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Verdun (55 Meuse, Alsace-Lorraine - See map) is one of those place names which cannot escape their rather grim history - much like the Somme, or Ypres in Belgium. Furthermore it is not generally en route to the more popular southern French destinations.
So it was good to see an useful article in the Telegraph which provides some good advice on driving south to the Alps. Rightly the article suggests that the ski resorts do not offer the best experience of the real France, so you need a decent overnight stop en route - une étape gastronomique!
One recommended stop-over is Verdun and the Hotel Coq Hardi, which I stayed at many years ago towards the end of an otherwise disastrous holiday, when we returned home early after a futile search for decent camping weather further south.
My memories of the hotel are very favourable - our meal and stay there was the highlight of the holiday - the hotel was comfortable in a rather traditional way - memories of floral wallpaper on the ceiling - and the restaurant was somewhat formal. However the abiding memory, other than the best ever Crepes Suzette, was the way in which even a quite posh restaurant was very welcoming to children - so unlike many UK restaurants at the time (and probably even today).
The hotel’s website suggests it has become rather funkier - see www.coq-hardi.com.

Le Coq Hardi (or the bold rooster) is a common feature in France - most commonly seen onthe French National Rugby and Football Team shirts - it is also the symbol for Wallonia - the French speaking part of Belgium.

Verdun was a major battle in the First World War - and became synomymous with huge losses from a war of attrition - and of particular resonance to the French as they took the brunt of the carnage. Its occupies a strategic position on the banks of the RIver Meuse and was where Marechal Petain earned his reputation, Despite the overlay of the battle and its consequences, it is a pleasant town and is well-positioned just about 250 miles from Calais.

Our mini-series on visiting French vineyards (French Vineyard Visits and Visiting French WIneries) looked at the “etiquette” of visits and explored the range of different types of facilities on offer.
There is however another option - which is to visit one of the many local co-operative wineries. The advantage is that they are staffed throughout the day, usually have a lot of good value wines on offer and you can usually get wine “on draught”. If you buy a plastic 5 litre “cubitainer” you can get it filled up with wine for a ridiculously low price - or sometimes be able to purchase wine boxes of the local wine.
A broad generalisation would be that co-operative wines are less “exciting” than many of those made by small independent winemakers. However, whilst this may apply to many, especially in the south of France, others do produce high quality wines.

In Alsace, for example, many of the best wines are produced by co-ops such as Turckheim and will offer an excellent tasting and range of wines.

In the Loire Valley, the Cave des Producteurs de Vouvray has a wide range of wine styles on offer and an interesting visit through the underground cellars.

In the Southwest, the co-op at Buzet (les Vignerons de Buzet) led the re-creation of the vineyard and established the appellation’s reputation for good quality wines. The visit to the winery also includes a demonstration of cooperage (barrel-making).
Another example of how good a co-op can be is at Plaimont in Gascony, deep in the heart of Armagnac country. A wide range of great quality wines from simple Vins de Pays des Cotes de Gascogne through to rich Madiran reds.

At Marmande the visit will be more basic, but the Cotes du Marmandais wines are fine and good value for money,
In the Languedoc one of my favourite Co-operative cellars is in the small village of Embres-et-Castelmaure in the Corbieres - some truly excellent wines in a delightfful if rustic surroundings.
Finally in the Southern Rhone valley I’d recommend the Cave de Beaumes-de-Venise for their well-known dessert Muscat wine, but also some very good red Cotes du Rhone.

Visiting French vineyards can be a bit of a lottery - it can be difficult to know what to expect. Some offer a swish tasting room continuously staffed, whilst others are more basic and are staffed by the vigneron or members of the family - and only then when someone arrives and rings the bell or makes an appointment.Just don’t be over-influenced by the surroundings - it is the wine that is the most important thing - and how your host helps you to appreciate and/or understand it.

So here’s a short guide to some of vineyards that we know - but every one was worth visiting even if the experiences were varied. If you can it is worth telephoning in advance to check if someone will be there - but don’t let that stop you just turning up - just be prepared for a wait on ocassion.

