads if necessary.Fuel economy was limited 100km with 3 litres of fuel. Most famously, it would be able to drive across a ploughed field without breaking the eggs it was carrying. Later the roof was raised and made convertible so that you could drive while wearing a hat.and to accomodate bulky items.

It's a bit of a "marmite" car - you either love it or hate it - but it was nevertheless a most successful car getting many French people on the road with something that was functional and economic. It remains popular and is so evocative of France - just add a Gauloise cigarette and a beret and you have the image of France in the second half of the 20th Century.

There is a charming video advertisement for the 2CV which is worth watching at
www.youtube.com

There is also a 2CV Museum in Alsace - "Created in 1998 by the Alsace Club 2CV, the museum aims to show visitors one of the greatest legends of the French car industry. The exhibition is dedicated to all people, children and adults, 2CV enthousiasts, 2CV friends or the curious. The museum wants to show the car that Citroën conceived and sold for 42 years but also wants to show the place that the car takes in people's hearts and imaginations.- open every Saturday of the year. Entrance is free.

Musée de la 2CV, Route du Donon, Grandfontaine (67 Bas Rhin, Alsace)

New wine museum to open in Bordeaux

2008-02-08T06:30:10Z

For all that Bordeaux is synonymous with fine wine around the world, the city has not had a decent wine museum in recent years. To some extent you could argue that with so many great vineyards in the area who needs a wine museum?? Yet Bordeaux can be a little difficult to come to terms with, and some of the best vineyard cellars can feel a little intimidating.
Whilst the ultimate key to Bordeaux is the quality of its wines, the wines would not have been a success without the history and geography of the city and its rivers, nor without the entrepreneurial structures of the wine trade and the relationships with countries such as England and the Netherlands.
So it has to be good news that a new Musee des Negociants will be opening in the Spring of 2008 in the historic Chartons area of Bordeaux, along the banks of the Garonne river, where barrels of wine were loaded onto sailing ships in earlier times.
The museum is being developed by a young wine merchant (negociant) under the banner of Bordeaux Historia Vini. Negociants were (and to some extent still are) a key feature of the Bordeaux wine trade, buying from, or acting on behalf of the vineyard and selling on to merchants at home and abroad. In some cases they would blend wines to produce a consistent blend which would be widely marketed. This undoubtedly helped the Bordeaux wine trade to consolidate its predominant position in the wine markets of the world.
Musée des Négociants, 41, rue Borie, Bordeaux

For more info on visiting Bordeaux see www.bordeaux-tourisme.com

Taking St Emilion seriously!

2008-02-06T09:07:26Z

I have previously been a little cynical about the tendancy of the French to imbue elements of their gastronomic heritage with just a tad too much pomp and often doubtful history and ceremonials. If they had such things, I am sure there would be the equivalent of "The Worshipful Company of the Most Glorious and Authentic Pickled Onion or Shallot", (oignons conservés au vinaigre?) enriched by elaborate costumes and rituals - and a history dating back to 1992! Having said that I admire their pride in their local produce and agree that it should be celebrated.

However, one august body to which my fond cynicism should not apply is the Jurade de St Emilion, who do have elaborate red robes, a spectacular procession through the town and a banquet which does justice to the fine wines of St Emilion. Every autumn they celebrate their "Ban des Vendanges" to mark the official start of the grape harvest, and many years ago I was lucky enough to accompany members of the Jurade on an extensive itinerary of tastings, a series of lavish meals with grand cru wines and the grand banquet. Although we were often only tasting young wines at the chateaux, some wonderful and mature vintages were brought out for the banquet.

As Timothy Hartley kindly informs me, the Jurade de St Emilion has a rich and important history in the development of the wines of St Emilion:
LA JURADE DE SAINT-ÉMILION