Probably the most polished visit we’ve enjoyed was to Chateau de la Tuilerie in the Costieres de Nimes AC. - a superb range of wines from the southern Rhone, in a stylish tasting room with plenty of info, helpful and knowledgeable staff, and other wine-related items - including a fantastic display of matador jackets when I last visited.
For Cognac and Pineau des Charentes, Maison Deau at Gemozac is also stylish and offers both a video presentation, a museum and some impressive gardens.

A touch less formal is Mas Sainte Berthe (see image above) at Les Baux de Provence - here they have a great tasting room with olives and olive oil products and a signposted walk through the vineyards with the spectacular backdrop of the Alpilles mountains.

In a more homely/rustic style we can recommend@-
Chateau Gibalaux-Bonnet in Minervois - nice tasting room but no frills
Domaine Octavie in Touraine in the Loire Valley - similarly
Domaine Leduc-Frouin in Anjou, Loire Valley and
Domaine des Huards in Cour-Cheverny (Loire)
Domaine la Fourmone for Cotes du Rhone, Vacqueyras and Gigondas
Paul Beaudet at Pontanevaux for Beaujolais and Maconnais

Significantly more basic, but nevertheless welcoming would be
Chateau Grinou in Bergerac - no real tasting room, but an enjoyable tasting amongst the wine vats
Similarly Chateau Beauportail in Pecharmant.

The one paradox is that the less polished the tasting room, the more likely it is that you will meet the winemaker/proprietor - who can impart their passion, knowledge and experience - and sometimes a little philosophy!

A useful guide to vineyard opening hours, addresses and telephone numbers (the latest versions only available in French) is the Le guide Hachette des vins.which you can order through Amazon France for UK delivery.

That’s DÉGUSTING! - Venturing into French vineyards

One of the joys of touring France is the opportunity to try wines at the vineyard. In every wine region you’ll pass roadside signs to “degustation”(tasting) and “caveau”(cellar), but it can be a daunting prospect if you are not a confident wine bluffer or fluent in francais.. Yet often such visits can be memorable, informative and great value for money.

The key thing to remember is that most vignerons are delighted to welcome visitors – especially if you are genuinely interested. You do not need to be particularly knowledgeable. Remember that in France wine is an everyday commodity for most people, and only in the rarified atmosphere of the top flight Bordeaux and Burgundy cellars is it treated with the hushed reverence exhibited in an old-fashioned London wine merchant’s emporium.

Certainly the wine will be good value – you may well be able to get a local wine cheaper in the supermarché, but that will be a mass-produced product, usually from a cooperative. At the vineyard you’ll almost always get better quality – and you’ll get a memorable experience of people, place, smells and taste which you can recall when you open a bottle on a bleak winter day back home. Wine is, after all, more than just alcoholic grape juice – the wines I remember are recalled as much by the occasion and the company or food as by the actual taste of the wine.

So, how to go about it? There are some rules that apply to any wine tasting – i.e. avoid cigarettes, heavy perfume or sweets – they will obscure the taste and smell of the wine. Your taste buds are brightest in the morning – especially if you’ve only had a light breakfast rather than the full fry-up – although avoid tasting on an empty stomach. Try wines in a sensible sequence – whites before rosés and reds; younger wines before older wines; and sweet wines last of all. One of the joys of wine tasting is the opportunity to compare different wines at the same time.