The roots of the Jurade lie deep in both French and English history - as its Arms, Great Seal and banners, which bear both the Lilies of France and the Lions of England, show. Saint-Émilion, together with the rest of Acquitaine, formed part of the dowry of Eleanor of Acquitaine on her marriage to King Henry II. The Jurade goes back at least as far as 1199, when their son, King John, confirmed privileges apparently earlier granted by Richard, Coeur de Lion. Saint-Émilion became effectively a free City under the Crown with the Jurade having control of its legal and economic affairs. The Jurats' duties included the control of production, and sale of, wine, closely monitoring its quality, branding approved casks and destroying any which were unworthy. Under Edward I, in 1289, the area of the Jurisdiction was enlarged to cover what is still the wine growing area composing the appellations of Saint Émilion. In return for these privileges, the Crown required that regular, and very large consignments, of wine be tasted, judged, its good quality assured, and then be consigned to England in casks quality assured by the Jurade's seal. After Saint-Émilion reverted to the French Crown, the Jurade's rights and duties were confirmed by French Royal Charters but, in the French Revolution, Jurats lost both their heads and their privileges.
The Jurade no longer has its extensive former civic and legal powers but its Grand Council still sits once a year, in Spring, to conduct a blind tasting of the wines of Saint-Émilion to assess their merits and pronounce a Jugement du Vin Nouveau. In September, it authorises the start of picking, in a ceremonial Ban des Vendanges from the top of the Tour du Roi, the Jurats wearing the scarlet and white robe of their mediaeval predecessors and calling upon their spirits to witness the continuation of over 800 years of tradition, passion, experience and skill.
The Jurade honours its historic links by giving us the privilege of two Chancelleries, based in the two ancient leading cities of England, York, serving the north of England and Scotland, and London, for the south of England and Wales. They organise tastings for those who would like to know more about the Jurisdiction's wines, often in combination with charitable fund raising. They also arrange visits to Saint-Emilion for members of the Association de la Jurade in England for the important festivals in Saint-Emilion's calendar, the Fête de Printemps and the Ban des Vendanges. More information about their activities, and contact details, are on their website - www.jurade.org.uk. They are always happy to welcome new members and to introduce them to Saint-Émilion's renowned hospitality, its beauty and its enormous range of wines.

St Emilion produces some of the best Bordeaux red wines, wines which in the Merlot and Cabernet Franc grapes dominate. The town and vineyards of St Emilion (33, Gironde, Aquitaine) are to my mind the most interesting to visit, the town being on an outcrop and the vineyards stretching down to the Dordogne river. The Spring celebration "Fete de Printemps" takes place on the 3rd Sunday in JUne, whilst the harvest celebration "Ban des Vendanges" takes place on the 3rd Sunday in September.

For more info on St Emilion see www.saint-emilion-tourisme.com

Dover-Calais Day Trip offer

2008-02-05T05:10:00Z

To brighten the gloom of February, P&O Ferries are offering Day Trips with car from Dover to Calais for just £20 return until 18th March 2007 - and into the bargain not only will you get 6 free bottles of wine but also a free breakfast or lunch when you buy one.!

Book your day trip with P&O

The attractions of Picardie

2008-02-03T08:08:39Z

The predominant image of Picardy tends to be the poppy and images of the FIrst World War. Yet this region has so much more to offer, not least its stunning coastal scenery and wildlife.

There is also a rich cultural dimension, which now includes a museum dedicated to the artist Matisse. Opening in February 2008 Matisse's house in Bohain en Vermandois (02 Aisne, Picardie) Maison Matisse, was where Matisse grew up and lived until he was in his twenties. "The Town hall decided to buy the house and convert it into a museum dedicated to the artist. Exhibitions, pictures, drawings, testimonies, videos tell us more about Matisse's young life. Audio guides and guided tours are available in English (4 euros). Free entrance". - see www.bohainenvermandois.fr

Further west is Jules Verne's House in Amiens (80 Somme, Picardie). After major refurbishment, the house where Jules Verne lived from 1882 to 1900 reopened to the public last March.

The visitor can discover through the 700 objects on display the personality of the famous writer and what inspired him, through a 'clin d'oeil' to his imaginary world and his day to day life in Amiens.
From the winter garden to the attic, you can relive the adventures of his heroes, Phileas Fogg, Michel Strogoff, Captain Nemo and many more.

For more info see www.amiens.fr

Then in Noyon (60 Oise, Picardie) there is the John Calvin museum. John Calvin, the leader of the Protestant Reformation in Geneva, was born in Noyon in 1509.

Located on the site of his birth house, the John Calvin Museum is a modern museum dedicated to the French reformer. The Museum was founded by the History of French Protestantism Society during the period of post-war reconstruction after 1918. The museum's collections include history of protestantism, through a magnificent collection of books, prints, etchings, paintings and furniture such as "Placard contre la messe" (Poster against Mass) and The Olivetan Bible.

For more info see www.ville-noyon.fr

www.picardietourisme.com has lots more information on visiting the region.