I have a simple rule of 5 “S”s for successful tasting:-
See – hold the glass up against a white or light surface - look for brightness, clarity. The more purple a red, the younger it will tend to be.
Sniff – your nose is your best asset! – fill the glass no more than half-full- swirl the glass carefully without spilling - a quick, deep sniff will quickly tell you if the wine has any faults – and will reveal nuances of flavour which your tastebuds often just confirm
Slurp – take a small mouthful and slosh it around the mouth – this will expose all parts of your tongue to the wine – different parts of the tongue detect sweetness, sourness, bitterness etc. Do not feel complelled to down the whole sample in one go – no-one will be offended if you leave some wine in the glass – and you can always come back again to contrast and compare.
(Swallow) - if you must, but only after your mouth and tongue has had the chance to savour the wine fully – and don’t swallow if you have more than a few wines to taste – it will cloud your tastebuds – and your brain. Better to…….
Spit – this can be optional. Although it may seem undignified, it is perfectly acceptable and eminently sensible if you are halfway serious about tasting wines. However there are some precautions you need to take. Spitting is more of a skill than you might think, as I know from bitter and messy experience. So, beforehand make sure that you are wearing something that you can afford to get splashed – avoid white shirts and posh frocks! Secondly, before sipping the wine do make sure you know where you are going to aim for with your spitting – asking with a mouthful of wine can be difficult. Often there will be a spittoon or a sink – otherwise use a gully or step outside and treat the weeds. Another precaution is to try to ensure that no one is likely to make you laugh – this can be disastrous – ending in an unseemly splutter over you, the floor and anyone within range – and the total loss of any composure or dignity! If in doubt, avoid eye contact!! The key is to project the wine away from yourself without drenching others. Purse your lips, draw in your cheeks and expel the wine in a jet of liquid in the desired direction. Experiment with some water for safety – then the dreaded dribble will not result in an expensive laundry bill. Effective spitting will impress everyone and improve your ability to appreciate a range of wines.
So – draw some conclusions from the experience – did you like it? Was it better/drier/fruitier/more complex than others you’ve tasted. Did it remind you of blackcurrants or rhubarb? Use trigger words that mean something to you – anything that helps you to identify the styles of wine which you like. Making some short notes will always impress and could prove useful to you when later trying to recall which wine was which.

Even if your French is no good – simple gestures for tasting (déguster), spitting (cracher), and great! (bon!, formidable!) are not difficult to improvise. Slightly more complicated may be finding out the vintage (millésime) or grape varieties (cépages).
And finally, you don’t have to buy – although buying the odd bottle is courteous, especially if you have been well-entertained – and not expensive compared to UK prices and with a generous exchange rate. If you buy 6 or more you will often get a discount too!.
Above all – enjoy!

Decanter has reported the imminent opening of a US-style wine centre in a bid to tap into the lucrative wine tourist market.

“La Winery, a 26ha wine tourism complex in Arsac-en-Médoc, boasts exhibition areas, park and picnic land with water features, an amphitheatre, restaurant, tasting rooms and 1,000 square metres of retail space. The complex is Bordeaux’s first such operation and is due to open on 1 March this year.”

Now I have to admit some ambivalence about this development - because whilst I detest the idea of some huge slick shopping mall-cum-theme park experience, it is not always a very visitor-friendly experience when visitiing French vineyards. At one extreme the fine Bordeaux and Burgundy vineyards can ve quite intimidating and sometimes do not welcome visitors without appointment or introduction. At the other end of the spectrum many small vineyards have few or no facilities for welcoming visitors and/or tasting wines, and can often be unattended during busy periods out in the vineyards or cellars. Furthermore language complicates matters, and some Champagne houses will actually make a charge for tasting to deter free-loaders.

And yet, some of my most memorable experiences have been at small vineyards, meeting interesting and passionate winemakers, many of whom are very welcoming and genuinely keen to show you their wines, respond to your questions and to get feedback on their wines - regardless of language difficulties. You can walk away with a few bottles which will evoke a wealth of memories back at home - connection with the vineyard and winemaker which can enhance your enjoyment of the wine.