]]> Our map of Picardie (Picardy)

See larger map

Destination Angouleme

2008-01-27T20:38:45Z

Angouleme (16 Charentes, Poitou-Charentes) joins an ever growing list of budget airline destinations when Ryanair starts flying to Angouleme's Brie-Champniers airport from 1 April 2008. This small airport is just about 6km north of the city.
I like Angouleme - it is one of those very French market towns largely without pretension. Its main claim to fame is the annual Bande-Dessine (adult comic story books) Festival, very popular in France.
However to explore its attractions I recommend that you look at the www.viamichelin.co.uk website.I find the site very helpful in planning car trips in France (and the UK) offering a variety of route choices, timings, distances and costs including autoroute tolls. So you can discover that Angouleme is 733km from Calais, a journey taking 6 hours 49 minutes and costing €40.70 in autoroute tolls. By comparison, the journey from Caen (Ouistreham) is 485km, takes 4 hours 56 minutes and costs €21.40.

Ryanair is currently offering midweek flights in June from Stansted to Angouleme for under £44.00 return in June (including taxes and charges).

Alternatively you can reach Angouleme by train (Eurostar to Paris) and TGV to Angouleme which is on the GV Atlantique line to Bordeaux. The cheapest midweek price from London in March is £49.50 one-way, the journey time being about 6 hours.

If you explore the www.viamichelin.co.uk website further and search on the Tourism tab for Angouleme you;ll discover information on the town's attractions and download some audio tours of some of the main sights!

French traditions under threat

2007-12-10T08:31:05Z

One of the joys of renting a property in some parts of rural France was always the prospect of a little welcoming glass of the patron's home brew - often something so unfamiliar and powerful if was bound to encourage good Franco-Brittanique entente cordiale. For me it was a homemade Pineau des Charentes near Saintes (Charente, Poitou-Charentes) - a blend of unfermented grape juice and neat Cognac made in the Cognac region, The first glass of this totally unknown beverage was drunk with a mixture of trepidation and politeness - served from an unlabelled bottle straight out of the fridge. The second glass was miraculously welcomed as an old friend, and the third was drunk merely to prove to the host that we were not merely being polite. Unfortunately we then discovered that the property we were staying in was still a few kilometres drive away along what roads that seemed anything but straight at the time - although the following morning the curves seemed to have been an illusion,

Hence a certain dismay at another piece of French life under threat as the Guardian (10 Dec 07) reports that this tradition is under threat.

Eau-de-vie, the fiery homemade fruit brandy which has been a staple of French rural hospitality for centuries, could be under threat by a new law to be enforced on January 1.
In France, making homemade alcohol is a tightly regulated - and taxed - process. But nearly 300,000 fruit growers and their offspring, thanks to a law dating back to the 1920s, can make up to 10 litres of pure eau-de-vie, or 20 litres of 50% alcohol, tax-free.

I do somehow have my doubts that this ruling will be strictly adhered to in the backwaters of rural France, although you should never underestimate the French customs authorities (les douaniers) who are regarded with grudging respect in France - so the bottle may stay in the fridge in future!

Charles Bremner in the Times (10 Dec 07) reports that another romantic icon of France with echoes of the 1930s is also disappearing - the Wagon-Lits sleeping cars which ran overnight from Paris to the Riviera are no more! The advent of the TGV and the ticket prices have rendered this serene and elegant mode of travel obsolete - Le Train Bleu as it was known was gleaming, polished and luxurious - a far cry from today's preference for speed and utility. It does seem to me that modern travel termini such as all airports and many railway stations (with the exception of the new St Pancras International in London) are designed to rob travellers of any sense of anticipation or excitement for the thrill of the journey and turn it into an ordeal to be endured.
Now you'll have to eat at the Train Bleu Restaurant in Paris to get an impression of the stylish decor and style (see image above) or really blow the budget with a trip on the Orient Express from Paris to Venice!

Paris in the Rain

2007-12-09T07:46:01Z

Paris is a great city for strolling and enjoying the splendid vistas offered by the River, the axis of the Louvre - Place de la Concorde - Champs Elysees - Arc de Triomphe and the Arch of the Defense; or the panorama offered from Montmartre. But when it rains everyone heads for the art galleries and museums, which can be become clogged - and the queues to get into places like Musee d'Orsay get longer and entail queuing in the rain!!
So another strategy, which admittedly may involve a few sprints between destinations, would be to head for the arcades and galleries which offer great window shopping under cover. Places such as the Galerie Vivienne (rue Vivienne, Paris 2) - see photo above - with its marble floors is an elegant 19th century equivalent to s modern shopping mall -there are others between the rue St Marc and thre Bouilevard Montmartre.
A little less protected from the elements are the arcades around places such as the Jardin du Palais Royal, the Place des Vosges along the rue de Rivoli.
But the Parisiens have the best solution - head for a cafe/bar/brasserie, get a window seat and order a Chocolat Chaud (hot chocolate) and just watch the world go by with all the theatre and variety that Paris can offer,