See our Guide to Visiting French Vineyards and for some suggestions on vineyards to visit see www.frenchduck.co.uk/winemakers.htm

For more info on La Winery see www.lawinery.fr

A missive from Cahors (46 Lot, Midi-Pyrenees) arrived this morning, responding to Robert Parker’s assetion that “Malbec will make it big!”. Certainly Argentinian Malbecs are rising fast, especially in the US, where interestingly Argentina has overtaken Chile as the 4th biggest exporter (after France, Italy and Australia).
Argentina still has some ground to make up in the UK, but their signature grape is the Malbec - which they can make in a very upfront, fruity, smooth style. However, it is Cahors which claims to be the real home of the Malbec grape (known locally as Auxerrois or Cot) - and that is probably a surprise to many visitors to the region - again the French labelling does not help. The French Malbecs tend to be more complex, and less sweet, but to my mind ultimately more rewarding.
Georges Vigouroux, a major name in Cahors, has been successfully marketing a 100% Malbec “Pigmentum” so named for the great depth of inky colour which is a trademark of good Cahors - and great value at £5.50/bottle (from Advintage wines)

Of course, the cause of Cahors and other Southwest France wines has also been promoted by Roger Corder’s recent research and book The Wine Diet where, at Queen Mary’s School of Medicine in London, he demonstrated that South West red wines are particularly effective in protecting you from cardiovascular diseases (in moderation of course!). He also notes that people in South West live longer than elsewhere in France!! Hence the so-called “French Paradox” may be more specifically a French South West Paradox - i.e. the incidence of coronary heart disease is relatively low despite a diet which is relatively high in saturated fats.
Others factors may be the predominance of duck and goose fat in the diet - as these fats are the healthiest of animal fats because they have less saturated fat than say, butter or bacon fat and far more of the health-promoting mono- and polyunsaturated fats. You can buy a range of goose and duck products from the

Although parts of the region are quite poor economically, the combination of great wines, rich food, a benign climate and a relaxed lifestyle all sound pretty healthy to me!
Cahors T-shirt available from www.jumboTs.co.uk

Champagne region - Reims, Epernay and Bar-sur-Aube
see map Read more on this…

Public Holiday in France - New Year’s Day - Jour de l’an

Other French public holidays in 2008:-
Monday 24 March 2008 - Easter Monday - Lundi de Pâques
Thursday 1 May 2008`- Labour Day - Fête du Travail - and Ascension Day - Ascension catholique
Thursday 8 May 2008 - Victory Day (WWII) - Fête de la Victoire 1945
Monday 14 July 2008 - Bastile Day - Fête nationale
Friday 15 August 2008 - Assumption - Assomption
Saturday 1 November 2008 - All Saints’ Day - Toussaint
Tuesday 11 November 2008 - Remembrance Day - Armisice 1918
Thursday 25 December 2008 - Christmas Day - Noel
Friday 26 December 2008 -Christmas - Deuxième jour de Noël (Alsace only)

There are some good early booking deals on offer for crossing the Channel to France this summer - and beware that the ferry companies are starting to copy budget airlines in pricing - so you can expect to pay considerably more for your crossing the later you leave it to book.
Although several operators offer their own loyalty schemes, it is always worth checking the available tarrifs on one of the price comparison sites - such as Cheap4 Ferries - they do claim to save you money with every operator across the channel, including EuroTunnel.

Brittany Ferries and others offer “Propery Owners Club” discounts, and recently SpeedFerries (Dover - Boulogne) offered some super prices if you were prepared to buy 10 crossings in advance.
Inevitably western Channel crossings from Portsmouth, Poole, Weymouth and Plymouth will cost significantly more - but it may be worth it depending on your departure point and holiday destination - and will certainly offer greater comfort and relaxation - and save money and time in some cases. Arriving in Caen (Ouistreham, 14 Calvados, Normandy) and Le Havre is a more attractive option now that the motorway network can get you south and west easily and quickly and avoiding Paris!! Even from Dover and Boulogne getting to Normandy and Brittany is now much easier.
For more info on cross channel ferry crossings see www.frenchduck.co.uk

Be sure to take a decent (and up-to-date) map with you - see our recommended Michelin Maps of France as the growth of the autoroute network in France may offer you new itineraries which were not previously available - or cause marital friction if the navigator is working from a 15-year old map!!
And don’t forget that many Satellite Navigation systems have European maps available - the old Sat Nav can make a huge difference to a long journey on unfamiliar routes, especially as French road signs seldom display the road number. - See our list of Sat Navs for France

The lumbering machine that is French bureaucracy is due to decide on 24 January 2007 on the creation of a new category of varietal wines - “Vin des Pays de France“, or “Vin de Pays des Vignobles de France” or even “Vins des vallées de France”. The ruling will allow for single variety wines to be made using the same grapes from up to 4 different regions of France - the bottle label will show the grape variety but not the geographical origin.
This is supposedly to counter the marketing success of New World branded wines, and as with the recently lauched “Vin de Pays de l’Atlantique” it offers the potential to make some good blends which are not currently allowed - e.g. balancing the voluptuousness of a hot Languedoc Sauvignon with the fresh crispness of one from the cooler Loire Valley.
However, Vin de Pays d’Oc from the Languedoc has been very successful and has become almost a “brand” in its own right, whilst retaining an admittedly large geographical identity.To my mind the image of bulk wines being transported across France and blended and bottled in industrial-scale wineries is not an attractive one. Nevertheless that is the reality in much of the New World, and even in parts of France - despite the clever marketing campaigns that try to conjour up the illusion of horny-handed craftsmen making wine with love and passion in some bucolic setting.
More importantly to my mind, it is the labelling on French AOC wines which is the biggest barrier to successfully competing with the New World. We know that France can and does produce wines which can beat most New World wines at any price level. And whilst some of the French wine laws seem unneccesarily restrictive, they do offer the consumer some guarantee of both provenance and content - we can be confident that no artificial flavourings or other unknown addidtives are added to French wines to make them more “grapefruity” or even the reds “sweeter”. But, labelling restrictions on identifying grape varieties mean that consumers will avoid what most see as “obscure” French wines and take the easier route to a bottle with a funky label and straightforward message - which will almost always be “New World”. The French do love to imbue their wines with history, mystique and a certain aloofness - all of which is fine but only of any use if you can get the consumer to buy the bottle in the first place.
However, c’est la vie! - the French would not be French if they were not so infuriating, and it is these same traits which make France such a wonderful source of great food and wine. So, no I really do not want to change the French into some efficient marketing machine driven by spin and efficiency - but I do worry that global brands will continue to squeeze small-scale, idisyncratic but wonderful producers of quality wine and food.

Rather fancifully, the Sunday Times (22 Jan 07) suggests some great market shopping ideas to recreate some great “restaurant” quality meals - fine if you happen to be in France, but probably not so easy even if you have easy access to somewhere like Borough Market in London. But nevertheless I know it to be true that whilst on holiday in France you can buy great ingredients, but don’t have the best recipes to hand - so maybe it would be worth photocopying some seasonal recipes and packing them with your favourite kitchen knife (so seldom do you find decent knives in gites or villas) - although if flying do not put them in your hand baggage. The other trick is to focus on the relevant local produce - get local and seasonal and you probably cannot go far wrong.
The Sunday Times picks out Mirande (32 Gers, Midi-Pyrenees) and its Monday morning market for foie gras, free-range poultry. “Also brebis (cheese made from the milk of Pyrenean sheep), prunes from Agen, red Madiran and white Pacherenc du Vic-Bilh wines, and all kinds of charcuterie — you might even find some wild-boar salami.”
For a different gastromic emphasis Vaison-la-Romaine (84 Vaucluse, Provence) is highlighted for “olive oil from nearby Nyons and garlic from the flat lands of the Vaucluse. .. In addition, keep your eyes peeled for Banon (an appellation contrôlée goat’s cheese), local honey and whatever is the latest seasonal fruit. The nectarines here are superb.”. I still want to return to the wonderful farmer’s market held most summer evenings at Velleron (84 Vaucluse, Provence - see map)