Getting around Paris

2007-12-08T06:40:29Z

The traffic in Paris is notoriously bad at any time of year so bringing a car is not a good idea. The Peripherique - Paris' Ring Road - is often clogged, but tends to move albeit fitfully. However with the Periperhique gridlock is often the case.
Two ways of avoiding this are available - the Velib Scheme of city-wide bicycle hire (see picture) which is proving very popular. Once subscribed you can pick up a bike at any one of numerous self-service "Stations" and return it to any other for a modest charge. There are however reportedly some problems around Sacre Coeur and Montmartre which are on a hill overlooking the city - everyone seems to pick up a bike at the top of the hill to ride down, but few choose to ride up the hill resulting in a lack of bikes at the top,

The other traffic-free option is the BATOBUS, a river bus service which runs from the Eiffel Tower down to the Jardin des Plantes calling at the Musee d'Orsay, St Germain des Pres, Notre Dame, Hotel de Ville, Louvre and Champs-Elysees - just get on and off where you choose for €12 per day (or €14 for 2 days) - and get some great views of the city into the bargain.

For more info see Velib and BATOBUS

HIghlights of the Lille and Paris Wine Fairs 2007

2007-12-06T06:02:04Z

Late November/early December the Vignerons Independants (independent winemakers) hold a series of public wine fairs, most notably in Lyon, Reims, Lille and Paris where you can taste a seemingly mind- and tongue-boggling array of wines from all over France. The exhibitors are mainly small independent winemakers (no co-operatives, negociants or multi-nationals) who are keen to show off their wines.
In Lille alone, there were over 460 stands covering the whole of France and Corsica, and for the wine-enthusiast it really is a great opportunity to discover new wines.
The problem is that you cannot physically taste more than a small fraction of those wines on offer, so a bit of pre-planning or a good helping of serendipity is required.
I usually go with a few friends, and our strategy is to split up for the first couple of hours and then meet up to compare notes and share "discoveries". So the following mix of old favourites and new wines to watch is not a scientific analysis of all that is available, but a personal selection from those that I did visit::-

Mas de Martin, Coteaux du Languedoc AC
Here Christian Mocci makes some excellent and very drinkable wines which he blesses with mythical names - Ultreia and Cincarca. These are really well-structured blends of Syrah and Grenache (plus Mourvedre for the Ultreia) but with juicy red fruits predominating. Regrettably not available in the UK as yet, but hopefully someone will start importing them, especially as they have won two "Coups de Coeur" in the Guide Hachette and a bronze in the Decanter World Wine Awards 2007. See www.premiumwanadoo.com/masdemartin The Domaine also offers self-catering accommodation - see www.frenchduck.co.uk

Domaine de Cauhapé. Jurancon AC and Jurancon Sec AC
I am a great fan of good Jurancon wines from the foothills of the Pyrenees. These idiosyncratic wines are primarily based on Petit Manseng, Gros Manseng and Petit Courbu, and range from steely dry (Sec) through to gloriously rich dessert wines. Domaine de Cauhapé produces some of the very best, and this year Henri Ramonteau, the owner was present to show his stylish wines. I personally prefer the dry wines, although I will confess that his dessert cuvee Quintessence du Petit Manseng is a really exceptional wine.
Of the dry whites I like them all for the wonderful combination of crisp, delicate acidity with exotic fruit flavours. Even the names of his cuvées are enticing - Chant des Vignes (song of the vines), Ballet d'Octobre and Symphonie de Novembre (from the late harvesting), la Canopée: "The aroma has a rare complexity, combining hazelnuts and quince paste with smoky notes and mineral characters. The palate is extremely aromatic - an explosion of fruits and spices." For more on the Domaine see www.cauhape.com. UK stockists for Domaine de Cauhapé include Arthur Rackham

Domaine Octavie, Touraine and Touraine Sauvignon AC
An old favourite, but I was really impressed with even their basic cuvée of Touraine Sauvignon 2006 - good clean crisp, fragrant Sauvignon Blanc from the Loire - and at just €5.00 at the stand and vineyard this is incredible value - and such nice people. For more info see www.frenchduck.co.uk
Available in the UK from Eton Vintners and others