France continues to be good value, especially as the cost of petrol and diesel continues to fall, whilst the exchange rate against both the US dollar and the Euro continues to improve. We are not far off getting 10 Francs to the Pound Sterling in old money - and yet I can remember the horrors of getting FF7,70 or less to the £! Travelex currently (21 Jan 07) are offering €1.47=£1.
Hence if you are avoid most autoroute service areas and major oil compnay branded service stations - and check out hypermarkets and supermarkets (e.g. Intermarche, Super U, Leclerc etc) you can get good value such as
Unleaded (sans plomb 95) €1.169 = 80p/litre
Super unleaded (sans plomb 98) €1.199=82p/litre
Diesel (gazole) €0.987 =67p/litre

However, you may pay more (or less) depending on where you are in France - there is a price comparison site at www.prixalapompe.com (in French) which shows that 62 Pas-de-Calais and 40 Pyrenees-Atlantiques are the most expensive departements (averaging about €0.99/litre) whereas 63 Puy-de-Dome (around Clermont-Ferrand in the very centre of France) prices can be as low as €0.90/litre =61p/litre for diesel.

Down in the Jura, preparations are in hand for the annual wine festival - the Percée du Vin Jaune 2007 at Salins-les-Bains (39 Jura, Franche-Comté -- see map).
For an insiders view and tips, John and Carolyn Scallon who run a B&B at Sens-sur-Selle offer the following thoughts - AND are also offering a weekend special:- 2 nights B&B accommodation with a special tasting dinner featuring many of the wines of the Jura.

“Once again it is approaching the first weekend in February and once again the Jurascian wine world is bracing itself for it’s big weekend out. The Percée du Vin Jaune is this year taking place in the Spa town of Salins les Bains on Saturday 3rd & Sunday 4th Feb. The caves are open from approx 1300 - 1800 each day.
After the success of last years event in Lons le Saunier where approximately 40,000 people paid to taste up to 10 wines Salins has taken on the challenge. As the Percée is a moveable feast the host for next year’s bash is already being chosen. It is the turn of the Southern Revermont for 2008 with the tiny village of Vincelles, near Beaufort among the candidates. Should they be awarded the Percée it will be a return to the old style of hosting where the visitors outnumber the hosts by about 50 to 1!
What is the Percée? Simply it is the release of the new vintage of Vin Jaune, probably the most celebrated of the AOC’s of the Jura. Don’t be surprised if you haven’t heard of it. As yet few in Britain have but there’s always hope. Unlike the release of the Beaujolais Nouveau which has spent almost two months in the vat (and sometimes appears to have spent far less) Vin Jaune has spent six years three months in second hand oak barrels (bought from Burgundy vignerons) prior to it’s release. All this waiting means the wine has to be something special.
The festival is run by a different town or village each year and this year the most northerly town within the Jura vignoble has opened it’s doors and cellars to the wine drinking public. Every cellar, shop store room and the like will be rented out by their owners to either the winemaker direct or to the CIVJ (Comite Inter-professional Vins du Jura). As well as the cellars there will be a few marquees for a couple of the larger producers and the ubiquitous food stalls. You need something to soak up the wine!
Last year was the first time that the Percée had taken place in a town centre, previously they had been held in a different village each year, but there will be a difference in ambience again this year. Salins les Bains is a much smaller town than Lons le Saunier and because of it’s history as a Spa town has quite a few facilities for visitors. The 70 (approx) winemakers who chose to exhibit their wines at the Percée will stretch out along the whole length of the town and attempt to lure you in to taste, and hopefully buy. The routine is that you park nearby in special car parks and either walk to the centre or catch a free bus. Those who are going to taste the wine pay the entry fee (in 2006 it was €10) and receive an engraved tasting glass and 10 tickets.
The tickets are in three different colours. 6 of them (yellow in 2006) will entitle you to a tasting measure of Cotes du Jura, Crémant (please try this, it can be stunning) and other “normal” wines. Please note that Jura wines can be very different from what you expect. If you are expecting a dry Chablis style Chardonnay because it’s the same grape variety forget it. You have to taste it to get to know it in the Jura. 3 of the tickets (orange in 2006) are for the Vin Jaune or it’s slightly upmarket brother Chateau Chalon. This is the special wine, not made by all of the exhibitors, that is being “feted” this weekend. Matured in old oak barrels and never topped up in it’s six year three months maturation this wine has a taste that really will make you think. The remaining ticket (orange and yellow in 2006) entitles you to a measure of Macvin. Not a wine found in MacDonalds but a blend of grape juice and Marc du Jura. This is the spirit that is distilled from the pips, stalks and skins of the grapes that have been pressed. The net result is a sweet aperitif style wine of about 15 - 16 degrees. The largest producer in the Jura, Henri Maire, doesn’t accept the tickets but just hands out free wine! However they have a very active team of salesmen on hand in their marquee and getting away without buying will take a big effort, especially if you’re visiting them last!
Should you be driving or a lifelong teetotaller with a masochistic streak you don’t have to pay to get in. As the event is on the main street and the shops are open in the normal way the organisers can’t stop you from just walking up the main road. You don’t get the tasting tickets and glass but you can just wander around to your hearts content .The driver can leave the car keys at the Police tent near the main entrance and, on returning, blow into the breathalyser, pass the test, receive the keys back and an engraved glass. If you wish to borrow a glass and a ticket from your friends that’s up to you. The measures are not large, you are there, allegedly, to taste different wines, not to get slaughtered. Drivers be warned. French Police do not need a reason to stop you for a breath test, and our own experience will tell you that they will be on most of the roads leaving Salins on the lookout.
All in all it is a very special weekend with the great and the good of the Jura wine world there, a good time being had by all, and it will probably snow! It has both times we’ve been! Fear not though, the wine keeps you warm. Here at Chateau Scallan (www.bandb-burgundy.com) we’re offering weekend special, 2 nights B&B accommodation with a special tasting dinner featuring many of the wines of the Jura, all for €80 per person based on two sharing a twin/double room. All of our knowledge will be thrown in for free!”