Chateau Ricardelle, Coteaux du Languedoc, la Clape AC Back to the Languedoc for the other star of my tasting - the Cuvée Closablières from this fine vineyard near the coast near Narbonne. "La Clape" is a rocky outcrop between Narbonne and the Mediterranean and this slope on the North East side of the outcrop is able to produce wines of great intensity probably due to low rainfall and cooling sea breezes. This wine is a blend of Grenache, Syrah and Carignan aged in oak for 12 months.
This wine is stocked by Pic Wines
This chateau also offers self-catering accommodation amongst the vines! For more info see www.frenchduck.co.uk

Overall I still think that the Languedoc continues to improve in terms of quality and value for money - by contrast the Rhône wines were a little disappointing - a personal view based only on a fairly random selection of wines available in Lille.

Images of France

2007-12-04T07:54:31Z

With our friends at www.rjsw.co.uk we have made available a small collection of high quality prints of France from our archives (and a couple from talented wine and food photographer Andrew Barrow). They produce professionally printed, beautifully mounted and backed prints ready for framing in sizes up to 16" x 24". These can make an ideal Christmas gift for a francophile (or anyone else) and will grace any wall or room.
RJSW's prime selection is of beautiful images of South West England which is well worth a browse - I'm trying to persuade them to extend their range to the South West of France!!

For more info see www.rjsw.co.uk

French Wine and Champagne at 40% off

2007-11-30T14:24:23Z

Until 9th December 2007 Threshers are again offering a stonking 40% off their still wine, sparkling wine and champagne. Valid in most Threshers, Bottoms Up, Wine Rack, Haddows and Victoria Wine stores.

They have a decent selection of French wines including Pic St Loup AC from the Languedoc, Louis Jadot wines from Burgundy, Georges Duboeuf Beaujolais and a good selection of Champagnes - and with that sort of discount the prices have to be pretty unbeatable.

All you have to do is to click on the voucher image above and print off your copy today! Then present it at any participating Thresher Group store between 29th November and 9th December 2007 to receive your 40% discount!.

CLICK HERE FOR THRESHERS 40% VOUCHER

Bordeaux re-invents itself

2007-11-29T08:08:30Z

Declared a UNESCO World Heritage site in 2007, the city of Bordeaux (33 Gironde, Aquitaine) is making a serious claim as a tourist desitnation. I must admit most of my visits have been fleeting - on the way to the airport or to the vineyards beyond the city centre. The Times (26 Nov 07) provides a new look at the city:

The region is one of the most vaunted wine producers in France but until recently many of visitors gave the city itself a pass. Prostitutes and shady characters strolled its rundown waterfront, black grime obscured the architecture. But a recent regeneration project, backed by mayor (and former French Prime Minister) Alain Juppe, has scoured buildings, turned the area by the Garonne River to a sweeping promenade with a shallow pool reflecting the Place de la Bourse and resurrected its graceful beauty. Multimedia
A new whisper-quiet tram, free from overhead lines in the central city, whisks visitors and locals around its 35kms tracks (expanding to 45kms).

For more info see Times Online
Bordeaux Tourist Office

Visiting northern France

2007-11-22T18:04:52Z

It is inevitable that Northern France is redolent with memories of the two World Wars - but visiting memorials, graveyards and battle sites is not to everyone's taste. For those who are interested then visits to memorials such as Thiepval, Beaumont Hamel and the Menin Gate in Ypres (just over the border in Belgium) are sobering and thought-provoking ocassions.
However, even if you are not interested, I would recommend a visit to the Canadian War Memorial at Vimy Ridge (62 Pas-de-Calais) - yes it is the site of another battle, but the Canadians have erected a stone memorial which is a thing of rare beauty. On a superb site on the ridge overlooking the rather industrial landscape of Lens and the Douai plain, the memorial is a stunning representation of hope and peace. Although designed in the 1920s to commemorate the 11,000 or so Canadians whose bodies were never recovered and the 50,000 others who died in the First World War it was finished in 1936, ironically just 3 years prior to another bout of bloody carnage,
The monument was refurbished in recent years and only re-opened in April 2007 and is well worth a visit. Several hundred metres away there is a visitor centre, trenches and tunnels to visit if you so wish, and the whole site is staffed by young Canadian student wardens who will answer any questions you may have.

Unfortunately the towns of Vimy and Lens are not particularly exciting for the visitor - but Arras offers an impressive Grand Place (Square) and is a lively place to stay.