It is just a shame that internet technology has yet to be able to transmit aromas, as you can now watch skilled Parisian breadmakers and patissiers (translating as cake makers does not quite do justice to the art) live via a webcam every day (except Monday and Tuesday) between 04.30 and 18.30 (UK time).
Bonneau is an artisan boulangerie is situated on the rue d’Auteuil in Paris’ 16th Arondissement (see map) - west of the Eiffel Tower. Just watching makes the mouth water and offers a tantalising sample of French life.
On a recent trip to Paris, we discovered that Sunday mornings is a favourite time for buying patisseries, and the left bank shop we found was full of mouth-watering offerings with queues out into the street.

Visit the website at www.bonneau.fr or for the webcam alone www.siteparc.fr

The western Channel crossings (from Portsmouth, Poole, Weymouth and Plymouth) offer the most relaxing ferry routes to holiday destinations in West and South West France, but can look very expensive compared to the fierce competition and low advanced booking prices out of Dover.
Although Nord-Pas-de-Calais and Picardie have their attractions, many will tend to speed south out of the busy terminal and onto the autoroute which tends to whisk you through some rather unexciting landscapes - prettu much all the way to Paris on the A1 or Reims and beyond on the A26.. Whereas landing in somewhere like St Malo or Roscoff in particular makes you immediately feel on holiday and in France - a matter of scale and pace as well as more attractive countryside and seascapes.
One of the smaller operators is Condor Ferries which operates out of Weymouth and Poole to the Channel Islands and St Malo - and with some fast ferries the crossing time can be under 5 hours into St Malo. Some crossings call in at the Channel Islands and maybe this is an opportunity to have a look at the Islands, as in reality they are much closer geographically to France than the UK.
For more info see /www.condorferries.co.uk
For more info on Channel Ferry crossings see www.frenchduck.co.uk
Condor Ferries will be at the France Live Show in Leicester on Sun 19 February 2007